Affairs, Ms Lulu Xingwana, at the 16 Days of Non-violence against Women and
Children campaign
4 December 2006
Directors-General Masiphula Mbongwa and Glen Thomas,
Chief Directors,
Directors,
General staff,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is again that period of the year when we remind South Africans of all
persuasions that the scourge of violence against women and children is an
abomination that has no place in our society.
According to Health24, one thing that South Africans cannot be proud of is
their alarming statistics of a quarter of all children have or will be sexually
abused before the age of eighteen and that as many as one in every four women
in this country is abused by her husband. This apparently excludes those that
are abused by so-called partners or boyfriends. In any normal society this
would be regarded as national crises. But in this country there seems to be a
somewhat morbid acceptance of this abnormal state of affairs.
Again, Health24 says South Africa is one of the countries with the highest
incidence of sexual abuse in the world. However, the exact number of cases is
hard to pinpoint as sexual abuse goes largely unreported. People Against Women
Abuse states:
"We all experience trauma, stress and fear, but an abusive man chooses to
abuse as a way of dealing with his pain or problems. He uses excuses to avoid
taking responsibility for his behaviour. Frequently, he tries to blame the
woman for the abuse by saying she is a bad partner, a bad mother, that she
provokes him or asks for it. Because it is hard to live with him, he tries to
make her feel that she would not survive without him. He can control his
violence but he chooses to control her instead." Ladies and Gentlemen, does
this sound familiar?
Perhaps what is more disturbing are reports indicating that social crimes or
abuses are committed among people who know each other. In a normal society
these are people who are supposed to protect one another.
Three days into this campaign, some faceless men robbed and killed a
92-year-old lady around Johannesburg. As if robbing her was not enough, they
had also raped her! I ask myself: "What kind of people are these who would rape
their own grandmother?" On 15 November, a woman and her partner killed a
70-year-old woman, put her body in the boot of her car and drove to Mpumalanga
where they doused her corpse with petrol and set it alight. Two weeks ago a
father was granted bail after being arrested for molesting his own few
months-old baby boy. Anyone remember the brutal rape of Baby Tshepang a few
years ago? The list continues ad nauseum. According to 'The Star' newspaper of
24 November, in any one month, the Stop Gender Violence Helpline receives 36
000 calls from victims of abuse and the number keeps increasing.
Charlene Smith, a journalist, novelist and rape survivor says that according
to statistics, there were 1 200 child murders in South Africa last year; 1 500
child victims of attempted murder; 24 000 children assaulted and 22 000 child
rape victims.
Some of the rape victims end up contracting the dreaded AIDS from their
attackers. Let us not forget those beasts who believe that sleeping with
virgins will cure them of AIDS. They are some of the sub-humans who end up
raping children and young girls.
It is against this gruesome background that it is commendable Government and
civil society are busy finalising a year-long programme of action so that this
campaign is not only for 16 days of the year. According to the Deputy Minister
of the Department Local Government, Honourable Nomatyala Hangana, the more
detailed 365 days action plan will be launched on 8 March, 2007, International
Women's Day.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Our sector is also beset with this problem. Women and
children are forever being evicted from their dwellings on farms and thrown out
into the streets. This usually happens during the biting winter months. I
always wonder how a person can sleep knowing that he has left innocent lives in
the hands of the weather elements. The same goes for people who rob, pillage
and terrorise farm owners and their families.
What we need to know is that domestic violence and violence against women
and children in general can be stopped. But we need to start with the
empowering of women in the workplace, at home, and in life in general.
According to a peer review study done by the Wits Rural AIDS and Development
Action Research programme, domestic violence in a community they studied
decreased by 55% once women were financially empowered.
One of the key findings of the study was that in order to fight the increase
of HIV/AIDS, you have to fight the underlying problems such as poverty and
gender inequality. That is why I am of the opinion that women should and must
be promoted to higher offices in these two departments. Of course this will be
done in accordance with the competency of individuals so that service delivery
is not compromised.
I am disappointed however, that four cases of sexual harassment have been
reported in the provincial office of Land Affairs in the Western Cape. In the
Department of Agriculture no cases have been reported. This does not, however,
mean such cases do not exist but rather that victims might be reluctant to
report. It is therefore imperative that we establish active gender desks within
the two departments. There must also be a policy endorsed by the Departmental
Bargaining Council to protect victims or complainants.
During the Durban summit of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development
(WARD) held in August this year delegates committed themselves to raise issues
on violence against Women and Girls and abuse of human rights among other
issues. This is highly commendable. WARD is a broad-based movement that seeks
to serve all women in addressing issues of Land and Agriculture of South
African women, united in their diversity. WARD takes place within the framework
of the vision of the Beijing Platform of Action, Millennium Development Goals,
African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) for the
development and regeneration of the African Women.
Whilst on the subject of WARD and as I stand before you I want to make an
announcement of an important milestone for our country. South Africa will be
hosting the Fourth World Congress on Rural Women from the 23 to 26 April 2007
at the Durban Convention Centre.
The aim of the Congress is to discuss universal and wide-ranging issues
confronting rural women. These include: globalisation, sustainable development,
gender equality, and food security, the impact of new technologies, empowerment
and public policies supporting rural women. The Congress will focus on
practical solutions and strategies for rural women who face complex problems
within their respective countries. The gathering will allow delegates to
exchange views on their own countries' experiences, new challenges financing
the advancement of rural women such as agricultural farming and influential
policy formulation in all relevant sectors.
Preparations for the April 2007 World Congress were initially led by the
Department of Social Development (DOSD) and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
After proper consultation with their Ministers, a directive was given that a
congress like this in South Africa had to be hosted by the Department of
Agriculture due to the nature of its engagement with rural women; hence the
DOSD handed this responsibility to my Department. However the Department of
Social Development, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of
Land Affairs have committed personnel in support for the co-ordination of the
Congress.
At the forthcoming World Congress on Rural Women, delegates from around the
world will come together for the largest women's conference ever held on the
African continent. This event will be an important catalyst for reviewing
progress made in terms of implementing the global commitments to women
development made at:
* Rio Earth Summit in 1992
* Geneva Declaration for Rural Women adopted at the Summit on the Economic
Advancement of Rural Women in 1992
* Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995
* Plan of Action adopted by the World Food Summit on Women 1996 held in
Rome
* Durban World Conference Against Racism Declaration in 2001
* the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Johannesburg Declaration
in 2002
* Maputo Declaration where governments committed to 10% allocation of national
budget going to agriculture.
In conclusion, The Congress - under the theme: "United in our Diversity:
Implementing Strategies of Rural Women Development for the 21st Century" - will
also chart the way forward in terms of monitoring the implementation of these
commitments made and the reporting mechanisms.
The concept of the World Congress of Rural Women will hopefully serve as
companion travelling towards their final "home" destination, the Rural Women's
Voices. Along the way to the congress, the fact will be endorsed and
acknowledged that, women are not a homogenous group; their lives vary depending
on the place, in which they live, as well as their age, social class, ethnic
origin, race and religion.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture
4 December 2006
Source: Department of Agriculture (http://www.nda.agric.za/)
