November 9, 2005
By Buhle Makabane
YOU can help to stop women and child abuse; Joburgers are reminded to gear themselves up for this year's 16 Days of Activism campaign that challenges South Africans to halt violence against women and children.
The operation will run from 25 November, International Day of No Violence Against Women, to 10 December.
It is being publicised in a number of ways, among them the use of the 16 Days Cyber Dialogues. Through these, the organisers are able to publish information about the campaign and its activities.
Organisers for this year's cyber dialogues include the City of Johannesburg and Gender Links, a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The City will serve as the hub for the daily discussion.
Such Internet dialogues were developed in 2004 to enable people to discuss the campaign, to air their views on gender-based violence and to participate in debates with senior government officials and NGOs.
The cyber dialogues combine facilitated, interactive dialogues on the ground with a link to a central hub at national level, where experts and decision-makers are available at a fixed time each day to answer questions in a live "chat room", according to Kubi Rama, the deputy director of Gender Links.
"A cyber café will be [set up] at the Metro Centre reception area in Braamfontein during the 16 Days of Activism," she says.
Over the 16 days, 16 themes for discussion will focus on hot issues related to gender violence. Personal ideas can be posted on the Gender Links website, on the Cyber Dialogues chat room.
Susan Tolmay, the researcher and publications manager at Gender Links, says the dialogues are live continuously, but this year's campaign information will only be available on the Gender Links website from next week.
The dialogues campaign aims to empower citizens, especially women, in the use of new technology; encourage citizens to air their views and speak out against violence and abuse; make e governance work for gender justice; and link people across borders in a common cause.
The 16 Days of Activism campaign is organised by the Department of Correctional Services and aims to highlight issues of gender-based violence. It has been run for the past 10 years.
In 1981 the day that marks the start of the campaign was declared International Day of No Violence Against Women at the first Feminist Encuentro for Latin America and the Caribbean held in Bogotá, Columbia.
As incidences of violent crimes against women and children increase, the campaign is part of the government's drive to stop the abuse.
"It hopes to contribute to the government's primary developmental objective of restoring to individuals their human dignity within the context of safer and more secure families and communities," says Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Cheryl Gillwald.
There are several days during the campaign that help to highlight the plights of particularly vulnerable groups - International World Aids Day on 1 December, International Day for People Living with Disabilities on 3 December and International Human Rights Day on 10 December.
The theme for this year's campaign is Partnerships for Peace; it will be launched on 25 November at Katlehong Stadium in Ekurhuleni.
"The purpose of the launch is to acknowledge the importance of strategic partnerships in the eradication of violence against women and children and to thank our partners for their support in the past and to consolidate the partnership into the future," Gillwald explains.
During the campaign white ribbons will be used to show support and personal commitment to non-violence, as well as boost awareness.
The campaign aims to:
- Make the white ribbon a symbol of commitment to the eradication of violence against women and children;
- Raise funds for non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations working with victims of violence;
- Generate greater awareness of the negative effects of violence on the development of women and children;
- Stress the importance of a partnership between the government and civil society to stop women and children abuse;
- Involve men and boys as crucial roleplayers in fighting violence against women and children;
- Encourage participation by working with business, organised labour, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders and others in outreach programmes;
- Provide victims of violence with information about legislative and other services available to them.
People are urged to wear a white ribbon during the 16 days and to treat their families with love. It is not that difficult, South Africans are reminded. If you can do it for 16 days, it can be done for a lifetime.
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