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PRESS STATEMENT - 2006
2006 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM: NOT SWEET SIXTEEN FOR WOMEN AND
CHILDREN
Gender-based violence is an indictment against all of us. The national
campaign on 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence,
running from November 25 to December 10, is most important in galvanising
our nation against women abuse. The campaign is one of the flagship
programmes of the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE).
Although gender-based violence is one of the biggest social problems
in the country, South Africa, during the African Peer Review Mechanism
process this year, was ranked among progressive countries which
champion the development of and better advance the status of women.
The ongoing violence, however, compels the South Africa to do some
soul-searching, forcing government and civil society to ask: Do
we understand the roots of this violence? Are we doing enough to
eliminate the scourge of violence against women and children?
The Commission on Gender Equality, in collaboration with partners
and other stakeholders, will to re-visit these questions through
campaigns, workshops and seminars to discuss such related
as:
• Gender based violence
• Poverty and the Equality Act
• Maintenance and Domestic Violence Acts
• HIV/AIDS as a social pandemic
• Chapter 9 institutions to promote democracy and equality
The CGE-initiated campaigns and discussions will take place in
all the provinces between November 1st and December 13th 2006.
Aims of the dialogues include: raising awareness about gender based
violence; assisting to eliminate gender based violence and providing
a platform for civic participation on reaching common recommendations
to improve policies, services, advocacy and public education; expressing
solidarity with victims; and building international networks with
organisations campaigning against gender-based violence.
The workshops, seminars and campaigns are aimed particularly at:
women’s and men’s organisations; traditional leaders
and healers; the religious, labour and business sectors; and civil
society in general.
Among a host of them CGE social partners in this process include
the Office of the Status of Women and Human Rights Commission
To kick-start the CGE 16 Days of Activism campaign, the CGE, together
with the Limpopo administration, the Commission hosted a conference
in Limpopo on ritual killings and femicide, which highlighted violence
meted against women.
16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence as an
international campaign developed from the first Women's Global Leadership
Institute in 1991, highlights four significant dates to symbolically
link violence against women and children with human rights, namely:
November 25 - International Day against Violence against Women.
December 1st - World AIDS Day.
December 6th - Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.
December 10th - United Nations’ International Human Rights
Day.
Starting this year, the annual “activism” has been
stepped up by advocating for the campaign to be sustained and acted
upon year-round, including through commemorative dates such as the
30th anniversary of Soweto and 50th Women’s march.
Sixteen years on, the Commission on Gender Equality contends that
“16” years has not been sweet for women and children.
The CGE therefore calls for the intensification of the protection
of women and children victims, and the ultimate elimination of all
forms of gender-based violence. Along the 2006 theme, the CGE says:
Come on South Africa, let’s All Act Against Abuse…!
Issued by Commission on Gender Equality
Contact: Yvonne Mogadime
CGE Communications
011-403-7182 /Fax 403-7188
yvonne@cge.org.za
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