DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABUSE OF ELDERLY AND CHILDREN CONCERN CONFERENCE DELEGATES
By Staff Reporter, Grahamstown, South Africa

October 16, 2003 – (East Cape News - Grahamstown) Escalating domestic violence and the abuse of children and the elderly were highlighted as areas of special concern by delegates to the provincial conference on gender based violence.

The concerns were raised in the final declaration adopted by delegates to the conference Thursday.

The two-day conference was held at the Fish River Sun and was organised by the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in collaboration with stakeholders including the national department of Justice and provincial departments of Social Development and Economic Affairs, the Youth Commission and NGO's.

The conference noted that although women are the "immediate victims" of gender based violence, it also affects children and men.

The conference noted the "unacceptable manner" in which the elderly are abused by their families and communities.

It declared its support for the Sexual Offences Bill because of the growing number of assaults on young children.

It also noted "with great concern" the escalation of domestic violence and pledged to fight against a challenge to the Domestic Violence Act being brought to court in Limpopo province.

Delegates were drawn from the province's seven district municipalities and the Nelson Mandela Metropole and were tasked with preparing submissions to the national conference on gender based violence to be held in Kimberly on 24-26 November.

The conference agreed that gender based violence in the Eastern Cape was influenced by the "uneven distribution of resources" in the province.

It called for the development of "rehabilitation centres" and for the creation of more "support groups" for women and men.

It emphasised the need for an integrated approach to combatting the "scourge" of gender based violence.

This would require greater co-operation between government departments and NGO's involved in the field of gender violence and victim empowerment.

The conference also called on the government to intervene through the National Development Agency and the national lottery. It said these funding agencies should increase their support for NGO's dealing with gender based violence "so that they do not depend on international donors".

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200310160282.html