The scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) remains a nationwide problem and the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Sihle Zikalala, has called on men and traditional leaders to address GBV by supporting women empowerment, fighting patriarchy and eliminating child abuse.
He said this while addressing scores of attendees at the Mpandwini Sports Ground in uMbumbulu where residents had gathered to for the commemoration of International Men’s Day. Among the guests of honour were the MEC for Social Development, Nonhlanhla Khoza, members of the Provincial Legislature, Bishop Vusi Dube and Sipho “KK” Nkosi. Premier Zikalala said the province and the country needs men who will be role models to boys, who will grow to respect, embrace and appreciate women and girls for who they are and not for what they can get from them.
“We must work together in ensuring that the relationship between men and women reflects unity, collaboration, partnership and harmony. The protection of women and children is everyone’s responsibility in our society. As a government, we are very pleased by the initiatives of the Department of Social Development to bring all sectors to play a role in the fight against the scourge of gender-based violence,” he said.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Better relations between men and women”, which is a guideline for men and boys across the globe to take a closer look at the relationships they have with the women and children in their lives. MEC Khoza said that this could go a long way towards decreasing the high rates of teenage pregnancy in KZN.
She said that despite the integrated implementation plan on reduction of adolescent pregnancies for the 2021/22 financial year, the numbers were still worrying. “We have been conducting a number of awareness programmes on teenage pregnancy, but our province saw a total number of 21 651 children giving birth. This means we need to triple our efforts
and involve all stakeholders in our campaign to fight teenage pregnancy,” said MEC
Khoza.
She said: “It is also important to know who the fathers of the babies are because some of these children fall pregnant after being raped by people who are supposed to protect them, including uncles, stepfathers and even biological fathers. The cases we are dealing with in social development are shocking.”
MEC Khoza highlighted that there are too many culprits and criminals who were getting away with statutory rape. She said traditional leaders can play a role to ensure that the criminals who prey on children face the full might of the law. “It is important that we all work together in building the nation because we cannot claim to be free while women and children are being abused. We are aware that it is not all men who are abusers, rapists and killers, hence we are grateful to them,” she said.
