Date: 08/03/2007

Source: The Presidency

Title: Mlambo-Ngcuka: Launch of 365 National Action Plan against gender violence

Address delivered by the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the launch of the 365 Days Programme and National Action Plan to end Violence against Women and Children, Union Buildings, Pretoria

Programme Director, Advocate Thoko Majokweni,
Deputy Minister, Nomatyala Hangana,
Director of the National Prosecuting Authority, Mr Vusi Pikoli,
Representatives of the United Nations,
Representatives of the legislature, the judiciary and Chapter Nine institutions,
Traditional Leaders,
Representatives of trade unions, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and faith-based organisations,
Representatives of the three spheres of government,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Introduction

I am pleased to attend the launch of the 365 Days Programme and National Action Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. As we meet here on International Women's Day, many people around the world are celebrating and remembering the struggle of women for equal citizenship, equal access to education and equal access to safety, security and protection from the State and society.

Since our first democratic election in 1994, South African women have made much progress; much more is still needed but we are not even halfway. Our Constitution, which we adopted in 1996, ensures that women and men have equal rights before the law. The rights of all women are upheld and protected by our government. This means that women of different religious, language, class and cultural backgrounds have the right to equal safety, security and protection from the police and the courts.

The Domestic Violence Act and the Maintenance Act were designed to further protect women and children. Notwithstanding this equality before the law, many of our women and children are still subjected to different forms of abuse. Many women and children who are victims of violence are abused by people they know, love, admire and trust. This phenomenon makes it very difficult to police such crimes. This situation holds women and children hostage in their own homes. The lack of power to negotiate sex makes homes and bedrooms in particular, dangerous places and altars in which women and child abuse occurs.

The levels of physical, emotional and sexual abuse experienced by our women and children still remains unacceptably high and growing. Gender violence has many facets. Yet parental neglect; lack of solidarity with victims; fear; women, girls and boys' disempowerment and poor enforcement of police by pockets of law enforcers and poverty, for both men and women, remains at the root of this social challenge. Taking care of children is a core responsibility of parents and they should not shirk this commitment.

In South Africa, we are fortunate that several civic organisations, faith-based structures, the labour movement and society in general have jointly and individually campaigned for the end of the abuse of women and children, yet the task remains huge. Again I want to salute our caregivers who give of themselves so generously. Evidence from other parts of the world suggests that efforts to reduce gender violence are more likely to succeed when a number of stakeholders, from different sectors become involved and collaborate. Gender based violence has more chance of diminishing when governments and civil society synergise their efforts and work together towards the same vision. So we cannot give up.

Programme Director, as government, we therefore wish to acknowledge the ongoing support civil society has given to the campaign of the past eight years called the 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children. As government we are mindful of the Kopanong Declaration of May 2006, in which approximately 260 representatives from all spheres of government, constitutional bodies, civil society, trade unions and faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, and international co-operating partners, signed a declaration to ensure the implementation of the 365 Days National Action Plan.

We are reminded that all signatories to the Kopanong Declaration agreed among other things, to finalise this detailed 365 Days National Action Plan, which we are launching today. I congratulate Deputy Minister Hangana who is leading us in this programme; Minister Mabandla whose department through the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) also played a big role in the secretariat.

As government and civil society we are therefore pleased to reflect on nine positive developments, as outlined by the 2005 Gender Justice Barometer. One mentions the following, as we can see some tangible results after much hard work.

1. The courts have toughened up on gender violence

Courts are sending out messages that gender based violence is unacceptable. A landmark case is Omar versus the State, which upheld the protective orders in the Domestic Violence Act. Yet we still have courts, judges and magistrates that seem to trivialise and even send wrong signals in the manner they sentence.

2. New legislation has been passed

The Children's Bill, which responds to violence against children, has been passed by the National Assembly and legislation is in the pipeline to combat Trafficking in Persons. The Sexual Offences Bill, which amongst other things broadens the definition of sexual assault, is also in the process of being finalised. However this bill has taken too long to be finalised and the reasons are no more credible. Political parties in Parliament must take responsibility for this debacle and we must correct it.

3. Sensitisation of law enforcement agencies

The integrated Domestic Violence Training Programme has been launched for law enforcement agencies, and a multi-sectoral Training Manual was developed to ensure the effective implementation of the Domestic Violence Act.

4. Integrated approaches towards addressing gender violence show promise

The Thuthuzela Centre at Jooste Hospital in Manenberg that links directly to the Sexual Offences Court in Wynberg, in the Western Cape, have been shown to yield a much higher percentage conviction rate, compared to the success rate in regular courts.

These one-stop service facilities reduce secondary victimisation and trauma, whilst ensuring that rape survivors have access to comprehensive and necessary treatment after an assault. We need many more. The private sector must come to the party here.

5. Treatment and care receive greater attention

The Department of Health (DoH) has launched a National Sexual Assault Policy to meet the overall health needs of the rape survivor.

6) Improvement in media coverage of sexual assaults

There has been improved sensitivity around media coverage on sexual assault stories. The media though it has played an important role in highlighting the problem, it has also been a problem in the manner it sensationalises and its insensitivity which glamorises unacceptable sexual behaviour; the same with the entertainment industry - to make money they will entrench and promote irresponsible sexual behaviour like unprotected sex which contributes to mis-educating the youth and works against us all.

There is a very positive campaign for all African countries done by the African Broadcasters which aims to end HIV and AIDS by involving you and me. The campaign encourages the continent to conquer the disease and dream for an AIDS Free Africa. It takes you and me to stop this scourge.

* if you are already HIV positive
* do not infect others
* do not re-infect yourself
* you do not have to have full blown AIDS as you must still be strong to live, and work to care for your children
* you need to eat well, exercise and live a healthy and positive life
* when you need to be on medication, take it religiously to ensure that you live longer
* young people need to delay their sexual debut
* if they engage in sex it should never be without a protection.

We need to also end intergenerational poverty. Poverty should no longer be hereditary. There needs to be a poverty turnaround strategy for all poor families in the country. This can be done through education and the provision of job opportunities such as the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP). There is great urgency in implementing this strategy to eliminate poverty. It is unacceptable that people can be on state grants for the rest of their lives; there must be an exit plan. We need to end over seven million people's poverty over the next three to four years because if we do not do then we will, as a country, be having an even bigger problem on our hands.

Government must facilitate young people to get jobs. We cannot afford to have young people who reach the ages of 40 not having worked in their whole lives. As it was said by the President in the State of the Nation Address, we need to facilitate the entry into formal employment of young people.

'Real men' are finding their voice

There is a growing "men's movement" in support of gender justice. Furthermore, the National Prosecuting Authority has launched an innovative partnership with traditional leaders to fight gender violence. But there is even a bigger group of non-violent men at least not in action who are just watching and would not raise a finger, support and sponsor anti-violence activities. Their silence is a big, big problem; it is as bad as endorsing deviant behaviour.

Public awareness campaigns continue to gain momentum but most so called good and non-abusive men are missing in action. The 16 days awareness campaign has now been extended to a 365 days awareness campaign and public awareness around gender violence has increased. Hence we are here today to launch this necessary step but we need more details on the 365 calendar of events with assigned tasks and activities. Until we produce that and we need to negotiate it with stakeholders across sectors, government departments, interest groups so that we cover all of our society; the activist, armchair revolutionaries, the business, the children, the 365 campaign is still incomplete. This is the instruction to the secretariat from me and Deputy Minister Hangana and we need a report in one month.

There are efforts to achieve greater co-ordination

At government level, the Department of Justice through the NPA has launched an Inter-departmental Management Team that will continue to co-ordinate and implement government's programme, all year round, 365 days a year. So there is a basis but the detail must be in all our faces daily. Programme Director, we agree that our top priority is to prevent abuse from taking place. However, we need to ensure that when sexual violence occurs, our Criminal Justice System should be able to identify and convict the perpetrators of such crimes. Too many people still fall between the cracks.

In this sense, we as a government cannot fail the vulnerable in our society. The perception exists that perpetrators of heinous crimes quite literally get away with murder. For this reason, Programme Director, we need to continue creating a climate, which allows sexual assault survivors to come forward and report such crimes. We need to increase community awareness that crimes against children are serious and cannot be tolerated. When a child is abused the community needs to report the matter to relevant authorities. The perpetrators cannot be protected.

Programme Director, in conclusion, I would like us to be mindful of the fact that many women remain economically dependent on men who abuse them. We need to ensure, as a society that many more economic opportunities become available to women, so that they can have more choices, and more control over their lives. I therefore look forward to hearing about many success stories in this regard. I wish the all the departments and civil society and business well in implementing the National Action Plan.

I thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency
8 March 2007