GBV panic button: An app that saves lives

by | May 23, 2024

Non-government organisation (NGO) “Kwanele – I Am Enough” utilises technology to help tackle the scourge of gender-based violence in the country.  

Combatting gender-based violence with the Kwanele App. Source: Kwanele South Africa

South Africa has the highest number of violent acts penetrated against women and girls in the world. To help women be able to protect themselves, Leonora Tima created the Kwanele app. 

The app, which can be downloaded on any smartphone gives access to its user a panic button – once its triggers, an immediate response from CASI, Kwanele’s partner armed response team will come to their aid.  

Once activated with the survivor’s location, CASI immediately dispatches to the scene, regardless of where the victim is in South Africa. The app operates nationwide, ensuring that the persons’ physical locations does not affect how quickly CASI reaches them. 

Tima started the NGO in 2020, after her nine-months-pregnant niece lost her life to gender-based violence. It frustrated her that her niece could not be helped before losing her life; and after, justice was not served. The experience left her so helpless that she left her work as as a director at Centimex at London, United Kingdom to start the organisation.  

In 2023, she was recognised by InspiringFifty Africa, a global initiative dedicated to increasing diversity, as one of the 50 most inspiring women in technology.  

The latest GBV statistics reported by Police Minister Bheki Cele reveal alarming figures for the third quarter of 2023: 10 516 rapes, 1514 murders, and 14 401 assaults against women were committed. These numbers highlight the urgent need to combat GBV through diverse and effective strategies.  

On the app, survivors can discreetly and safely report abuse, bypassing traditional reporting challenges, and securely store photos, videos, or voice recordings as evidence for up to ten years to strengthen their cases.  

Kwanele works with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ensure evidence collected through the app is admissible in court, strengthening a survivor’s case. It has been actively working with the South African Police Services (SAPS) to create a memorandum of understanding (MOU).  

This MOU aims to improve the handling of GBV cases, from evidence collection to providing comprehensive support for survivors throughout the legal process.  

But the app is currently facing several challenges including funding, victims ’s lack of access to digital devices, as well as user trust in the law enforcement. Kwanele recognizes that many individuals who need the app lack access to smartphones or the internet, and the organization is actively seeking solutions to address this issue.  

Survivors often distrust law enforcement due to their lack of confidence in the legal system. Kwanele is dedicated to overcoming this challenge and restoring their trust.  

FEATURED IMAGE: Screenshot of Kwanele – I Am Enough organisation. Photo: Kwanele South Africa

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