
SHARE:
By Colleen Lowe Morna
Johannesburg: Mr President, 25 November, International Day of No Violence Against Women, marks the start of the Sixteen Days of Activism on Gender Based Violence (GBV). At the GBV Summit you called on 1-2 November, South African women made it clear through messages painted on panties that they are done with such campaigns. As we build up to 25 years of democracy next year, they want the “bodily integrity” promised by our Constitution that you so skilfully helped to craft. After eight years of Jacob Zuma, the former president acquitted of rape, but scoring “F” on his conduct towards women, there’s a high expectation from the #TotalShutdown campaign and its many allies that you can offer a new deal.
First, congratulations on becoming the first president in South Africa, in Southern Africa, and possibly in the world to call a national crisis summit on GBV! You have had a job summit, an investment summit, and now a GBV summit. How will you connect these threads? Will ending GBV be counted as one of your legacies? Here is some advice from the Summit communications commission, of which I formed a part:
#EndGBV, #CreateJobs #InclusiveGrowth – @CyrilRamaphosa’s #legacy? #TumaMina, we are at your service, sir!
(Colleen Lowe Morna is CEO of Gender Links. She served as rapporteur of the GBV Summit Communications Commission). This story first appeared in the Mail & Guardian. Picture courtesy of EWN
One thought on “South Africa: Mr President: Walk the talk against GBV”
Mr President, if you know better, Do better