CGE alarmed over heightening state of gender based violence in South Africa
At its quarterly Plenary meeting held on the 16- 18 August, 2017, in Johannesburg, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), reflected on a number of recent incidents of violence against women and related issues of concern for the country, and wishes to bring to the attention of the nation the following:
In the absence of a national strategic plan on gender based violence as well as a national coordinating structure bringing together the efforts of all stakeholders (in government, the private sector and civil society) to promote gender equality, the Commission believes there has sadly been a rolling back of the gains made in the advancement of the gender agenda;
Various studies including the Commission’s studies point to a dire need for a consolidated approach that will be effectively coordinated to address the root causes of these atrocities against women and children in our communities.
The Commission in the past three years has conducted numerous research work on national effort/programme to deal with gender based violence. All studies indicate that the country is failing to come up with a coordinated approach to deal with the scourge against gender based violence.
In recent months, we have witnessed a rising tidal wave of gender-based violence, including this month of August in which the country commemorates the rights and historic struggles of women;
Patriarchy remains endemic in our society, permeating the highest levels of leadership even turning those who ordinarily would be expected to be models of gender sensitivity into perpetrators of gender-based violence; ala Deputy Minister of Higher Education Mduduzi Manana, Marks Maponyane etc
The Commission for Gender Equality therefore urges all parties concerned to observe the following points of action:
- Government in general must put in place a National Co-ordinating Structure to combat gender-based violence;
- The Ministry of Women in the Presidency must mobilise and re-energise stakeholders within the National Gender Machinery, and other related structures to take lead the fight to end the scourge of gender-based violence;
- The Commission urges all progressive forces in society to develop a programme to collectively mobilise the necessary resources across the country to fight the scourge of gender -based violence.
- That gender based violence work is carried out #365days
- We urge men and boys to stand up in solidarity with other stakeholders in the fight against gender-based violence, to help our communities to combat atrocities against women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities.
- Let this month be the turning point in the struggle for gender justice in South Africa.
- We must ensure that women’s lives are not dominated by fear and insecurity. Many women feel like “the hunted” in their own homes, in their communities and in their workplaces, indeed even in places of worship.
We have recently observed that it is also a matter of power relations, where more powerful women in positions of leadership, including women who are politically connected, are also capable of committing atrocities against the weak and vulnerable.
The Commission will therefore be seeking an urgent meeting with the Ministry of the Police in South Africa to discuss the role of the police in the Manana case, the Zimbabwean First Lady case and the protection of women, children, LGBTI and men from gender based violence.
The Commission is also concerned about the inconsistencies that arise due to systemic issues in the judicial wherein cases of gender based violence take too long to prosecute in the process the victim suffers secondary victimisation.
It is our collective duty and responsibility as a nation to take whatever steps are necessary to protect the weak, vulnerable and subordinate from the violence perpetrated not only by men, but also by those in positions of power and authority such as the recent saga involving the Zimbabwean First Lady, Madam Grace Mugabe.
The Commission’s Constitutional mandate “to promote respect for gender equality and the protection, development and attainment of gender equality” places upon it the burden to ensure that our country observes the right of women to be protected against gender based violence.
Enquiries:
Javu Baloyi
Cell: 083 579 3306
