Gender Justice Barometer, Issue 21: February 2008
Date: July 29, 2009
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Southern Africa
Gender Justice Barometer Issue 21: February 2008 |
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The Gender Justice Barometer is a joint project of Gender Links a
nd the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network.   IN THIS ISSUE
1. NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
> Global: UN Secretary General has launched a campaign to end gender violence > Global: UN announces theme for this year’s International Women’s Day > South Africa: Time for the taxi industry to light the way > Swaziland: Gender activists present 16 demands to prime minister > South Africa: Trafficking firmly on the government agenda 2. SADC GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOL: Count Down to August > Regional: Alliance draws up a roadmap to SADC Heads of State Summit
3. LEGISLATION
> Botswana: Domestic Violence Bill passed by parliament >Mozambique: Activists lobby for domestic violence legislation 4. INTEGRATED APPROACHES & BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS 5. SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS 6. PREVENTION, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS RAISING
> Global: Challenge Grant to End Violence against Women
7.OPINION AND ANALYSIS
> Zambia: Traditional leaders and domestic laws must end early marriages > South Africa: Women’s roles changing but not enough
We encourage your feedback, comments and information you would like us to include. Send an email to Loveness Jambaya Nyakujarah on
justice@genderlinks.org.za   |
1. NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Global: UN Secretary General has launched a campaign to end gender violence United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched a multi-year campaign to intensify action to end violence against women and girls on 25 February. The motivation for embarking on the campaign is because he has been touched by the experiences of many women around the world who have been victims of violence. Given that efforts to promote women’s rights have been largely undertaken by women, he wants to mobilise men worldwide, particularly those at the highest levels.
The campaign will aim to mobilise public opinion to ensure that policy makers at the highest level work to prevent and eradicate violence against women. A key target will be to secure political will and increased resources from governments, international institutions, United Nations entities, the private sector and other donors for policies and programmes to tackle the problem. The Secretary-General is calling on world leaders, men and women, to lead national campaigns to end violence against women.
The growing commitment of men to prevent and combat violence against women will be leveraged, and the campaign will welcome and encourage the active involvement of men and boys, recognising the critical role they must play.
Read press release announcing the launch of the campaign. Read press release following the launch of the campaign at CSW’s 52nd session Global: UN announces theme for this year’s International Women’s Day
Gender equality has been recognized by Member States as an essential factor for the achievement of the United Nations priorities of peace and security, human rights and development, including the Millennium Development Goals. Over the last few decades, agreements at major UN conferences and meetings – including the Beijing Platform for Action, Monterrey Consensus and the 2005 World Summit Outcome – have urged international and regional organizations to provide sufficient resources for programmes that support women’s empowerment as a priority for economic development. To focus attention on the achievements that have been made and the gaps that remain in financing women’s empowerment, the theme for International Women’s Day 2008 is Investing in Women and Girls. Read more.
South Africa: Time for the taxi industry to light the way
By Colleen Lowe Morna The power cuts had just abated when a huge blackout hit our social landscape. A standard question in opinion surveys that try to gauge where a nation stands with regard to its attitudes towards women is how citizens respond to a woman strolling down the streets in a mini-skirt. We have all been taken aback by the finding that in South Africa high proportions of men, and even some women, believe it’s an invitation to rape. Last week such attitudes were brazenly paraded before our eyes when the Sowetan reported that a young woman was stripped and sexually assaulted for wearing a mini skirt at the Noord Street taxi rank in busy central Johannesburg. The power cuts had just abated when a huge blackout hit our social landscape. A standard question in opinion surveys that try to gauge where a nation stands with regard to its attitudes towards women is how citizens respond to a woman strolling down the streets in a mini-skirt. We have all been taken aback by the finding that in South Africa high proportions of men, and even some women, believe it’s an invitation to rape. Last week such attitudes were brazenly paraded before our eyes when the reported that a young woman was stripped and sexually assaulted for wearing a mini skirt at the Noord Street taxi rank in busy central Johannesburg. I emphasise “reportedÀ because it now turns out that this case is just the tip of the iceberg. Nwabisa Ngcukana, who had the courage to speak out, mentioned that three other women had suffered the same humiliation that weekend. As the phone calls have poured in on radio talk shows over the week, callers confirm that this is an every day experience for the women of Egoli- the City of Gold. Read full article.
Swaziland: Gender activists present 16 demands to prime minister
The Gender Consortium is seeking audience with the Prime Minister to present 16 demands on International Women’s Day through the Ministry of Home Affairs. Consortium members want to use the new constitutional guarantees to leverage gender equality and equity in the country. The theme of the demands builds on last year’s 16 Days of No Violence campaign theme: Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence against Women, where gender activists are calling government to account
The demands include that government: These demands will be packaged and presented to relevant ministries as well. South Africa: Trafficking firmly on the government agenda
The government of South Africa, especially the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is taking progressive steps to deal with trafficking in persons through various initiatives. While there is no specific legislation to criminalise this phenomenon, a proactive approach has been adopted to ensure an adequate reponse which will focus on among others, public awareness, measures to combat the offence and assistance to victims.
South Africa has been identified as a leading destination, transit point and country of origin that is used by organised traffickers of human beings in Southern Africa. Most of those trafficked are women and children who are lured by the promise of better jobs and a better life. In recognition of this, South Africa signed and ratified the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime adn the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Pusnish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (“Palemo Protoco”) which came into operation 29 September 2003 and 25 December 2003 respectively.
The NPA-SOCA Unit convenes a Trafficking in Persons Inter-Sectoral Task Team which was formed after a ‘Trafficking in Persons Seminar’ in 2003. The task team has adopted a six pillar strategy comprised of Information, Capacity Building and Development, Victim Assistance and Integration, Policy and Legislation Development, Liason and Consultation as well as Monitoring and Evaluation to fight trafficking in persons. Five result areas were identified stemming from the strategy which will form the basis of “Programme of Assistance to Prevent and React to Trafficking in Persons” and will contribute to the development of a National Action Plan as required by the Palermo Protocol. The programme will recieve support from the European Commission, which in December 2007 approved funding in the amount of EU 6.3m (6.3 million Euros) to strengthen these interventions. In addition, an amount of R13m (thirteen million rand) has been set aside for inter alia the designing of a Prevention Strategy, Public Education and Awareness Programmes and implementation of the said programme. The task team has achieved some milestones:
> Making submissions to the South Africa Law and Reform COmmission (SALRC) in relation to Chapter 5 (Now Chapter 6) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act regulating the criminalisation of trafficking in persons for sexual purposes. > In collaboration with USA based War Against Trafficking Alliance (WATA), convened a conference in Benoni in June 2004. > The task team convenes quarterly meetings with a wide range of stakeholders who collectively form the Trafficking in Persons Consultative Forum to ensure boraer consultation. > Following a Prosecuting trafficking in persons in the South Africa context’ seminar in August 2006, developed a 12 month action plan. The action plan focused on increased knowledge and understanding of trafficking through research, raising awareness and establishment of a Rapid Response Team to deal pro-actively with suspected perpetrators. However a critical concern is that the task team comprises only government departments yet a lot of work has been done by civil society organisations who have contributed enormously to current data that is available on trafficking but are not represented.
2. SADC GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOL: Count down to August
Regional: Alliance draws up a road map to SADC Heads of State Summit
The Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance held a strategy meeting end of January in Johannesburg. The purpose of the meeting was:
> To review developments regarding the draft SADC Gender and Development Protocol. > To develop a roadmap for its adoption by Heads of States at their summit in August 2008 > To write opinions and commentaries in order to profile the critical issues in the Protocol. The members of the Alliance noted that this was the Seventh (7th) official draft of the Protocol, and that efforts must be made to defend the gains made in terms of text and language, whilst also highlighting the gaps that still exist and negotiating for their closure. It was noted that one of the most important things about the process toward the adoption of the Protocol so far, was that it can best be described as meteoric in that no other Protocol has developed as quickly as the gender Protocol; that on its own is a success. A number of initiatives to take the work forward have been earmarked which include:
> Consultations with key ministries such as Justice, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Gender. > Peer work which will involve intensive lobbying and advocacy in-country and at regional level.
> Adopt a media and advocacy strategy using GL’s Opinion and Commentary Service to contribute to in-depth media articles and interviews on the purpose and main tenants of the Protocol.
> Providing technical support where this is required through to the August Summit. Click here to view the latest version of draft SADC Gender and Development Protocol post senior gender officials meeting.
Click here to read related article, ‘NGOs demand that SADC leaders prove commitment to gender equality’. LEGISLATION
Botswana: Domestic Violence Bill passed by parliament
Gender equality reached another milestone in Botswana when parliament adopted with ammendments the Domestic Violence Bill. The bill was presented by MP for Kweneng South, Gladys Kokorwe as a private member. This is the first time that a private member’s bill has been passed by Parliament.
In Botswana the Penal Code criminalises acts of violence irrespective of whether such an act of violence has occurred in a domestic setting or outside a domestic setting. It is for the reason the draft Domestic Violence Bill does not create new offences nor seek to criminalise an act of domestic violence as such an act of violence has already been criminalised under the Penal Code. The introduction of the Bill seeks to compliment the criminal law by providing civil remedies to enable survivors of violence to have greater protection under the law while they await the criminal justice system to take its course.
While there are still controversial issues such as non-inclusion of issues of marital rape, Ms Kokorwe believes that half the battle has been won and ammendments could always be made after the Bill becomes an Act. The Bill has been sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers for forwarding to the office of the President so that the Bill is signed into law. Ms Kokorwe called on all relevant Ministries to begin implementing the Act once it becomes operational. Mozambique: Activists lobby for domestic violence legislation
When parliament resumes for their next session on 10th March, gender activists and women of Mozambique hope that the Domestic Violence Bill will top their agenda. A petition was brought before parliament in 2005 calling on parliamentarians to speed up the passing of the bill but line with the trend in the region the debate goes on several years later.
Ahead of International Women’s Day, women and men from the gender violence sector and the Women’s Ministry will come up with a strategy and action plan for intensive lobbying and advocacy to ensure that the Bill is made into law this year. INTEGRATED APPROACHES & BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS
South Africa: Gender Work in Dire Need of Funds
By Gabi Khumalo
The Director of the Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre, Dr Lesley Ann Foster has challenged international policy makers to urgently address the dire need of funding for gender work. Dr Foster was speaking ahead of her departure to New York where she will be attending the 52nd Session of UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
The CSW is the largest annual women gathering, where delegates around the world present and discuss concerns around women’s issues. Dr Foster said that sexual and reproductive health and rights were central to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, hence the need to look at how they can increase funding for research, awareness-raising and education around these issues. Read full article.
Source: AllAfrica.com SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS
South Africa: MEC Slams Assault on Women At Taxi Rank
By Gabi Khumalo Gauteng’s MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works, Ignatius Jacobs has come out strongly against the reported assault on four women at the Noord taxi Rank in Johannesburg. The MEC’s office in a statement said: “The MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works, Ignatius Jacobs, hereby condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the ill treatment and, alleged, indecent assault of young women at the Noord Street Taxi Rank.” The four women were allegedly attacked, stripped and assaulted by taxi drivers on Sunday for wearing mini skirts. MEC Jacobs further also called for the leadership of the taxi industry to intervene and to work with taxi commuters in exposing the people involved in such acts of indecency. Leaders in the taxi industry have. Since Sunday, indicated they would help to identify the culprits in this attack, and bring them to the authorities. MEC Jacobs is further calling for respect of the dignity of women in our society, saying that nobody has the right impose their own will on women. Read full article Botswana: Fight for gender equality ignores the rights of fathers
By Lorato Bailang, Botlhe Moseki, Thato Enosa and Bathami Chilume
Many people often complain about men who do not take responsibility for their children. Yet the fight for gender equality and parental rights has largely ignored the other side of the equation, men who are denied the right to equal time and access to their children. Responsibilities and rights go hand in hand. The Employment Act in Botswana makes provision for maternity leave, but is silent on the issue of paternity leave. Of late men in the country are demanding change. Parental leave is the right to take time off work to care for one’s child or make welfare arrangements for the child.
Ideally, this includes maternity leave for mothers and paternity leave for fathers. There are two parents for every child, and in a changing world where both partners are likely to have a job, paternal leave ought to be considered. Read full article PREVENTION, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS RAISING Global: Challenge Grant to End Violence against Women
The United Nations Foundation has pledged to donate US$1 for each of the first 100,000 signatures to the Say NO to Violence against Women campaign. “Each day, each hour, each minute, a woman in the world is a victim of violence,À said Mr. Timothy Wirth, president of the UN Foundation. “Taking this simple step, signing on to the campaign, sends the message that enough is enough and the cycle of violence must stop now.À The contributions will go to the UNIFEM-managed UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which supports innovative initiatives by governments and non-governmental organizations to end violence against women. Since its establishment in 1996, the UN Trust Fund has helped fund some 250 initiatives in 120 countries. Read more
OPINION AND ANALYSIS
Zambia: Traditional leaders and domestic laws must end early marriages
By Violet Mengo Prisca Mutale, a Chinsali resident in Zambia’s Northern Province sold her two daughters aged 10 and 12 for marriage to help her to feed the other six children in her care. She says it was her last resort, since the father of her other daughter abandoned her and the children. These two children stopped going to school as hunger deprived them of the energy to walk the five miles to get there. They were doing grades 7 and 9 respectively. “It pains me to see them go but I have to do this since I have no option. I need money to keep my family,À she said. The children were sold for K900 000 each (about US$ 2250) to interested suitors.
Numerous international legal instruments prohibit forced and early marriage, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Read full article
South Africa: Women’s roles changing, but not enough
By Tsholofelo Segage
“Convicts and lunatics have no vote for parliament, should all women be classified with these?” This is just one of the statements that can be found on a suffragette poster. Some ask, “Are we children?” while another declares, “Votes for women wanted everywhere!”
100 years ago, women were still fighting for the right to vote. Today, we see women rising to the top of business, government, media, and every other sector. Yet, there still exists high levels gender inequality in the world, violence against women is still pervasive, and in some countries, women still considered minors in the eyes of the law. With International Women’s Day just around the corner on 8 March, it’s a good time too look back through global history.
Looking back around the world, through time, the contradiction is striking; women’s roles are changing drastically, but the fight for gender equality goes on, and on. Gender equality is not only about the women who stand out in public life, it is also about ensuring that all women, everywhere, enjoy equality. Read full article
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