The project Women! turn up the Volume! began in July 2005 in the community of Atlantis. The project purpose was to bring together and facilitate a discussion with women and men from three rural areas in the Swartland and West coast region on gender based violence. Participants represented several non-governmental organisations based in these areas.

Workshops were held over two weeks in Atlantis in preparation for Women's day 2005. The Bill of Rights, training participants in the use of effective communication strategies and developing campaign material for the event was the skills that were transferred to the participants.

The women and men took ownership of the event on Women's Day, and it was a success, as issues that were discussed by the participants on the day are the problems communities are struggling with. The issues that were addressed are School dropouts, women abuse, unemployment, poverty, HIV/Aids and substance abuse.

Because the day was a success a meeting was held in October 2005 to plan for the 16 Days of Activism, which the participants had asked for. More youth became involved in the project, which was a positive outcome from the Women's Day event.

Preparations for the 16 Days of Activism commenced in November and more NGO's became involved as well as churches. During the course of the 16 Days, the group managed to organise four events, at various venues. The first event on the 26 th of November 2005 was a road show, which started in Malmesbury and travelled to small rural communities surrounding Atlantis. The women did awareness raising around Gender Based Violence, and members of the various communities signed a petition to stop violence against women.

The second event was held on the 1st of December, which is World Aids day. The group split into two and events were held at separate venues to accommodate the clinics and the community. The activities for the day were information tables, the promoting of Voluntary counselling and Testing (VCT's) and a survey, which dealt with VCT's and the practise of safer sex.

The 10 th of December marked the end of the 16 Days of Activism 2005, and the group decided and on a march and event in Atlantis. Several members of the community joined in on the festivities and thanked the participants for the positive contribution throughout the 16 Days of Activism.

A meeting was held in January 2006, as the group felt that the campaign should be continued in Atlantis. A committee was elected from the participants that attended the workshops and part took in the events. The committee has identified their objectives and are working together against Gender Based Violence. They are preparing for a Women's day 2006 event in Atlantis, by designing new banners, posters and t-shirts.

The long-term plan for the campaign is to set up head quarters in Atlantis, to help the community. The women who are on the committee have experience in the fields of HIV/Aids counselling and awareness raising, counselling abused children, counselling abused women and working with the elderly.

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