E-Newsletter of  the Gender and Media Southern Africa Network

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

Issue 3, 29 November 2004

IN THIS ISSUE:

·    Action alert

·    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

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

Join a peaceful placard demonstration at the Zimbabwean Embassies in countries in the SADC region on International Human Rights Day, December 10^th at 11am. Your participation will add your voice to those protesting against the human rights violations experienced by the Zimbabwean people and show solidarity. 

Look out for information on the Zimbabwe Solidarity Rally on 14 February 2005 in which thousands of people and organisations will be marching to the main border posts of Zimbabwe in the neighbouring countries of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.

For more information contact:  Amnesty International South Africa (AISA) on +27 12 320 8155 (campaigns@amnesty.org.za) or CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation on +27 11 833 5959 (cswatch@civicus.org).

Overview

Violence against women is a societal problem which affects all people, in all spheres. Individuals, families, communities, provinces and even the state are not left unscathed.  As long as one sector of society – by virtue of their sex and by extension their unequal status – remain vulnerable to violence, we are all affected.

At the individual and community level – as is evidenced by the activities taking place in the region, there is a strong emphasis on raising awareness and educating ordinary people about both the consequences of violence against women, and about the causes.  The message “Unite against gender violence and HIV/AIDS” is being spread far and wide – to ordinary people and those with influence alike. It is encouraging that our leaders are taking a stand and speaking out against gender violence. But what is as important is the contribution of survivors of violence, former abusers who are denouncing their abusive past and the countless numbers of men and women who are in what ever way working towards ending gender violence in their homes, communities and countries.

Remember to join the cyber dialogues between 13:00 and 14:00 every day and to respond to the poll question at www.cyberdialogues.co.za

Today’s I’ story

Real men don’t do violence

By Sibongiseni Mngomezulu

I really don’t know how to apologise to the people that I have harmed.  Even though I know my actions were influenced by the violent society that I grew up in, it still doesn’t excuse the things that I did to my fellow African sisters. I have seen the agony and trauma that women experience when they are abused. I live with the guilt of having been an abusive man and I have vowed that never again shall I lift my fists to a woman or child. I have declared zero-tolerance on rape and all forms of violence.

Read the full story at: https://www.genderlinks.org.za/gemcomm/gemcomm.asp?cid=83

Lesotho

November 27^th: The 16 Days of Activism Campaign is intensifying by the day. As campaign activities continue, messages against gender violence are being spread throughout the country through the media. MAWA is pulling out all the stops to make sure that the Lesotho media give the campaign the attention and coverage it deserves. Invitations are being sent to AIDS organisations, NGOs, media houses and other stake holders to attend a meeting organised by WLSA,UNAIDS and MAWA with Noerine Kaleeba, a founder of The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) in Uganda. Kaleeba also works for UNAIDS building partnerships within the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. The meeting is in preparation for World Aids Day which has the theme “Women, girls and HIV/AIDS.”

November 29^th: Today in Lesotho, dressed up in the sixteen days T-shirts that members have vowed to wear for the duration of the sixteen days, the day started at 7am, with Tsepiso Mncina going to a fully sponsored 16 days talk show on Joy fm. The topic for the day was “Different kinds of abuse”. The talk show attracted a lot of participation from more male listeners than female. Men phoned in and fired a lot of challenging questions calling for more debate on what is considered abuse and what is not. 

Other MAWA members, headed off to two schools in the Maseru city, St. Joseph‘s High School and St. James Primary School to award certificates and prizes to students who had entered a competition on depicting gender based violence for the 16 Days of Activism through poetry, art and essay writing. MAWA organised the competition with the purpose of exploring the feelings and views of children on issues relating to gender based violence.

(By Fanyane Mathabang)

November 27^th: A sensitisation campaign on gender, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS was held at the Idrice Goomany Centre, a centre for the rehabilitation of male drug users. The campaign took place in Plaine Verte and Valley Pitot and provided the opportunity to reach women who are not normally part of such projects.

*****

November 28^th: The launch of a gender violence awareness campaign in Rodrigues, a small island which forms part of Mauritius but is now autonomous, took place.  The National Agency for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Drug Users (Natresa), the umbrella organisation for NGOs catering for drugs users, a key role player in the campaign in Rodrigues, want to train trainers so that work on gender violence, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS can be done on a permanent basis. Red and white ribbons were distributed at the event.
*****

November 29^th: The campaign continued in Rodrigues today and it has already been hailed as a huge success. Over 30 women have attended the workshops which have received wide coverage in the media.  Given that Rodrigues is often left out of activities taking place in Mauritius, the fact that the campaign has been so well received is very promising.

The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation will be producing a programme on the 16 Days Campaign in Rodrigues which will be televised in both Rodrigues and Mauritius on Friday, 3^rd December.  That the campaign is making an impact in Rodrigues is proof of the power of joining forces and resources as Media Watch Organisation would not have been able to do this on its own. 

(By Loga Virahsawmy)

South Africa

November 27^th: “Child maintenance: putting children first” was the theme on Saturday where parents had the opportunity to obtain information on processes around obtaining maintenance for their children. Panelists at the live discussion included a Chief Magistrate, a representative from the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions and a representative from the Legal Aid Board. All panelists emphasised the responsibility that parents have towards maintaining their children and provided practical information to participants ranging from the obligations of employers the role of maintenance officers and prosecutors.

The cyber dialogue was equally lively as participants were able to ask get clarification on matters they were dealing with. For the summary of the cyber dialogue go to www.cyberdialogues.co.za and follow the link from the “Maintenance and Child Support” menu:

Read Bhekinkosi Moyo’s opinion and commentary article on the maintenance system at: https://www.genderlinks.org.za/gemcomm/gemcomm.asp?cid=82

The day was facilitated by the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre. Visit their website at: www.tlac.org.za

*****

November 29^th: With a focus on the criminal justice system, the cyber dialogue today raised critical questions about the way in which violence against women is treated by those charged with protecting and assisting survivors of violence. Problems with the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act were highlighted during the on line discussion with many participants calling for the training of police officers and judicial officials.  Susan Pienaar, from the South African Police Service told participants that training of police officers had been taking place since 1990 although this training was not comprehensive enough. She said that from 2005 an intensive training programme for police officers would be rolled out – basic training as well as in-service training. The 2005 training will include a component that seeks to train detectives as well as community service centres.  Pienaar was unable to comment on a question relating to the budgetary allocation to implementing the Domestic Violence Act and said that the general policing budget incorporates issues relevant to the Domestic Violence Act.

Another important point raised was that more women need to be on the inside of the justice system – as judges, lawyers, police officers and decision-makers in order that the concerns of women be given the attention they deserve.  Today’s theme was facilitated by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Visit their website at: www.csvr.org.za

Tanzania 

November 25^th, Dar es Salaam: A march through the city of Dar es Salaam marked the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence in Tanzania. The march was organised by Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) Tanzania in collaboration with the Women’s Legal AID Centre and the Legal and Human Rights Centre.

Guest of honour at the march was Ms Helen Kijo Bisimba, WILDAF board member. Bisimba said that research showed that cultural practices such as wife inheritance contribute towards gender violence.  Participants at the march were given the opportunity to speak out and share their experiences. Speakers raised a number of challenges in efforts to end violence against women.  A contentious issue was whether women themselves contributed towards their oppression by sometimes oppressing other women and failing to back their words with action.

The event received wide media coverage from both print and electronic media.  The MISA Tanzania Chapter, Tanzania Gender Network Project, Tanzania Women’ s Lawyers Association and Tanzania Media Women’s Association plan to hold activities throughout the 16 Days of Activism.

(By Mohammed Tibanyendera)

November 29^th: This morning Zamwatch organised a press conference at which a survivor of violence shared her experiences. The press conference was organised in collaboration with the YWCA which provided the venue, resource person and the speaker.

Other participants included representatives from the Zambia Legal Aid Clinic and Women in Law in Southern Africa (WLSA).

Journalists in attendance came from both mainstream and private media organizations including Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, The Zambia Daily Mail, The Times of Zambia, The Post, Q FM, Christian Voice, the Friday Edition amongst others. The discussion centred on fight against violence against women and children and what the Zambian media can do assist.

A survivor of violence, Gertrude Mwanagala Kapelwa aged 36, told of how she had been in a marriage for 13 years where she was virtually a slave and was would be beaten by her husband when he was drunk. Her decision to leave was not easy, but she did leave and is staying at one of the YWCA drop-in centres.

What came out strongly at the press conference was the inability by politicians to enact laws that would protect woman. Another issue was how inadequate laws tended to discriminate against women.

The judicial system also came under the spotlight and it was felt that procedures need to be change in order to make the courts more user friendly especially to women.

(Brighton Phiri)

Zimbabwe

November 29^th: Despite concerns over the NGO Bill, organisations campaign activities continue around the country. These include:

* An e-dialogue was held on the Criminal Justice System through the D-Group discussion.

* The Zimbabwe Women Resource Centre Network held a Gender and
Development (GAD) talk on the health budget including the costs and implications of domestic violence on the economy and gender and HIV AIDS.
* The Padare men’s forum which focuses on gender issues held outreach programmes with businesses on the issue of gender based violence and caring for the AIDS patients under the Home Based Care. They focused specifically on including men in home based care initiatives.

* The Women’s Coalition – Bulawayo held a workshop in Victoria Falls. 

* The Zimbabwe Women Writers Association held a workshop for 50 school children, teachers and community leaders where they were taught to capture issues of violence against women and HIV/AIDS through prose and poetry.
* NASCO held a march for people with disabilities.

Petition to urge Zimbabwe government to enact domestic violence law

The people of Zimbabwe have called upon the Parliament of Zimbabwe to enact the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims Bill of 2004 into law.  Their petition has also urged Parliament to amend the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act to provide for a stiffer penalty for the breach of a peace order and to develop a protocol for the management of domestic violence by public officials including the police, health care professionals, the judiciary and media.

Add your voice by contacting Loveness Jambaya at: loveness@mmpz.org.zw and signing the petition.

.

(By Loveness Jambaya)

Write to us: admin@genderlinks.org.za

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