Inclusion In Action: How The GBA Plus Course Is Shaping South Africa’s Next Generation of Inclusive Leaders

South Africa is taking a decisive step toward strengthening inclusive decision making through the introduction of the GBA Plus Course, developed by the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) and hosted by the Empire Partner Foundation (EPF) and supported by Orcaa AI. The initiative brings together government leadership and institutional expertise to position GBA Plus as a nationally relevant, practical training programme designed to serve both public and non-government sectors. By aligning policy priorities with professional development, the partners are establishing authority and credibility in the field of inclusive governance and applied equity training.

The GBA Plus Course, or Gender-Based Analysis Plus, is a structured online programme that equips learners with the tools to assess how policies, programmes, and decisions affect different groups of people. The “Plus” recognises that gender intersects with race, disability, class, age, geography, and other socio-economic factors. Rather than presenting inclusion as an abstract theory, the course focuses on real-world application. Learners are trained to identify exclusion, strengthen evidence-based arguments, communicate with clarity, and design solutions that reflect lived realities. In doing so, GBA Plus moves beyond awareness and provides a practical framework that can be applied across any field.

The course is delivered online through a dedicated EPF-hosted platform, making it accessible to participants across urban and rural communities. Its reach extends beyond government, targeting professionals in the private sector, NGOs, academia, and student leadership structures. Through coordinated radio campaigns, press features, social media engagement, and email marketing, the initiative aims to build broad awareness and encourage learner participation across sectors.

The initiative comes at a critical time. South Africa continues to face deep structural inequalities that influence access to opportunities, services, and economic participation. While many institutions acknowledge the importance of diversity and inclusion, they often lack practical tools to operationalise these commitments. GBA Plus addresses this gap. It provides a standardised, locally contextualised framework that strengthens policy development, improves programme outcomes, reduces reputational risk, and enhances organisational accountability. For students and emerging professionals, it also strengthens employability by equipping them with a competitive skill set aligned with leadership, Human Resources (HR), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) roles.

A learner who completed the course explained, “GBA Plus changed how I approach my work. I now question who benefits from a policy and who might be unintentionally excluded.” This reflection illustrates how the training reshapes professional thinking. By encouraging critical, intersectional analysis, the course builds confidence and credibility among those responsible for designing and implementing decisions that affect communities.

The implementation strategy combines radio outreach, press articles, social media campaigns, email marketing, and a dedicated mobile-friendly landing page to guide learners from awareness to registration and completion. Clear calls to action, structured learner support, and measurable reporting frameworks ensure accountability and sustained impact. The goal is not only high registration numbers, but meaningful completion and cross-sector participation that extends beyond government into private and civil society spaces.

Ultimately, the GBA Plus Course demonstrates that inclusion is not a slogan or checklist, but a strategic framework for strengthening institutions, communities, and careers. By equipping thousands of learners with practical, intersectional analysis skills, the initiative lays the foundation for more accountable governance, stronger organisational leadership, and a workforce prepared to design solutions that truly leave no one behind.

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