“The government has created an environment conducive to the empowerment of women and children, but more still needs to be done, particularly by men,” said President Jacob Zuma at the closing ceremony of the 16 days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
“Prevailing attitudes regarding the place of women in society and the different notions of masculinity continue to present a barrier to the general pursuit of women's rights and gender equality,” said Zuma.
This, Zuma was addressing at the closing ceremony of the 16 days of Activism Campaign, which aims raise an awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children and to act against abuse, at the Free State University in QwaQwa.
“Let us work for a South Africa where women and children can walk the streets of our country with no fear of being attacked. Let us ensure that all our people enjoy freedom, security and respect for their human rights,” said Zuma
Zuma said while the campaign had done a lot to highlight the issue of abuse, since its inception 10 years ago, challenges still remained in implementation as well as in transforming social attitudes and harmful practices that manifest themselves negatively against women and the girl child.
“These exist both in implementation and in transforming societal attitudes and harmful practices that manifest themselves negatively against women and the girl child,” said Zuma.
“In addition, another barrier in the pursuit of women’s rights and gender equality, was the prevailing attitude regarding the place of women in society and the different notions of what it meant to be a man,” he said.
The President added that the fight against the abuse of women and children should be a 365 day sustained event that, through the partnering of the ministry of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities and other departments and civil society.
Zuma said law enforcement agencies had been directed to put women and children high on their agenda of protection during the festive season. According to Zuma the criminal justice system also needed to strengthen its focus on the needs of survivors of abuse.
“Investigating officers need to engage closely with the survivor when investigating for purposes of bail applications because of its potential to cause severe distress to the survivor. But more still needs to be done,” he said as he encouraged men to take a lead.
The 16 Days of Activism campaign officially ended when the Torch of Peace, which was lit at the Union Buildings at the start of the 16 day period, was handed over by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to the Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport MEC, Thabo Manyoni for the duration of the festive season.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism event, earlier in the morning Premier Ace Magashule and his executive committee along with Social Development Minister Edna Molewa unveiled two tombstones of two children who were buried alive by a woman’s boyfriend in the area of QwaQwa.
Issued by: Free State Provincial Government
11 December 2009
Source: Free State Provincial Government (http://www.fs.gov.za/)
