BuaNews (Tshwane)
1 December 2008
Johannesburg — Minister in the Presidency Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has called on all South Africans to act out against abuse in all its forms.
Speaking at the African Union gender policy meeting on Monday, the minister said: "We must be compelled to act against abuse in the homes, at work, in schools, and in communities. Every woman, every girl-child and boy-child has a right to a life free from violence, threats of violence and all forms of abuse."
Ms Tshabalala-Msimang added that the AU Gender Policy meeting should be the platform to empower everybody to achieve this.
The two-day AU meeting, taking place in Johannesburg, is a gathering of Anglo Lusophone countries in Africa to assess and review the AU's Gender Policy and Action Plan.
The final Africa Union Gender Policy document will be presented to the AU Minister in charge of gender and women affairs in the coming month for endorsement .This will then be adopted at the AU Heads of States scheduled to take place in Ethiopia in January next year.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) adopted the Protocol on Gender and Development at the SADC Heads of states summit in August 2008. This, the minister said was a major achievement for the region.
"This legal instrument has consolidated all key commitments that the SADC Member States have made to address gender equality and women empowerment, eliminate discrimination through the development and implementation of gender responsive legislation and programmes," she said.
Among the many articles contained in the protocol, is the tenet that there is a need in the region to enact and enforce legislation prohibiting all forms of gender based violence - including marital rape. The document also has a provision which will ensure perpetrators of violent behaviour and all other forms of gender based violence are tried by a court of competent justice. There is currently a global call for 50 percent representation by women in all political decision making structures and also at implementation level.
As the African continent and as SADC, the minister said, we must vigorously drive this process.
"It is not just about numbers of women but it is a platform from which women can influence meaningful change, and make a difference to the lives of all women, empowering them towards gender equality," Dr Tshabalala-Msimang said.
South Africa is party to a number of global agreements including the African women's protocol in advancing the rights and dignity of women.
The implementation of these instruments within the country is critical in ensuring that transformation, in general, takes place but more specifically, that we are able to protect and promote human rights and human dignity.
South Africa has in its 14 years of democracy made significant strides and achieved major gains in terms of women's empowerment and gender equality.
Some of these gains include increased learning and skills development opportunities, improved basic health care services and better access to safe water, proper sanitation, electricity and social security benefits.
These services, she said, have improved the lives of large numbers of marginalized South Africans, including women, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
The gender policy meeting takes places within the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, which the minister recently launched in Addis Abba, Ethiopia during the 6th African Development Forum.
The minister emphasised that every measure must be taken to eradicate the scourge of violence against women and girls in society.
The closing ceremony for the 16 Days campaign will be held on 10 December 2008, Human Rights Day, to emphasise that women's rights are human's rights.
The campaign has been running in South Africa since 1999 and an action plan for 16 Days spanning 365 days has been running since 2006. -
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