children
25 November 2006
Gender-based violence is an indictment against all of us. The national
campaign on 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, running from 25
November to 10 December, is most important in galvanising our nation against
women abuse. The campaign is one of the flagship programmes of the Commission
on Gender Equality (CGE).
Although gender-based violence is one of the biggest social problems in the
country, South Africa, during the African Peer Review Mechanism process this
year, was ranked among progressive countries which champion the development of
and better advance the status of women.
The ongoing violence, however, compels South Africa to do some
soul-searching, forcing government and civil society to ask: Do we understand
the roots of this violence? Are we doing enough to eliminate the scourge of
violence against women and children?
The Commission on Gender Equality, in collaboration with partners and other
stakeholders, will re-visit these questions through campaigns, workshops and
seminars to discuss such related as:
* gender based violence
* poverty and the Equality Act
* Maintenance and Domestic Violence Acts
* HIV/AIDS as a social pandemic
* Chapter 9 institutions to promote democracy and equality.
The CGE-initiated campaigns and discussions will take place in all the
provinces between 1 November and 13 December 2006.
Aims of the dialogues include: raising awareness about gender based
violence; assisting to eliminate gender based violence and providing a platform
for civic participation on reaching common recommendations to improve policies,
services, advocacy and public education; expressing solidarity with victims;
and building international networks with organisations campaigning against
gender-based violence.
The workshops, seminars and campaigns are aimed particularly at: women's and
men's organisations; traditional leaders and healers; the religious, labour and
business sectors; and civil society in general.
Among a host of them CGE social partners in this process include the Office
of the Status of Women and Human Rights Commission.
To kick-start the CGE 16 Days of Activism campaign, the CGE, together with
the Limpopo administration, the Commission hosted a conference in Limpopo on
ritual killings and femicide, which highlighted violence meted out against
women.
16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence as an international
campaign developed from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute in 1991,
highlights four significant dates to symbolically link violence against women
and children with human rights, namely:
25 November - International Day against Violence against Women
1 December - World AIDS Day
6 December - Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre
10 December - United Nations' International Human Rights Day.
Starting this year, the annual "activism" has been stepped up by advocating
for the campaign to be sustained and acted upon year-round, including through
commemorative dates such as the 30th anniversary of Soweto and 50th Women's
march.
Sixteen years on, the Commission on Gender Equality contends that "16" years
has not been sweet for women and children. The CGE therefore calls for the
intensification of the protection of women and child victims, and the ultimate
elimination of all forms of gender-based violence. Along the 2006 theme, the
CGE says: Come on South Africa, let's All Act Against Abuse�!
Contact:
Yvonne Mogadime
CGE Communications
Tel: (011) 403 7182
Fax: (011) 403 7188
E-mail: yvonne@cge.org.za
Issued by: Commission on Gender Equality
25 November 2006
Source: Commission on Gender Equality (http://www.cge.org.za/)
