Violence against women is a crime against humanity,” said Lehlohonolo Chabeli, National Director and CEO of World Vision South Africa on the first day of the “16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign”, which started on Thursday, 25 November.
The campaign challenges South Africans to declare a truce on violence against women and children – and, ultimately, to make it a permanent one.
“Merely speaking out about violence against women is not enough; we all have to unite and act against it,” said Chabeli. “No country or society on earth, including this beautiful country of ours, is exempt from the scourge of domestic violence, robbing a woman of the sanctity and security of her home. Violence against women demands responses at all levels: from individual and family through community, national and international levels. Nothing short of personal and cultural behavioral transformations is called for.”
This societal phenomenon is also a barrier to development. World Vision has long recognized that only with the active participation of women can development be sustainable. Development programs that ignore repression and subjugation of women are doomed to failure.
Echoing the role of women in society, Pontsho Segwai (Gender and Development Coordinator with World Vision South Africa) wants everybody to be mindful of the fact that women are the primary care givers of children. “Meeting the basic needs of children extends to economic production, whether growing crops, working as petty traders or serving as corporate executives.”
Pontsho underlined the fact that physical, sexual and psychological abuses are an affront to the dignity and intrinsic worth of every individual. “Rape, trafficking of women and girls, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation are human rights abuses that occur too frequently, in too many communities,” she said.
Challenging South Africans to face the problem, Chabeli said: “Perhaps the question to ask is: How will each of us be engaged with this issue in our home, work, and civic lives?” And, referring to the “16 Days… Campaign”, he added: “Having heard women sharing their stories – often of great horror – I’d like to challenge more men to come forward and take a stand on violence against women and children.”
“Let us remind ourselves,” he said, “of the extent to which fundamental human rights of women are being violated. A greater focus on the distorted personal and societal attitudes that violence against women ultimately reflects is urgently needed. It simply needs not be this way!” he concluded.
“Ke Nako” – It’s time!
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