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SOUTHERN AFRICA
GENDER JUSTICE BAROMETER Sixteen Days Special ISSUE 30:
DECEMBER 5 2008 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
SADC GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOL: *Regional: African leaders signal commitment to financing for gender equality
*South Africa: Measuring Gender violence is a must
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL
*UNFPA’s 2008 State of World Population report
*Zimbabwe: Activists demand justice for politically-motivated rapes
UPCOMING EVENTS
* 9th Dec: Gender violence and Xenophobia face to face discussion and cyber dialogue
*10th Dec: Launch of 365 Day calendar, media literacy graduation and Human Rights Day cyber dialogue
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SIXTEEN DAYS CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
*2008 Sixteen Days campaign: Human Rights for women
* Regional: World Aids Day; launch of MAP HIV/Aids and Gender policies
*Regional: Making I.T. work for Gender Justice cyber dialogue
*Regional: International Day for People living with Disabilities
*Regional: Gender violence and elections cyber dialogue
*South Africa: Launch of anti-violence taxi CD and regional cyber dialogue – Driving towards peace
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SIXTEEN DAYS CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Global: 2008 Sixteen Days of Activism Campaign continues: Human Rights for women
Now in the second week of the global campaign, this week marked World Aids Day and International Day of people living with disabilities in addition to the ongoing celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights. This year the global theme is Human Rights for Women À¹-Àº Human Rights for All: UDHR60.The UDHR60 campaign offers an opportunity to advocate for women’s rights and the quest to end gender inequality, and to create a world free from violence, discrimination and injustice. These are critical to building a just, peaceful and sustainable world where human rights for all are respected. For more information of the global theme, click here
Regional: 1 Dec: World Aids Day, launch of the Media Action Plan (MAP) HIV/Aids and Gender policies
On 1 December 2008 over 130 media houses in 11 countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) publicly launched HIV and AIDS policies as part of commemorations to mark World AIDS Day. The climax of a three-year Media Action Plan (MAP) on HIV and AIDS and Gender, simultaneous launches will take place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lesotho; Madagascar; Malawi; Mauritius; Mozambique; Namibia; Seychelles; Swaziland; Tanzania; and Zambia.
The aim of the launches was to strengthen concerted global efforts to address the challenges of the AIDS pandemic. The launched also seeked to recognise media houses that have committed to mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS as well as promoting gender equality by drafting and adopting HIV and AIDS and Gender policies; and publicise and raise awareness on progress made in the roll out of HIV and AIDS policies in the region under MAP; and provide a platform for building new partnerships and developing new plans to ensure the sustainability and success of the policy roll out process. Click here to read the full press release.
The successful launches were followed by a regional cyber dialogue debating, among many things, the differences that the new policies would make to newsrooms. Several newsrooms from across Southern Africa took part in the debate.
The poll question results for the day: Should HIV/Aids carers be paid?
A) Yes 100%
B) No 0%
Click here to read the factsheet and cyber dialogue summary
Regional: 2 Dec: Making I.T. work for Gender Justice There is no doubt that ICTs are powerful tools that can be used to empower women in the fight for gender equality however there are major challenges such as financing the necessary resources, accessibility and lack of basic I.T training, particularly in the rural areas. Click here to read about some of the ways that we can make I.T work for Gender Justice whilst making the internet a safer space for women
Poll question results for the day: Is the Internet a safe pace for women?
A) Yes 30%
B) No 70%
Click here to read the factsheet and cyber dialogue summary
Regional: 3 Dec: International Day for People Living with Disabilities
The United Nations theme for International Day of People living with Disabilities is Dignity and Justice for all of us. On this day we celebrate the contributions that people living with disabilities have made to our communities, talk openly about our experiences and challenges as well as highlight the services in which we need to improve in order to ensure that people living with disabilities are able to exercise their human rights fully and equally.
Poll question results for the day: Are people living with disabled more vulnerable to gender violence?
A) Yes 100%
B) No 0%
Click here to read the factsheet and cyber dialogue summary
Regional: 5 Dec: Gender Violence and elections
Five general elections will take place in the Southern African region in 2009. The addition of gender violence and elections to the Sixteen Days program is therefore timely and necessary. Whilst there is no formal statistics on the number of acts of violence against women, before and during elections, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that these acts are happening. Gender Links in partnership the IEC therefore held a face to face discussion on this pertinent theme at Ekurhuleni Metro.
Poll question results for the day: Do you think specific provisions in regional instruments related to GBV will make a difference in reducing the levels of violence against women before and during elections?
A) Yes 90.63%
B) No 9.83%
Click here to read the factsheet and cyber dialogue summary
South Africa: Launch of anti-violence taxi CD and regional cyber dialogue À“ Driving towards peace
Johannesburg 4 Dec: Gender Links and GEMSA launched an anti-violence taxi CD called ‘Tjoon’in À“ a mix of music, reports, interviews and testimonies from survivors of gender based violence – in order to promote peace in the taxi industry. The event which was held at the New Council Chambers of the Germinston Civic Centre, Ekurhuleni Metro took the format of an open forum including a roundtable discussion related to transport and gender violence and a presentation of Tjoon’in
For more information on Tjoon’in and to listen to audio excerpts click here
To read the full press release click here
Cyber dialogue: Gender violence and the taxi industry
Following the launch of the CD a regional cyber dialogue was held. The dialogue aimed to discuss further the potential ways of making the transport system safer for all.
Poll question results for the day: Should women be part of the taxi industry
A) Yes 88.89%
B) No 11.11%
Click here to read the fact sheet and the cyber summary
SADC GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOL Regional: African leaders signal commitment to financing gender equality By Rosemary Okello
With Sixteen Days of Activism now in full swing, organisations and governments are focusing significant attention on gender violence and the gender inequalities that play a large role in its prevalence in Africa. In assessing how far we have come over the last year, and what we need to do next, it is important to remember what is at the heart of making it all happen À“ money.
Held just prior to the launch of Sixteen Days, the Sixth African Development Forum (ADF) at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa signalled a commitment by Africa’s leaders to prioritise financing for gender equality. After all, without financing, the best-intentioned programmes and plans will not succeed.
Setting the tone from the very beginning of ADF, Ethiopian President Ato Girma Woldegiorgis reminded the delegates, “We need to produce achievable plans and real results. We are running out of time and we must now be practical. If this forum fails to agree on a workable and practical agenda with proper priorities, failure will stare us in the face.À
When the South African Police Services (SAPS) released its latest set of statistics mid-year, the numbers again showed a decrease of about seven percent on all reported “contactÀ crimes such as murder, assault and sexual assault.
But there was a caveat. The figures on rape only ran until December 2007, when the Sexual Offences Act came into force. That law has expanded the definition of rape to include male rape and all forms (not just penal) penetration. So the police expect the numbers to rise when the next set of data is released, and they are painfully aware that these are just reported cases of sexual assault; estimates are that the real figure could be nine times higher.
SOCIAL, POLITICAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC PRACTICES
Global: UNFPA State of the World Population report
UNFPA’s 2008 State of World Population report focuses on the cultural dimensions of change. It analyzes gender-based violence from this perspective, and explores ways of working from with all sectors of societies to ensure that women and girls are treated with dignity and respect. To read the report in full click here
Zimbabwe: Activists demand justice for politically-motivated rapes
“I was raped by four Zanu PF militias at night, just outside their base, during the elections. They took turns to rape me, accusing me of supporting the opposition, MDC [Movement for Democratic Change]”, said Pauline Moyana* from Mutasa, a community in Zimbabwe’s eastern Manicaland province.
“They threatened to kill me and my family, so I had no choice but to give in to their demands”, she added. Moyana’s homestead was destroyed and her livestock killed as “punishment” for her alleged political affiliation. Read the full article
Source: IPS UPCOMING EVENTS
Please share your views and feedback, and anything you want included in the next issue of the newsletter with justice@genderlinks.org.za
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Comment on Gender Justice Barometer, Issue 30, 5 December 2008