GEMSA 16 Days of Activism Newsletter Issue 2


Date: November 26, 2004
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As the second day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence draws to a close, the issue of violence against women is receiving a fair amount of media attention. There is a strong focus on problems within the criminal justice system which work against gender justice; including men in efforts towards ending gender violence; stories of survivors of violence, and of young women and their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

                                                

 

E-Newsletter of  the Gender and Media Southern Africa Network

 



 

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

 

Issue 1, 25 November 2004

 

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

·    Overview

 

·    Today’s I story

 

·    Country activities

 

 

Contact your Sixteen Day Campaign country representatives:

 

 

 

 

Botswana : Keaybone 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

 

mamwa@yahoo.com

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

 

 

As the second day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence draws to a close, the issue of violence against women is receiving a fair amount of media attention. There is a strong focus on problems within the criminal justice system which work against gender justice; including men in efforts towards ending gender violence; stories of survivors of violence, and of young women and their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

 

 

This focus is important is it draws public attention to issues which are still in many communities and homes, situated in the private sphere. Yet violence against women is a public issue – and needs to be addressed by all members of society publicly, loudly and repeatedly. 

 

 

In South Africa, the importance of moving discussions into the public sphere were highlighted at an event which saw two survivors of violence and a reformed perpetrator of violence speaking out about how violence has affected them individually.  In Botswana activities took place in rural Gintsa, a strategic decision to ensure that public education and awareness campaigns go beyond urban centres. In Lesotho , Mauritius and Zambia similar efforts are underway to ensure that all sectors of society are involved in the campaign.

 

 

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is more than about programmes, workshops and panel discussions attended by NGOs. The campaign is about raising levels of awareness amongst ordinary people and about saying publicly, loudly and repeatedly that ending violence against women is everyone’s responsibility.

 

 

Remember to participate in the cyber dialogues between and every day.

 

 

 

 

Today’s I’ story

 

 

The cycle of abuse stops with me

 

By Nonhlanhla*

 

 

I am the child of an abuser.
There, I’ve said it.

And now that it’s finally out in the open, I feel relieved.

I am a 26 year old gender activist. Single, with no children. Like many people, I’d love to get married… one day. I love children passionately – although there was a time when I prayed God would make me infertile because I didn’t want to inflict the kind of pain I’d experienced on my children.

 

Read the full story at: https://www.genderlinks.org.za/gemcomm/gemcomm.asp?cid=78

 

 

 

Botswana

 

 

The activities in rural Gantsi began today with a football match – a women’s team against an all male team and a number of other fun activities including an egg and sack race.  Both the police service and   Botswana Defence Force participated in the activities. The day’s proceedings started with a march around the village with community members holding placards with messages against gender-based violence. At the same event the public were given the opportunity to learn more about voluntary HIV/AIDS counseling programmes. This year the Women’s NGO Coalition, government and other stakeholders launched the national activities in the Northern and Southern part of the country but activities are taking place in other areas in the districts as well. Other events today included workshops addressing issues of property grabbing, cohabitation and the non-payment of maintenance which has been on the increase.

 

 

(By Kaebonye Ntsabanye)

 

 

 

In Lesotho  today

 

 

Lesotho had a power packed day in Morija where 27 pre-schools had their graduation ceremonies. The theme for the graduation focused on the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. Media and Arts Watch Association also gave a presentation on the significance of the 16 Days Campaign.

 

 

(By Fanyane Mathabang)

 

 

 

In Mauritius today

 

 

A roundtable discussion on "Gender and HIV/AIDS" organised by SOS Femme and PILS under the aegis of UNDP took place today. Panelists included Theresa Mugadza, a lawyer and human rights expert from Zimbabwe .  A forum for magistrates on gender violence was facilitated by Honourable Justice Elizabeth Gwanza, Chairperson of Southern African Magistrate Network.  A workshop on gender violence, sex work and HIV/AIDS was held by Chrysalide – a rehabilitation centre for women drug abusers and sex workers – Centre de Solidarite, a drug rehabilitation centre.

 

 

(By Loga Virahsawmy)

 

 

 

South Africa

 

 

“Khuluma, Bua, Speak out!” was the theme for the cyber dialogues today. And that is exactly what Riana Jacobs, Jacobeth Vena and Thapelo Rahlogo did as they participated in the live discussion which preceded the online discussion. Jacobs and Vena are two survivors of violence who, together with Rahlogo, a reformed perpetrator of violence, have contributed to a book which was launched at the event.

 

 

The book titled “The ‘I’ stories: speaking out on gender violence in Southern Africa ,” publishes the writing of survivors of violence and reformed perpetrators of violence from five countries in Southern Africa .

 

 

Participants in the live discussion pointed out that while it is important to speak out; there are also possible consequences for making this choice. It is therefore important, as Barbara Holtman, from the CSIR pointed out, that there are support structures in place to assist women, and communities to deal with the impact of gender based violence. 

 

 

Questions from the floor highlighted the need for a more holistic approach to gender violence – incorporating issues of economic abuse, psychological abuse and physical abuse. A number of men also pointed to the need to educate and consientise men on the need to change their behaviours and attitudes towards women.

 

 

The online discussion also generated a lot of debate and a fair bit of controversy. To view the summary go to: http://www.cyberdialogues.co.za/Lists/Speaking%20Out/AllItems.aspx and click on “Summary and Action Points”

 

 

Elsewhere in SA:

 

*The South African NGO Coalition (SANGOCO) held seminar with the AIDS Consortium and called on gender activists to stamp out violence against women and children.

 

* Interactive meetings with rural communities on the linkages between gender-based violence, abuse and HIV and AIDS took place in the Limpopo Province .

 

 

 

In Zambia today

 

Women in Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) today released preliminary findings of a research project entitled “HIV/AIDS: Challenges of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the Right of Life.”  WILSA acting regional coordinator Matrine Chuulu has called for the expansion of the post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment to protect children and women that have been exposed to HIV and AIDS through defilement or rape.

 

 

Chuulu said prophylaxis against HIV was an important component in the protection of women and children who had been violated. She said PEP is very important in shielding children who have been defiled. PEP is currently being offered at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) paediatrics wing. She said there was need to open up more such centres especially since the incidence of defilement against children is increasing.

 

 

Read more at: https://www.genderlinks.org.za/networks/newsletter.asp?nid=5

 

 

(By Brighton Phiri)

 

 

 

Write to us: admin@genderlinks.org.za

 

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

 

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