Violence Against Women and Children campaign 2006, Saturday, 25 November 2006,
Kaizergracht to Parliament
24 November 2006
The Western Cape Government will be represented at tomorrow's march by
Education MEC, Cameron Dugmore, as Premier Ebrahim Rasool will be attending the
funeral service in Klapmuts of six victims of the Faure train-truck crash. The
march will be led by the Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongongkulu Ndungane.
The rights of women and children are fundamental human rights entrenched in
and protected by the Constitution. Gender-based violence in all its different
guises is unacceptable and must be eliminated.
The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women is a United Nations
(UN) campaign that takes place on an annual basis from the 25 November
(International Day of No Violence Against Women) until 10 December
(International Human Rights Day). The South African Government runs a parallel
campaign that includes issues relating to violence against children.
This national campaign, convened by the Deputy Minister of the Department of
Provincial and Local Government (DPLG), Ms Nomatyala Hangana, has as its vision
to take the campaign to the people at grassroots level and beyond the borders
of South Africa. The opening event is today in the Limpopo province.
The year 2006 marks the 16th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism
campaign. International instruments that support the campaign include: The
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action, which are both endorsed by South
Africa.
South Africans and people of the Western Cape are therefore called upon to
support the campaign by wearing the white ribbon symbol which reflects
solidarity.
The Provincial Government of the Western Cape, led by the Department of the
Premier and in partnership with civil society structures, is hosting an
integrated programme with a particular focus on women, children and people with
disabilities.
Enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Cell: 082 550 3938
Sifiso Mbuyisa
Director: Social Dialogue and Human Rights, Department of the Premier
Cell: 082 491 4744
Clayton Edmund Wakeford
Director: Communications Conceptualisation and Research, Department of the
Premier of the Western Cape
Tel: (021) 483 3528
Fax: (021) 483 3237
E-mail: cwakeford@pgwc.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government
24 November 2006
