South Africa : 16 Days of Activism campaign kicks off in provinces

By Bathandwa Mbola

Pretoria - The 16 Days Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign has officially kicked off around the country, with South Africans joining hands to put an end to the scourge of violence.

The yearly international initiative, which voices support for victims of abuse, kicked off with various events held in the provinces.

Addressing the community of Kwacele near Dududu in the Ugu District on Tuesday, KwaZulu Natal Premier Sibusiso Ndebele said it was important for this campaign to reach every household as it would prioritise the upholding of the dignity of all women and children.

He said the campaign not only belonged to government alone but to civil society as a whole.

"Yes, government should play a role in promoting awareness. However, it is the obligation of all citizens to uphold the spirit of the campaign," he told the large crowd that had gathered for the event.

The 16 days campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact that violence has on women and children and on society. It also looks at restoring human dignity within the context of safer and more secure families and communities.

The theme for this year's campaign is 'Don't look away, Act against Abuse'.

Mr Ndebele also used the opportunity to condemn the sugar cane murders and other related incidents of violence against women, as it has become self-evident that it is much easier to attend to legal frameworks than to change mind-sets, he said.

As a part of the campaign, he said the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Men's Forum would embark on a special gender-based violence programme by visiting taverns and raising awareness of violence against women and children in Umzinto and surrounding areas.

"The aim is to create an enabling environment in the province, for women to lay claim to their rights without fear of family or community retribution," Mr Ndebele said.

In the North West province, members of government's Justice and Crime Prevention Security Cluster will on Wednesday commemorate the campaign by educating the community of Ikageng in the Kaunda District Municipality about their rights.

"Domestic Violence in Ikageng is rife, due to the fact that the unemployment rate is high and alcohol consumption is high," said Regional Head at the municipality, Tsietsi Malema.

He said there was a reluctance on the part of victims of violence to come forward and seek legal advice and social support due to insufficient knowledge of their rights and the social stigma around domestic violence.

"Not knowing about your rights is tantamount to not having them at all," Mr Malema continued.

His department has therefore committed to ensuring their services are accessible to people in the province, particularly in the rural areas, including farming areas were domestic violence is common.

The court will ensure that judicial services are accessible to all, including victims of abuse and violence.

The Free State kicked off the 16 Days campaign with the 2008 Child Abuse Indaba, together with the Departments of Health, Justice and Constitutional Development and Social Development, the National Prosecution Authority, the Population Council and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Programme within the province.

According to a statement by the provincial government, the purpose of the indaba was to streamline relationships between services for the prevention and the management of child abuse in the province..

Previously, the child abuse programme had been mingled with other programmes and there was a need to treat this challenge on its own.

Children have been identified as vulnerable to abuse and the aim is to ensure that they get all the attention they will need, said the provincial government.

This year, government has introduced a new communication platform to promote the campaign, with 2.8 million splash screens being shown on MXit during the 16 days period.

The inclusion of new media in the media mix ensures a wider reach by target audiences in the medium of their choice.

The message has already gone out on 962 500 splash screens on MXit to alert children and youth to where they can find help in the event of them falling prey to abuse.

The message reads: "Hey guys, the 25th of November to the 10th of December is a period dedicated to activism for no violence against women and children. There is somebody to talk to about abuse…"

Help lines for Lifeline, Childline and Crime Stop are provided on the screens.

MXit is a free instant messaging programme for mobile phones and PCs. It enables you to send and receive text messages to and from mobile phones and PCs via the Internet using GPRS or 3G, rather than by using standard SMS technology. - BuaNews