FIGHT AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE MUST BE SUSTAINED
By Richard Mantu, Pretoria

November 18, 2003 – (BuaNews - Pretoria) Transport Minister Dullah Omar has appealed to all South Africans to continue the fight against gender violence beyond the 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children.

The fight against women and children abuse should rather be a conscious yearlong battle to win the war, he said.

The campaign commences on 25 November, coinciding with International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on 10 December, also International Human Rights Day.

Speaking during the launch of the 16 Days of Activism in Johannesburg yesterday, Mr Omar said if the fight was confined to only just the 16 days, South Africans would "never win the war."

"If we limit the battle to fight women and children abuse to this 16 days, we will never win the war," said Mr Omar.

The 16 days of activism is a multi-stakeholder event supported by different government departments, business and civil society organisations with the aim of raising awareness about abuse.

Bearing in mind that women and children were the mothers of the nation, by "liberating women and children we will also be liberating ourselves", Mr Omar said.

Colleen Lowe Morna Executive Director of the Gender Links NGO said individuals should now start taking responsibility as the country had now put in place legislation to ensure the rights of women and children.

"The police can't put an officer at every household in South Africa. Individuals should start talking about the issue and with the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act, people don't have a reason not to report violence against women and children," said Ms Morna.

She added that in order address the root cause of gender violence, which was caused by inequalities between men and women; women should be empowered economically, politically and socially so as to break the silence.

She added it was one thing just to look at the immediate problem of women being beaten, raped and violated economically and other ways.

"But in fact we need to look at empowering women, socially, economically and politically and changing the attitudes of men. Because if men respect women and if women were empowered the issue of gender violence would end," said Ms Morna.

In an effort to change the attitudes of men, Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour said his department would be raising awareness during soccer games, cricket matches and the coming President Golf challenge to ensure sports personalities carried the message to their fans.

The national broadcaster, the SABC, a partner in the campaign, announced it would be flighting documentaries on radio and TV to highlight the plight.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200311180409.html