Mapping sustainable gender-based violence accountability ecosystems in rural communities: cases of Vhembe District

Rural communities have tremendous difficulties in social justice and sustainable development due to the prevalent and ongoing nature of gender-based violence (GBV). This study aims to map sustainable GBV accountability ecosystems in the rural communities of the Vhembe district. The study seeks to discover the contextual elements, institutional mechanisms, and community dynamics that support long-lasting and sustainable response to GBV within the Vhembe District. Through in-depth interviews, the study gathered qualitative data using a qualitative research approach. The study engaged different stakeholders, including survivors, community leaders, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and government representatives, in order to get an in-depth understanding of the current GBV accountability structures and their sustainability. While a non-probability purposive sampling was adopted for the selection of the participants. Data was analysed using the Thematic analysis, with the assistance of Atlas TI Data software. The results of this study brought to light the complex issues that rural communities face in preventing GBV, which includes resource access issues, cultural norms, and weak institutional support. Moreover, the research has revealed the potential practices and community-driven initiatives that support sustainable accountability, including launching community-based support teams, establishing capacity-building programs, and stakeholders’ collaboration. The study findings will significantly assist the policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to develop targeted interventions and strengthen sustainable responses to GBV in rural communities of Vhembe district. Additionally, the ethical considerations were followed to protect the participants from any harm.