Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Comrades and friends
A lot has happened in the last 15 days since we launched the 2010 Campaign in Khayelitsha, on 25 November.
Horrendous deeds uncovered in this period, as well as our inspiring successes, tell us we were right to say the 16 Days of Activism Campaign must be extended to cover each day of the year. It has to be sustained, as we said throughout the campaign, for 365 days of the year, around the clock.
This closing ceremony must help us open a new chapter in the fight against violence and abuse. Our message to you is the same: “Don’t look away, act against abuse”. When a woman abused lies in a pool of blood in our streets, it won’t excuse us to say “we knew nothing about this” (Proverbs 24:12).
Possibly, the mystery of child pornography, wanton abuse, indecent assault and sexual grooming of children by their own relatives will not have come to light had it not been of those who decided not to look away, but to act against abuse.
Those who have acted against this unrighteous cruelty have done so because they refuse to be counted among those who say “behold, we knew nothing about this”.
They helped put behind bars eight members of a Pretoria North family, including a 58 year old grandfather and a 57 year old grandmother, for allegedly violating children aged between four and 15.
This shows concretely what the 16 Days Campaign is about and why it depends on all of us for success.
People’s power is only effective when we stand together as a united nation and collectively fight against the villainy in our midst.
South Africa has a human rights-based Constitution protecting the rights of children and extending equal treatment to all.
But “the people shall govern”, as we say in the Freedom Charter, only when they understand the nature of power in their hands, like the commendable officers who interceded on behalf of the school children.
We can only exercise power if we stop acting like July’s people, in a novel by the same title (July’s People). They still demanded to be paid as servants by a displaced and desperate ‘madam’ when they were actually no longer servants but protectors of the same ‘madam’.
We call upon you to be your sister’s and brother’s keeper. The 16 Days Campaign gives us all the power to do just that.
This being International Human Rights Day, we reaffirm government’s commitment to uphold human rights of all and to firmly and swiftly act against all forms of abuse directed at women and children.
Domination of any kind is evil and inimical to human rights and democratic values underlying our Constitution. Likewise, male domination is an abomination to humanity.
Together we can and must render patriarchy and cultural domination unworkable!
What is ending today is the 16 Days of focused activism against violence and abuse, not our overall fight against abuse and dehumanisation of women and children.
We cannot rest when 69 percent of victims of abuse are children, when we have recently experienced a 36.1 percent increase in sexual offences (Crime Trends Report, September 2010).
Yes, some battles we have won as many have testified during the campaign. But the war has not ended. There exists no reason, in our country and abroad, to withdraw our forces.
During this campaign, we observed International AIDS Day, on 1 December, under the theme “We are responsible”. Our health department reminded us that young women at their early adult life bear a disproportionate burden of new infections and early deaths due to undiagnosed and untreated HIV infection.
Minister Motsoaledi gave us hope when he said mother-to-child transmission of HIV, even in worst affected areas, has been reduced to levels below 10 percent. We know there is a strong link between sexual violence and the spread of HIV infection.
On 3 December, during International Day of Persons with Disabilities, President Zuma stressed the fact that “women and children with disabilities face even more challenges of abuse.”
He urged us “to ensure that people with disabilities have access to sufficient information to enable them to take informed decisions about their lives.” This task we can better discharge by sustaining our campaign against violence and abuse over 365 days in a year.
We draw strength from the highlights of the 2010 Campaign showing we are making progress. Among other things:
- We forged strong partnerships between government and various sectors of civil society. We reached consensus on the importance of community participation.
- We took a sharp stance against drug and substance abuse, particularly alcohol, because of its link to gender-based violence and abuse.
- We spoke in one voice on the need to combat the spread of HIV infections.
- The call to intensify the campaign over 365 Days is gaining momentum.
- This year one of the important milestones has been the active involvement of men in the fight against abuse.
During this year’s campaign, we laid to rest an ANC stalwart and veteran of the struggle, Mama Bertha. We must intensify the 365 Days Campaign in honour of her selfless struggle for a better life for all women and children.
The Department of Police also joined hands with us. Awareness-raising roadblocks, like one conducted in Ekurhuleni, where metro police spoke to motorists about the campaign, indeed made a difference. Minister Mthethwa has also urged all ‘men and women in blue’ to lead from the front.
Together we stood against specific incidents of child abuse, rape, brutal killings of the most vulnerable, drug and substance abuse, human trafficking and violent crime.
On the whole, 2010 was a very good year worth remembering. Go out there and have a joyous festive season and a happy new year!
As many of us did during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, let’s celebrate responsibly and come back alive.
Schools officially closed today. Children will be home, mothers and sisters too. With the spectre of ‘the bonus’ hanging in the air, drunkenness is looming large.
This time of the year calls for more vigilance. So, don’t look away, act against abuse, report it wherever and whenever you spot it!
As we said when we opened the 2010 Activism Campaign in Khayelitsha, the power we wield as progressive women and men of this country must be felt when we cast our votes in next year’s local government elections.
Our unity must be strengthened by the vision of creating a united, democratic, non-racist, non-sexist and prosperous African state.
Lastly, we thank most warmly all our people for making this year’s campaign a success.
Amandla!
