16 Days of Activism Newsletter, 10 December 2014

News and Opinion

Informations et opinions
Une action collective est cruciale pour un solide agenda du genre post 2015

NotÁ­cias e Opinião
Todos Juntos, em prol duma Acção Colectiva para uma forte Agenda sobre Género Pós-2015

I Stories – First hand accounts
South Africa: My children also growing in shelters
South Africa: My terrible childhood

Questions of the day

Cyber dialogues / Google hangouts

Key Facts

GBV Indicators

16 Days of Activism

Click on the country name to view the country schedule for the 16 Days of Activism

Botswana

Lesotho

Madagascar

Mauritius

Mozambique

Namibia

South Africa

Swaziland

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Blantyre, 10 December: As we commemorate the Sixteen Days of Activism campaign, one of the most crucial sectors we need to target and hold accountable is the media. The media is one of the most powerful socialising forces in society and can work both for and against the cause for eradicating violence and achieving gender equality. Regretfully the latter applies more often than the former. The 2014 SADC Gender Protocol Barometer reiterates this: “Due to its wide reach and ability to shape public opinion and discourse, it is important that media takes up its responsibility as an inclusive tool for democracy and voice in society.” … Read more

Southern Africa: Leaving no one behind post 2015

Johannesburg, 10 December: As post-2015 dawns bearing the new sustainable development goals, it is critical to revisit the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what it means for humanity in terms of dignity, development and decision making. On 4 December, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon informally presented an unedited version of his synthesis report on the post-2015 development agenda to UN Member States. “The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet”. The report outlines a vision for Member States to carrying forward in negotiations leading up to the UN Special Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2015 that will adopt the post-2015 development agenda. … Read more

Johannesburg, 10 décembre : A l’aube d’une nouvelle ère post 2015 portant avec elle les objectifs du développement durable, il est crucial de revoir la Déclaration universelle des droits de l’Homme et ce qu’elle signifie pour l’humanité en termes de dignité, de développement et de prise de décisions. Le 4 décembre, Ban Ki-moon, secrétaire général des Nations Unies, a présenté aux Etats membres une version préliminaire de son rapport de synthèse sur l’agenda du développement post 2015. Intitulé «La voie de la dignité d’ici 2030: Eliminer la pauvreté, Transformer toutes les vies et Protéger la planète », ce rapport préliminaire définit les contours d’une vision que les Etats membres peuvent songer Á  mettre en avant lors des négociations menant au Sommet Spécial des Nations Unies sur le Développement Durable prévu pour septembre 2015 et qui adoptera un agenda du développement post 2015. … Read more

Johannesburg, 10 Dezembro: Uma nova era se aproxima. O perÁ­odo pós-2015 suportando as metas de um desenvolvimento sustentÁ¡vel, o que torna imperioso revermos a Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos, o que ela significa para a dignidade humanidade, desenvolvimento e para a tomada de decisão. … Read more

*Trigger warning: violence* My name is Lebo (not a real name) I never knew my parents. I grew up in children homes. The last children’s home I was at is Harding KZN. I stayed there when I was a teenager. I met my boyfriend, the father of my first child. He was working at the children’s home as a caretaker. He approached me and I was falling in love with him. We would see each other secretly without the knowledge of any house mothers at the children’s home or ant staff member. We dated for about 5 years while I was staying at the home. In 2010 I fell pregnant for him, at that time I was about to be 18 years old. The house mothers at the home noticed that I was not getting my periods at the same time I was gaining weight…. Read more

South Africa: My terrible childhood

*Trigger warning: Violence* It started when I was young around grade 1 or 2. My dad started beating us up with shambok. He tied us up with handcuffs. He used to beat us up for little things (e.g. not answering him) we did not answer him because we had nothing to say. At one time he beat us up because he suspected that me and my sister were sleeping with boys. He would beat us up until we said yes we did. My sisters’ face was cut open with a shambok. He took us to the clinic; he told us to lie to the nurse that my sister fell and her face cut open while we were playing in a scrap car. My grandmother would stick up for us, he will slap her on the face and she will fall on the ground. … Read more

Zimbabwe: I toiled for their family

*Trigger warning: Violence* Charles* and I got married in 2005 and had a baby daughter in 2006. My husband refused to get a birth certificate for the child as he claimed the baby was not his. We were living with Charles’ older brother, who was married. My husband did not see it fit to hand any money to me for house-keeping, for he claimed that I was stealing it from him! He would, instead, give all his earnings to his brother’s wife who would distribute it as she saw fit. I usually did not have enough for food or clothes. My sister-in-law dictated all the household matters and I had to dance to her tune…. Read more

10 December 2014

Can we halve GBV by 2030?
What do we want to see?

Tell us what you think on our Facebook page

Wednesday 26 November
Cyber dialogue on economic empowerment and GBV: 13:00 to 14:00 (GMT+2)
Join the cyber dialogues

Tuesday 2 December
Google hangout on femicide, police data and the justice system: 13:00 to 14:00 (GMT+2)
Join the hangout

Friday 5 December
Cyber dialogue: Diverse sexuality and gender identities. Embrace diversity: 13:00 to 14:00 (GMT+2)|
Join the cyber dialogues

Wednesday 10 December
Google hangout on human rights framework for post 2015 development agenda. What do we want? 13:00 to 14:00 (GMT+2)
Join the hangout

Full schedule for the 16 Days

GL has conducted Violence Against Women Baseline studies in six SADC countries (Botswana, Mauritius, four provinces of South Africa, four districts of Zambia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe) and is currently rolling it out at national level in Zambia

Lifetime prevalence rates of GBV range from 25% (Mauritius) to 89% in the four districts of Zambia: Kitwe, Mansa, Kasama and Mazabuka.

Strong legislative frameworks exist in most countries but challenges remain around implementing laws and policies effectively.

The Violence Against Women (VAW) Baseline Study is a Southern African research project aimed at measuring the extent, drivers, effect, cost, prevention, protection, programmes and participation in the fight to rid our region of gender-based violence.

Click here to visit the website and view results of studies done in 6 countries.

Every year the United Nations declares the period from the 25 November, International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women, to the 10 December, International Human Rights Day, as the 16 Days of No Violence Against Women across the globe. … Read more