Today the country begins the important campaign marking 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children.
This year we have added violence against persons with disabilities as well, given the prevalence of these attacks against them as well.
We have achieved a lot in the past 19 years with regards to fighting crime and promoting a safer South Africa for women and children. However, despite the hard work, the scourge of violence and the abuse of women and children continue and this scourge knows no class, race or geographic divide.
The violence we are talking about takes different forms. It includes sexual harassment, assault, rape and so-called corrective rape, domestic violence and all forms of abuse as well as cultural practices that are harmful to women.
We call upon all our people to unite and condemn all forms of violence against women, children, persons with disabilities as well all those who are who are attacked because of their sexual orientation.
Violence of this nature is barbaric, ferocious and inhumane. It must be uprooted from our society. Let us use our laws to put an end to this scourge. Let us also use our human values of Ubuntu as our weapon, and also our common resolve to build a caring society based on a strong human rights culture.
We have throughout the year sent out strong messages against violence and abuse. We will in the next 16 days intensify our message. The message is that homes, streets, schools, the workplace, social and entertainment areas and everywhere else, should be safe for women and children. No woman or child should be sexually harassed, beaten, raped, stabbed, shot or attacked in any manner, anywhere in our country. Those who commit such horrendous crimes have no place in our communities. They belong in jail.
Working together with the police, prosecutors and courts, we must ensure that these criminals are arrested and convicted.
We are also sending out a strong message to men in our country. The majority of South African men love and care for their children and protect their families. Men must therefore isolate those who give them a bad name by joining campaigns to eradicate violence against women and children.
We also urge responsible father figures to instil the values of human dignity, equality and respect in young men and boys. We must educate and socialise our boys and young men to be caring and loving and raise a new generation of upright citizens who uphold the Constitution and positive human values.
Government is working with partners such as men's forums, National House of Traditional Leaders and religious leaders to ensure the safety of women and children. We also applaud the work of many non-governmental organisations and children's organisations which highlight this scourge and also provide care and support.
Let this good work continue. We cannot defeat this scourge working alone as government. We congratulate the police on their hard work as many high profile cases have been solved and each day they work harder to find more suspects in these cases.
In commemoration of the 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children, we also remind the public of the re-establishment of the Sexual Offences Courts. The courts will adjudicate on these very heinous crimes against the most vulnerable groups amongst our people.
The first phase of the upgrading of 57 regional courts into Sexual Offences Courts has begun. It is through these courts that we will convict more sex offenders and put them on the National Register for Sex Offenders.
We have also made progress in the implementation of the National Register for Sex Offenders. The number of registered convicted sex offenders has increased dramatically from 2 792 names that appeared on the register as at 31 March 2013 to 11 418 names as at 31 October 2013.
In the month of October 2013 alone, over 3 384 sex offenders were successfully registered. We welcome this achievement as it means more crimes are being reported and solved. The high conviction rate demonstrates that we are making progress on the road towards a safer South Africa for all our people, especially women, children and all vulnerable groups.
Communities should use the National Register of Sex Offenders to protect children. The offenders should not be employed to work in schools and other areas where they will be able to attack children again.
Institutional support to women in distress is very important. For this reason, we will as government continue to give support to all institutions providing assistance to women and children in distress. Government manages 52 Thuthuzela centres around the country as model of the support we must give to women physically abused in their homes, which work is further strengthened by the reintroduction of the Sexual Offences Courts.
We also urge the community to support centres which provide support and shelter to women and children who are victims of this scourge. Such centres give women hope and enable them to rebuild their lives.
The abuse of women and children is in some instances entrenched by the dire economic situation of most women. It is important therefore for women to obtain appropriate skills and opportunities to obtain jobs or start their own businesses or cooperatives to promote self-reliance.
We urge government departments nationally, provincially and also municipalities, to expand economic opportunities for women so that they can be able to look after themselves financially.
Also important on this day, is to remind parents of the need to look after their children and to protect them. Child neglect is in itself a serious of form of child abuse. Parents should know where their children are at all times. Let us not make fighting this scourge a responsibility of government alone. Neighbours and school teachers should assist us by reporting cases of child neglect so that we can prevent this scourge. People must not look away.
As we begin the 16 days campaign today, let us spread the message around the country that enough is enough. Working together let us make South Africa a much safer place for women and children.
Enquiries:
Mac Maharaj
Cell: 079 879 3203
E-mail: macmaharaj@icloud.com
