Arts and creative industries can encourage behavior change

Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, Presidential Deputy Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, says the arts and creative industries have a unique power to build empathy and drive behavioral change.

Letsike was speaking at a stakeholder engagement meeting on the empowerment of women, youth and people with disabilities at The Playhouse Company in Durban on Tuesday.

Held under the theme “Addressing social ills through the creative industry”, the stakeholder engagement explored the creative industry as a tool to highlight the impact of violence against people with disabilities, sex workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning. and intersex (LGBTQI) individuals, women, and children, among others.

The engagement demonstrated other opportunities available to address gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in communities through sport, arts and culture.

In his speech, Letsike said that the arts and creative industries have a unique power to influence social consciousness, create empathy and encourage behavioral change.

“Music, theatre, visual arts and storytelling can reach the hearts and minds of audiences, raise awareness and influence behavior in ways that traditional methods sometimes fail to achieve.

“The creative industry also plays a vital role in educational prevention and intervention, using different art forms as tools to teach respect, empathy and non-violence,” Lestsike said.

Letsike said producing artworks that convey the harsh realities of discrimination and creating powerful theater productions that tell stories of resilience can encourage important conversations about what it means to be a healthy society and nation.

She said art can change social mindsets and challenge outdated norms that perpetuate violence and discrimination against women, girls and LGBTQIA+ people.

“In this way, the industry becomes not just an observer but an active participant in reshaping our nation’s narrative. Moreover, the creative arts fraternity’s broad reach offers, through its messages, long-term, comprehensive, adaptable, context-specific and holistic prevention approaches that target all people living in South Africa,” said Letsike.

The Deputy Minister underlined that citizens should adopt a whole-of-society approach in which every individual, community and institution takes an active role in solving the country’s social problems.

He said every South African must understand that ending social hardship is a national obligation for everyone.

“This is the message that must be carried far and wide by the cultural and creative industries,” the Deputy Minister said.

Letsike encouraged every individual in the industry to continue their “astonishing” work that touches the hearts and minds of the nation and has the potential to turn the tide and eliminate violence against women, children, LGBTQIA+ people and people with disabilities. Social acceptance of all forms of discrimination.

Continues to address GBVF

Letsike said the government is continuing its efforts to address GBVF through the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for GBVF.

“NSP represents our united, multi-sectoral approach to addressing this scourge at all levels of society. We have also launched the National Comprehensive GBVF Prevention Strategy, which expands the scope of our interventions and focuses specifically on preventive measures to stop GBVF before it starts.

“To date, these frameworks have led to improved support services for survivors, improved legal frameworks, and strengthened partnerships with civil society and the private sector.

“We continue to work closely with our partners, including community organizations and faith-based groups, to ensure our interventions reach every corner of society,” the Deputy Minister said.

The event was held in preparation for the District Development Model Presidential Imbizo which takes place on Friday, where President Cyril Ramaphosa will evaluate service delivery and engage with people at the Umnini Sports Ground in Umgababa, south of Durban. – SAnews.gov.za