Take back the Night 2006

Date: August 10, 2009

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Take back the night (also known as Reclaim the Night) is an international march and rally started in the USA, intended as a protest and direct action against rape and other forms of violence against women.

To launch the 2006 Sixteen Days of Activism campaign, GL and GEMSA, on the 25 November 2006, International Day of No violence Against Women, organised Take back the night marches in a number of cities in Southern Africa. Women marched down a street they deemed to have “lostÀ as a result of fear, wearing T-shirts and carrying candles reclaiming their basic rights to freedom of movement and safety! Men and children including high government officials and UN agencies joined the marches in solidarity.

Fact sheet on Take back the night campaign

South Africa

Johannesburg: View Slide Show
Over 600 women, men and children joined the march from Constitutional Hill through parts of Hillbrow and back to Constitutional Hill in a bid to reclaim their safety. This included visiting guests from the United Nations. Gender Links launched the ‘I’ Stories second series (a collection of personal experiences of survivors of gender violence), at the event. Survivors of gender violence spoke out about their experiences while the One in Nine campaign presented 16 demands in the 16th year of the 16 days to the MEC of Safety of Security of the Gauteng Province, Firoz Cachalia. The Head of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Jonathan Lucas, gave a message of solidarity. This was followed by a candlelight ceremony. There was lots of entertainment. It was a “colourful ceremony” to quote one of the participants. Contact: Loveness Jambaya on justice@genderlinks.org.za.

Cape Town: View Slide Show

SIMELELA organised a Take Back the night march in Cape Town. The march was held in Khayelitsha and there was a good turn out from the community as well as from other gender organisations. Contact: Anne-Astrid Burlet on simelelaco@mwebbiz.co.za

Southern Africa

Mauritius: View slideshow
During the March the Minister of Human Rights and Attorney General and the new Mayor of Beau-Bassin Rose Hill walked at the back of the blind (both men and women) and other vulnerable groups (three major Mauritian NGOs.). The Minister of Human Rights shouted “SiriteÀ (Security) and the crowd replied “pou to dimounnÀ (for everybody). He also shouted “violansÀ (violence) and the crowed replied “nou pa ouleÀ (we don’t want). The impact was overwhelming. Three suvivors (two female and one male) who were attacked in the streets gave testimonies. Loga, the two Ministers and the Mayor each responded to the attacks. At the end we all lighted our candles in memory for all those who have known some kind of violence and those who died because of violence. We deposited our candles with six bouquets of fresh flowers opposite the Plaza in memory who all these lives as well in memory of five persons who lost their lives at the very same place in a terrible car accident . It was a moving ceremony. Contact: Loga Virahsawmy on gonaz@intnet.mu or Danny Philippe on philldfr@yahoo.fr

Swaziland: View Slide Show

To launch the 2006 Sixteen Days campaign gender activists held a Take Back the Night march on Friday the 24th of November. This took place in Manzini City. The march started from the Freedom Square opposite the Post Office. Marchers carried candles. A giant candle was lit and a pledge book signed and both will rotate amongst different organisations throughout the 16 days campaign.

Contact: Ncane Maziya on smegwa2003@yahoo.com.

Take back the Night 2006

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