South Africa: SA Men's Forum Outline Gender Challenges

October 17, 2007 - (AllAfrica) Lack of coordination, resistance from traditional and religious leaders and commitment from the private sector is hampering efforts to achieve gender equality, according to the South African Men's Forum.

Secretary General of the Men's Forum Mbuyiselo Botha, presented a document to MPs on men's involvement in highlighting the successes and challenges of creating gender awareness.

Mr Botha said men's programmes were not coordinated and they were met with resistance from traditional leaders. Further to this he said not enough male religious leaders were involved and the commitment to these programmes from the private sector was questionable.

Mr Botha tabled the anti-gender violence based programmes and pointed out that these were run across government departments, through training gender focal points and awareness sessions.

This was also achieved through Local Government and specific calendar events, men's organisations supporting women's programmes, stokvel and shebeen programmes, fatherhood projects and traditional leadership and community organisations.

In highlighting the successes and failures of each programme, Mr Botha said the Boys Camp, run by the Mpumalanga provincial government had been successful.

He said the camp had discussed what it meant to be a boy, investigated peer pressure and it had given the school boys the skills to cope with change and challenge. "It meant a great deal to the boys who attended it," said Mr Botha.

He said the 16 days of Activism was truly a success story. He noted private sector resources should be utilised more and that there should be focus on sustainable, rather than ad hoc, programmes.

It would also help it there were long term counselling projects and programmes for men to address their anger, frustrations and pain were possible solutions, said Mr Botha.

He pointed out that these counselling projects needed to be aimed at creating a new man and different boy child. Mr Botha commended President Thabo Mbeki's moves towards gender quality, noting his vision, commitment and women's empowerment initiatives.

From:http://allafrica.com/stories/200710170332.html