How free are you? Nedbank brings into focus financial abuse and freedom for women

This Freedom Day, Nedbank continues to shift South Africa's national conversation around gender-based violence (GBV) by shining a light on one of its most insidious, yet often invisible, forms – financial abuse – this time by advocating for financial freedom for women through its newly launched How Free Are You? initiative.

"Financial abuse is a silent enabler of gender-based violence. It traps women in cycles of coercion and dependence," says Khensani Nobanda, Group executive: Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank. "Through this campaign we're using our financial expertise to do good, making financial abuse visible, understood, and actionable."

Through the launch of How Free Are You? – a multistakeholder awareness campaign anchored by the ‘How Free Are You’ survey – Nedbank is calling on South Africans to reflect deeply on the true meaning of freedom. The campaign challenges individuals to ask themselves: Can we truly claim freedom if we do not have financial autonomy and agency?

The survey will surface real experiences with the aim to achieve the following:

• Break the stigma by giving language and visibility to financial abuse as a legitimate form of GBV.

• Enable insight-driven product development that addresses the financial barriers women face when they try to escape abusive relationships.

• Collaborate with advocacy partners to influence public discourse.

• Support national policy reform.

• Encourage positive masculinity by engaging men in meaningful dialogue and accountability.

"This initiative marks the next chapter in Nedbank's journey towards driving real impact in curbing financial abuse and empowering women with financial freedom," adds Nobanda. "As a purpose-driven financial services brand, Nedbank recognises its role in addressing systemic issues that hinder equality. Financial abuse is one of them, accounting for an estimated 99% of domestic abuse cases yet remaining largely in the shadows due to stigma and cultural silence."

As part of this initiative, Nedbank is expanding access to practical financial tools such as budgeting guides and wellness platforms while collaborating with organisations that support women navigating economic hardship. These resources are designed to empower individuals to take control of their financial futures – one informed decision at a time.

"Freedom Day and Freedom Month should be more than ceremonial," concludes Nobanda. "It should be a moment of reckoning. A time to ask not just if we are free, but how free we truly are, especially if economic control still defines the lives of so many South African women."

To learn more and access Nedbank's financial empowerment resources, visit Activism Against Financial Abuse Nedbank.