North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa has committed his department to coordinate and finalise a provincial gender action plan by September next year.
The commitment is part of the way forward outlined by MEC Yawa at the conclusion of the Provincial summit that was held in Mafikeng on Wednesday to assess the impact of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
The process of development of the provincial gender action plan intended to assist reduce sexual offences by seven percent to 10 percent as part of contact crimes which will be evaluated on an annual basis is to be inclusive of all stakeholders who participated in the one day summit.
Other key issues identified for intervention include:
- the involvement of all key stakeholders to improve implementation of the Sexual Offences Act, Domestic Violence Act and all other policy prescripts that are intended to reduce gender violence
- Reactivation of victim friendly facilities that not fully functional
- Intensified education and public awareness in order to achieve more positive results, the need to advocate the link between gender violence with HIV and AIDS.
A five year plan is also to be developed to also address continuous education of men folk on the effect that this violence has on women and children. MEC Yawa appealed for intensified partnership with civil society organisations that include the progressive women movement, churches, faith based organisations, other women, men and children’s rights groups to eliminate patriarchy and create a safe and secure environment for women and children.
“The involvement of all key stakeholders is key to the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act, Domestic Violence Act and all other policy prescripts in reducing gender based violence,” Yawa said.
Premier Maureen Modiselle’s message of support for the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children’s campaign, delivered on her behalf by MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mmaphefo Matsemela at the summit highlighted that that the violence affects millions of women and children should be condemned as it impedes their rights. It further said that everyone has a right to bodily and psychological integrity that should be upheld. The Premier called for people to speak out against gender violence and not to look away from it.
In her input, The Commissioner for Gender Equality, Dr Tebogo Maitse proposed that when perpetrators of gender violence are given bail they must not return home as they will influence the complainant to withdraw charges against them, particularly when they are bread winners. Maitse proposed that instead the state should introduce bail hostels so that they can continue to work without having any contact with the complainant.
To minimise the killing of women by their male partners, the Commission for Gender Equality further proposed that if women withdraw the charges three times, the police must arrest the perpetrator and charge him with the violence with or without the women’s consent. The commission also supported men’s involvement in ending violence against women as men are likely to listen to other men.
The summit was attended by among others the newly elected provincial Community Policing Board, representatives of area cluster community policing forums (CPF), non government organisations (NGOs), gender and children’s rights activists, representatives of provincial government departments, South African Democratic Teachers Union, provincial Executive Committee members, regional gender convenors and members.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
