North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Ms Desbo Mohono has made a call for implementation of the Integrated Provincial Strategy to reduce and combat sexual offences to be intensified following 3586 reported cases of rape in the North West Province during the 2010/11 financial year.
While appealing to women and girls to avoid walking alone at night and through overgrown vegetations, MEC Mohono also reiterated her call to the business sector to adopt and support programmes by municipalities towards the implementation of the crime prevention through environmental design strategy which complements the Integrated Provincial Strategy to prevent and combat sexual offences.
The strategy meant to address the challenge of skewed distribution of services and resources concentrated in urban areas to the disadvantage of rural communities as well as decrease sexual offences and the number of reported rape incidents by seven percent over three years.
It was launched by Provincial Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster stakeholders in November last year during the 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children campaign.
Six priorities of the strategy are prevention, early intervention, responses of the criminal justice system, victim support and service provision, research and information and an integrated and collaborative approach.
In extending the call to intensified action the media, the Progressive Women’s movement, organised labour, churches, other faith based organisations, traditional leaders, non -government organisations, women and youth groups to be part of the implementation process of the strategy to prevent and combat sexual offences, MEC Mohono says that government alone cannot succeed to eradicate the scourge of abuse of women and child abuse, it needs active support and participation of all stakeholders in order for the campaign to reach all rural communities.
“Our activism and collaborative effort should teach male chauvinists that culture, tradition and religion should no longer be used as excuses to suppress and undermine human dignity and violate the right of women and children in the society. Working together we can do more to take this year’s campaign to a higher level as part of implementing the 365 days plan of action adopted after the 10 year review of the campaign in 2009,” she said.
The Integrated Provincial Strategy to reduce and combat sexual offences is linked to the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) which aims to ensure coordination of crime prevention initiatives to ensure that communities enjoy good community police relations. The objective of the NCPS is to also restore confidence in the ability of government to provide accessible, efficient, effective, accountable, transformed and reliable services.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 391 0140
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 0328
E-mail: Lkgwele@nwpg.gov.za
