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The ANC Commission on Religious & Traditional
Affairs and the National Interfaith Leaders Forum (NILC) supports the 16
Days of Activism against the abuse of women and children. The Commission and
NILC believe that there is a huge role that can be played by the interfaith
community and traditional leaders in the battle against the social ills,
such as gender-based violence and other dire offshoots of entrenched
patriarchy.

The interfaith community in particular has a responsibility to
preach and educate communities in understanding that violence against women
is a crime and a sin. Some forms of abuse against women and children, which
includes incest, domestic violence and battery, are perpetrated by men with
ego problems, which should be dealt with spiritually. It is necessary that
interfaith community recognise and accept the prevalence of these social
ills, particularly within its midst, as a precondition to begin eliminating
them from our society.

The recent report by the Irish government which
exposed the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests over a period of
time is a cause for grave concern. The report revealed that archbishops were
aware of some of these complaints and that the archdiocese was pre-occupied
with protecting the reputation of the Church over and above that of
protecting children's welfare.

To continue playing a role as a beacon of
hope to the hopeless and a fountain of morality and spiritual healing, the
interfaith community must first and foremost shun and expose
institutionalised abuse, whenever it takes place - rather than cover it up.
The developments in the Irish church and other similar incidents the world
over must wake all of us up to reality of the rate of women and children
abuse in various institutions and propel us to join hands to defeat this
cancer that is eating away at our social freedoms.

We must work together
with all sectors of the society, involving particularly men as the primary
perpetrators, in the battle for the eradication of these kinds of violence.
As the Deputy President said in his address during the International Men's
Day, men must ensure that each day is lived as if it is an international
men's day, taking care to embrace the most vulnerable members of our
families so that we instil values of gender equality in each step we
take.

We wish to congratulate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his
inclusion into the newly launched United Nations Network of Men Leaders
against violence against women. The Network, launched on Wednesday by UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, will work to support the longstanding efforts
of women and civil society organisations worldwide to end violence,
undertaking actions that will raise public awareness and advocate for
adequate laws. The initiative brings together current and former
politicians, activists, religious and community figures to combat the global
pandemic.

The involvement of our political and religious leaders such as
Nelson Mandela and Tutu in various international initiatives has indeed
helped to strengthen our country's battle against the abuse of women and
children on a world platform. We wish the Archbishop and other volunteers
well.

Both the Commission and NILC will be working together with all civil
society and non-governmental organisations during this 16 Days of Activism
and beyond to eradicate this scourge and protect the welfare and future of
our women and children. We will also partner with progressive women's
formations such as the ANC Women's League during the course of this
campaign.