From 25 November – 10 December each year, organisations, institutions and countries across the world commemorate “16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children”.
The international theme for 2012 was “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!” While appreciating that this campaign ensures that this hideous social injustice remains on the international agenda and in global discourse of policymakers globally, we call for more to be done!
Parliament of South Africa also showed their support for this global campaign by having two debates in both houses on the 22nd of November 2012. The National Assembly held a debate on the 16 Days of Activism for no Violence Against Women and Children under the theme: ELIMINATION AND PREVENTION OF ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS and The National Council of Provinces held a debate on gender based violence under the theme: WAGING A CONCERTED FIGHT AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND ABUSE.
It is reported that a woman is raped every 26 seconds AND that 30% of girls below the age of 15 are at risk of being sexually violated in South Africa!
On 10 December 2012, to mark the end of the “16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children”, the Deputy President of South Africa, Kgalema Mothlanthe revealed horrific statistics that suggests that 5 out of 7 children are abused, and 90% of women are experiencing emotional and physical abuse. He also highlighted that 71 % are abused sexually while 58 % are experiencing economic abuse.
The Deputy President also warned against complacency that can result from such ‘short term’ campaigns and reported that in an effort to strengthen the nation’s response to the continuing violence against women and children, a NATIONAL COUNCIL AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE has been established.
The theme of last year’s “16 Days” campaign lends itself to much broader efforts that can start “at home” and continue by contributing to the establishment and sustainable support for a global movement working daily to highlight the plight of victims and survivors of ABUSE! It is for this very reason that the One Billion Rising Campaign was started by Eve Ensler, an internationally recognised gender activist, author and filmmaker and the founder of V-Day and the ‘Vagina Monologues’. One Billion Rising is a campaign that promises that on the 14th of February each year, women and men across the Globe will Rise Up to say:
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! THE VIOLENCE HAS TO END NOW!
One Billion Rising is designed to show the world our collective strength, our numbers, and our solidarity across borders. BUT we cannot reach One Billion without you! Your participation is therefore vital to the success of the global efforts to END violence against women and girls! Refuse to stand by as more than a billion women experience violence, millions live in constant fear and countless women suffer daily across the globe from domestic violence, sexual assaults, and rape. On the February 14th, 2013, we invited one billion women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP and to demand an end to this human tragedy!
Since launching http://www.onebillionrising.com on September 24, 2012, over 1 MILLION people have watched and shared the One Billion Rising short film, created by Eve Ensler, and South African filmmaker Tony Stroebel to create awareness of purpose of this global effort.
As part of this campaign, Cape Town joined in and coordinated plenty of events and activities in the run up, as well as on the official V-DAY (1402.13), to show its support for this noble cause. Even though the OBR Campaign only has one official “Day of Rising”, The Parliamentary Millennium Programme (PMP) encourage ALL South Africans to consider to call for the implementation of the 365 Days Action Plan!!!!
