16 days of activism should be 365 days, says Mashatile

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says a full year of action is required to combat gender-based violence and femicide, not just 16 days.

Mashatile was delivering the keynote address at the launch of the national 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign in Rustenburg on Monday.

‘’This period, from 25 November to 10 December, is a time for reflection, action, and solidarity. During this, we collectively raise our voices to draw attention to the persistent violence against women and children. However, a full year of action is required to combat gender-based violence and femicide, not just during these 16 days.’’

PICTURE: X - @PresidencyZA

The theme for 2024: “30 Years of Advancing Collective Action to End Violence Against Women and Children”, emphasizes addressing the root causes of Gender-Base Violence and Femicide, promoting positive masculinity, promoting gender equity, and creating economic opportunities for women and children.

The Human Science and Research Council (HSRC) released the results of the first-ever national Gender-Based Violence survey conducted in 2022, revealing that over 33% of South African women have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, while 9.8% have faced sexual violence. Approximately 7.3 million women have experienced physical abuse, while 2.1 million have experienced sexual violations.

Mashatile raised concerns about the number of child and teenage pregnancies which continues to increase. The Deputy president described it as a crisis that cannot be ignored.

‘’ In South Africa, every year, thousands of our children fall pregnant. According to Statistics South Africa, last year's births to teenage girls aged 10 to 19 years represented 12% of all births. In numbers, it was 102 648. These are not just numbers. They are young girls who should be in school, playing with their friends, dreaming about their futures, and building their hopes.’’

‘’We must understand that child pregnancies do not happen in a vacuum. They are the result of deep-rooted socio-economic, cultural, and educational issues. Many child pregnancies are the result of rape and sexual abuse.’’

 

‘’This indicates a decline in moral standards within our society, and we must deal with such individuals by reporting them to the police, denying them bail, and placing them in jail. If we are to win this battle against GBV, we must act collectively and not shield those who commit these heinous crimes,’’ added Mashatile.

The Deputy President said government will be working with all sectors to develop an action plan that can be implemented.

‘’We will collaborate towards a plan that prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable and guarantees the inclusion of everyone in our joint endeavour to eradicate violence,’’

The foundation of this approach lies in a clear focus on three key areas:

1.    Strengthening institutional arrangements, which we are advancing by establishing a multi-sectoral National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NCGBVF) to coordinate and drive efforts across all sectors.

2.    Scaling up prevention efforts, including leveraging preferential procurement to help alleviate poverty, which is a key driver of violence, while creating sustainable economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.

3.    We are enhancing the use of evidence-based approaches, ensuring that solid data, research, and the lived experiences of victims and survivors inform all interventions and policies.

Meanwhile, the Bush Radio – Sakhisizwe team will, over the next three weeks, be doing a series of outside broadcasts from various organisations that work hard to combat gender based violence and femicide and provide support to the communities they serve. 

COURTESY: Bush Radio

Done by: Mitchum George