GEMSA 16 Days of Activism Newsletter Issue 12

E-Newsletter of  the Gender and Media Southern Africa Network

Produced daily during the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, 2004

Issue 12, 13^th December 2004

IN THIS ISSUE:

·    Overview

·    Today’s I story

·    Country activities

Contact your Sixteen Day Campaign country representatives:

Botswana: Keabonye Ntsabanye: Womens_ngo_coa@info.bw

Kenya: Rosemary Okello: awcin@kenyaonline.co.za

Lesotho: Fanyane Mathabang :

mathabangfanyane@yahoo.co.uk

Mauritius: Loga Virahsawmy: gonaz@intnet.mu

Seychelles: Sharon Thelemaque: keraque@hotmail.com

South Africa: Mothibi Mohomane: mothibi@genderlinks.org.za

Swaziland: Ncane Maziya: smegwa2003@yahoo.com

Zambia: Chileshe Kalasa: Kchileshe2000@yahoo.co.uk  

Zimbabwe: Loveness Jambaya: loveness@mmpz.org.zw

Contact your GEMSA country representatives:

Angola: Anacleta Pereira

nani@netangola.com

Botswana: Pamela Dube

dube@mmegi.bw

Lesotho: Mathabang Fanyane

mathabangfanyane@yahoo.co.uk

Malawi: Stella Mhura

skaliwo@yahoo.co.uk

Mauritius: Loga Virahsawmy

gonaz@intnet.mu

Mozambique: Jose Marciano Mubai 

Vermoc@tvm.co.mz

Namibia: Sarry Xoagus- Eises

sxoagus@hotmail.com

Seychelles: Jean Claude Mantombe

nccadmin@seychelles.net

South Africa: Kubi Rama

kubi@genderlinks.org.za

Swaziland: Phumelele Dlamini

phumied@yahoo.com

Tanzania: Rose Haji

misatan@africaonline.co.tz

Zambia: Emmanuel Kasongo

ekasongo@coppernet.zm

Zimbabwe: Loveness Jambaya

loveness@mmpz.org.zw

Contact the GEMSA Executive Committee:

Chair: Colleen Lowe Morna (South Africa)

clmorna@mweb.co.za

Deputy Chair: Emmanuel Kasongo (Zambia)

ekasongo@coppernet.zm

Secretary: Tom Mapasela (Lesotho)

tmapasela@yahoo.co.uk

We encourage you to send us alerts, news and any other information you think may be of interest to others.

Media Institute of Southern Africa

www.misa.org

Gender Links

www.genderlinks.org.za

December 10^th marked the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign around the world.  For some it has been a period in which their work to end gender violence has been recognised and made public; for survivors of violence it has provided the opportunity to speak out about their experiences and by so doing, encourage others to do the same; for gender and HIV/AIDS organisations and activists, it has been a period in which the links between the epidemics of gender violence and HIV/AIDS have been highlighted, with the hope that they will be addressed simultaneously.  The positive aspects of the campaign are many.

But despite this, many believe that the campaign is “just another talk shop” which has very limited or no impact.  Very often the only measure that is used to measure impact is a decrease in the levels of gender violence – lower statistics.  At the start of the 16 Days Campaign, Deputy Minister of Correctional Services in South Africa, Cheryl Gillwald pointed out that it is actually higher statistics that will point towards progress in addressing gender violence – higher numbers of women reporting abuse; higher numbers of convictions; stiffer sentences; more specialised units to address crimes related to gender violence; a bigger budget allocated for the provision of PEP; more people speaking out against gender violence … The measure is the same across the region.

The 16 Days of Activism Campaign has highlighted these and other challenges in addressing gender violence. It has taken gender violence out of the private sphere and placed it in the public domain where it cannot go unnoticed or unchallenged.  It has created the space for survivors and rehabilitated perpetrators to stand up and say “Enough!”  It has given voice to many who have been silenced by social and cultural systems which make it taboo to speak about abuse; silenced by media who – despite efforts towards sensitive reporting on gender violence – reinforce the patriarchal myth that “women are to blame” through biased reporting; silenced by the untruths that many survivors of violence have begun to accept as truth – that their voice is not valid.

What many don’t know is that the work seen during the 16 Days Campaign takes place throughout the year – unnoticed and often under-resourced.  What many won’t hear are the voices of survivors who will continue to speak out – given courage by those who have spoken out during the 16 Days Campaign. What many won’t see are the subtle shifts that will gradually result in gentler boys who find alternative ways of dealing with conflict; more confident girls and young women who believe that they have voice.

There is no question that the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence has impact.

Today’s I story

If there is one thing that I’ve learnt in life thus far, it’s that it’s never too late to change. You don’t have to resort to alcohol or violence to deal with your problems.

Read the full story

At 12:50pm on Friday 10^th December, International Human Rights Day and the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, a sound and visual check was being done at the offices of the British Council in Botswana, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa.  This technological review was in preparation for a different kind of stock take – to review measures taken by SADC governments with regards to the 1998 SADC Addendum on gender violence.

In addition to the panellists present in the five countries, in South Africa two representatives  from Zimbabwe were also present, to offer the perspective of their country.  The video conference brought together experts, decision-makers and in Mauritius, government officials in a forum which provided the space to share experiences, challenges and, in some cases best practices on addressing gender violence.

The video conference was based on the findings of an audit undertaken by the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network of measures taken by governments to address gender violence.

The findings show that while gender violence in now firmly on the political agenda in Southern Africa, laws, services and resources to address this scourge are patchy, and the link between gender violence and HIV/AIDS is not being adequately addressed. Attention to new threats like sex trafficking is growing, but is barely acknowledged in policies and laws.

Read more about the findings at:

https://www.genderlinks.org.za/newsitem.asp?nid=69

The final report, which will include a list of action points identified to address gender violence in each country that participated in the video conference, will be available in January 2005.

Lesotho

The media’s coverage of gender violence and HIV/AIDS seems to have increased during the second and third week of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign. Three newspapers provided the most coverage around the 16 Days Campaign, World AIDS Day and other HIV/AIDS and gender issues. The newspapers in order of the quantity of coverage provided were Mopheme the Survivor, an English weekly; The Mirror newspaper, published in English, with a Sesotho supplement; and the Moeletsi Oa Basotho weekly, a Sesotho newspaper.

(By Tom Mapesela)

The 16 Days of Activism ended in Namibia on Friday 10 December, International Human Rights Day – a public holiday in Namibia.

President Sam Nujoma addressed Windhoek residents at the Old Location Cemetery in Hochland Park, who gathered to commemorate Human Rights and Namibian Women’s Day under the theme: “Protect the family against violence.”  Namibia also participated in the regional video conference, organised by GEMSA, to review progress made by Southern African countries in implementing the 1998 SADC Addendum on gender violence.

The 16 Days campaign in Namibia was marked by the many partnerships formed between civil society organisations. A magasine was also published and made available on World Aids Day.

(By Sarry Xoagus- Eises)

Swaziland

Thumbs Up For Swazi Media

The Swazi media should be commended for its commitment towards the fight against gender violence in Swaziland. The media in Swaziland have shown their commitment by reporting and exploring issues of rape, murder, incest and domestic violence during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign. The media showed interest in the 16 Days Campaign at the beginning of the international campaign. Swaziland Media Gender Watch (SMEGWA) visited media houses before the campaign began in Swaziland with the aim of sensitising journalists and editors on reporting on gender violence issues which avoided attaching stigma to survivors of abuse.

Read more at: https://www.genderlinks.org.za/networks/newsletter.asp?nid=22

(By Bhekie Maseko: Swaziland Media and Gender Watch)

Seychelles

The 16 days of Activism in Seychelles came to an end on Friday, Human Rights Day with a conference organised by Soroptimist International to mark their 10^th anniversary in the Seychelles. The theme for the
conference was “Women challenge the ills of today for a better tomorrow.”  Concerns raised included domestic violence, child abuse and sexual harassment. Participants called on the government take action to address these issues.

On Monday December 6, GEM Plus visited the Sisters of Charity Mission, where women from abusive relationships have sought shelter over the years. Eleven women are currently staying at the Mission. Minister Patrick Pillay, a GEM Plus patron, congratulated the nuns on their important work and devotion and encouraged the women to rebuild their lives.

(By Marie-Anne Lepathy)

South Africa

The cyber dialogues that had South Africa “chatting” about
gender justice for the last 16 days closed in Johannesburg on Human Rights Day with a strong call to ensure that “peace begins at home.”

In a statement issued by Gender Links on behalf of the NGO partners who participated in the initiative the organisers said that the dialogues had “opened an unprecedented space for those most directly affected to speak out.”  This happened both in the face-to-face discussions that took place at 66 centres in all nine provinces as well as in the daily lunch time chats that allowed these groups to pose questions to the 55 experts and decision-makers who took part in the cyber dialogues on different days.

Read the full story at:

https://www.genderlinks.org.za/newsitem.asp?nid=74

A radio drama, dedicated to the 16 Days of Activism was broadcast in a local language understood by the majority of Zambians. The production which was accredited to Zambia Media Watch (ZAMWATCH) explored the culture of silence around gender violence in the home, between married couples. The airing of the programme was a result of collaboration between ZAMWATCH and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).

(By Brighton Phiri)

Write to us: admin@genderlinks.org.za

Send us information on what activities are taking place in your country.