CONCEPT DOCUMENT FOR THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM CAMPAIGN ON

NO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN

PRESENTATION TO THE MULTIPARTY PARLIAMENTARY WOMEN’S CAUCUS

23 NOVEMBER 2011

PRESENTATION OUTLINE • Introduction

• Background

• Context

• Impact of the Campaigns

• Vision of the 2011 Campaign

• Objectives of the 2011 Campaign

• Build-Up Activities towards the National Campaign

• Provincial Campaign Activities

• Communications Strategy

• Campaign Tools

• Key messages

• Consolidated 2011 Campaign Programme (Calendar of Events)

• How to participate in the campaign

• Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION• The document provides a conceptual framework for marking the

16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign which starts on 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) and end on 10 December (International Human Rights Day);

• The Campaign is championed by the Honourable Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities and coordinated by the department (DWCPD);

• The conceptual framework is envisaged as a national tool which can be utilised by all stakeholders – Government, private sector/ corporate world, civil society and NGOs operating in the sector.

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BACKGROUND• The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children

Campaign is an annual international United Nations-endorsed initiative from the 25th November to the 10th December;

• The campaign gained significant momentum in the Southern African Development Community through the adoption of the Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence against Women and Children by the SADC Heads of State in 1998;

• The period of the campaign was designated by the General Assembly to raise public awareness on gender-based violence (Resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999;

• The South African Government has run a parallel campaign that includes issues relating to violence against children from 1999;

• Other key commemorative days during this period include World Aids Day

(1 December) and International Day for Persons with Disabilities (3 December).

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CONTEXT

National context• The campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness

of the negative impact of violence on women, children and people with disabilities as well as society as a whole;

• The campaign has been expanded to include a 365 Days National Action Plan to end violence against women and children with a specific action plan for implementation by various departments / sectors;

• The plan seeks to ensure a coordinated, comprehensive and sustainable effort to eliminate all forms of abuse directed against persons because of their sex or gender role in society.

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NATIONAL CONTEXT Cont..• The campaign has grown exponentially making it the second

most known government event in South Africa after the State of Nation Address (GCIS Tracker Survey: 2008);

• The campaign also serve as a catalytic mechanism to support government outcomes on gender equality and the protection of women, children and other vulnerable groups;

• It also cuts across government’s five key priorities, 12 National Outcomes and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTSF) Priorities in line with Government’s Results-Based Performance Management Strategy.

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Legislative Context

South African government has enacted legislations to eliminate discrimination and violence against women and children since 1994. The following are some of most critical pieces of legislation:

• Domestic Violence Act, 1998

• Children’s Act, 2005 and Children’s Amendment Act, 2007

• Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related matters) Act 32 of 2007

• Maintenance Act, 1998

• Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000

• Employment Equity Act, 1998

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Legislative Context cont...

The SADC Protocol on Culture, Tradition and Gender Based Violence calls for ensuring that girls enjoy the same rights as boys and are protected from harmful practices in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

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Theme for 2011The 2011 international theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the

World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women.”

The five sub-themes are:• Bringing together women, peace, and human rights movements to challenge

militarism;• Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence;• Sexual violence in and after conflict;• Political violence against women, including Pre/During/Post-election

violence;• Sexual and gender-based violence committed by state agents, particularly

the police or military.

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Theme for 2011 Cont...

South African Government has chosen to focus on the sub-theme “the proliferation of small firearms and their role in domestic violence” given that the challenge for the country is the high prevalence of gender-based violence especially domestic violence perpetrated through the use of small arms;

Domestic violence is a reality in every country of the world. The violence becomes even more dangerous when guns are present in homes as they can be used to threaten, injure or kill women and children;

According to the International Action Network on Small Arms (ANSA), Women’s Network, women are three times more likely to die violently if there is a gun in the house.

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Theme for 2011 Cont...

Although Government has chosen to focus on only one sub theme, we acknowledge that the country also experience challenges outlined by other thematic areas;

The campaign is an opportunity for reflection and conversation about what women’s rights movement can do to challenge the structures that allow violence against women at all levels.

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Trends and findings

The trends and analysis section provides statistics and findings on the following

areas: Crime trends; Trends with regards to guns and gender based violence; Use of guns on female victims; Use of guns on women in non-fatal incidents; Legal versus illegal guns; Abuse and neglect of people with disabilities;

It is important to note that statistics that are readily available in the country are not sufficiently disaggregated by disability.

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IMPACT OF THE CAMPAIGN

The findings of the 10 years Social Impact Assessment study conducted in 2009 suggested the need for a coordinated action plan from all government department. Amongst other things, the 10 years Impact Assessment Study revealed the following:

• A general agreement among stakeholders that South Africa has run successful 16 Days awareness raising campaigns since 2003 in comparison with other SADC countries;

• Majority (95%) of participants across rural, urban and peri-urban areas understood campaign messages and the objectives thereof;

• 94% acknowledged the impact of the campaign on their understanding and attitudes towards gender violence and child abuse.

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IMPACT OF THE CAMPAIGN Cont…

• While awareness raising by the campaign is effective, there is a discouragement for victims to report cases due to perceived lack of justice;

• The penetration of the campaign in rural and peri-urban areas remains comparatively lower due to inadequate awareness raising events in these areas;

• The attitudinal impact on female respondents was categorised as leading to ‘speaking out’, reporting and assisting victims;

• The attitudinal impact on male respondents encouraged them to ‘stop abuse’, getting involved and assisting victims;

• 99% of the respondents emphasised that the campaign should continue to exist.

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IMPACT OF THE CAMPAIGN Cont…

Respondents recommended the following: • Campaign should be continuous with monthly events to illustrate

government’s commitment;• Establish legacy projects (e.g. A centre for abused women and

children);• Use drama and involve schools, youth, churches, and clinics to

spread the word;• Adopt the same zeal and vigour observed in HIV and AIDS

awareness raising and educational campaign;• Focus on tackling some of the causes of abuse (alcohol and drug

abuse, poverty and unemployment);• Campaigns should target rural areas more.

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VISION OF THE 2011 CAMPAIGN

• The campaign seeks to strengthen government’s substantive intention and action in response to GBV, expressed through activities of direct engagement with affected communities (men, women, children and the lesbian); strengthen the development of action plan effected through the 365 Days; as well as launch the sectoral National Council Against Gender-Based Violence;

• The Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities will champion the process with Secretariat support located in her Department.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE 2011 CAMPAIGN

• To strengthen government’s partnerships and collaborations with NGOs and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) - faith-based organizations, traditional leadership and healers for a coordinated response on GBV;

• To strengthen the pillars of the 365 Days National Action Plan – especially the prevention pillar in as far as root causes are concerned;

• To encourage community involvement in initiatives to combat crimes against women and children;

• Communicate government’s substantive programmes and priority actions to deal with the problem of women and child abuse.

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BUILD-UP ACTIVITIES: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities in collaboration with its partners has been involved in the following activities:

• Launch of the Disability Month: 03 November 2011;

• National Children’s Day: 05 November 2011;

• SADC Ministerial Meeting on Gender and Climate Change:

17-18 November 2011;

18 November Boys Dialogue in partnership with the Deputy President and Progressive Men’s International Movement

• UNICEF’s Children’s Focus Group Report launch on Climate Change and its impact on Children: 19 November 2011;

• International Men’s Day: 19 November 2011, Kagiso;18

ACTIVITIES: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

• Media Launch in Cape Town: 24 November 2011;• Opening Ceremony in Gauteng Province: 25 November 2011; • Sod-Turning in Memory of the late Masego Kgomo: 26

November 2011;• Sentencing of the murderer of the late Masego Kgomo at the

Gauteng North High Court: 28 November 2011;• Cop 17: 28 November-09 December 2011;• Climate Change Women and children: 29 November and 06

December 2011;

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ACTIVITIES: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM Cont...

• Mr and Mrs Person Living with HIV: Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape: 30 November 2011;

•  World Aids Day: Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape: 01 December 2011;

• International Day for People with Disabilities: Free State:

3rd December 2011;• The Launch of the Child Friendly Communities in Ugu District

Municipality 7th December KZN • Port St John child friendly cities TBC • Closing Ceremony: 10 December 2011: Mpumalanga

Province.

 

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  PROVINCIAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

• We recommend that decisions on areas targeted for campaign events, programmes and mobilization initiatives should be informed by local gender- and child-related crime trends in each province or area;

• Office of the Premier, in particular OSWs, ORCs and ORDPs should take a lead in obtaining relevant information and liaising with all stakeholders;

• Stakeholders to make decisions around provincial initiatives should include:o Special programmes officials from the relevant departments and

municipalities;o Relevant constituency offices of MP/MPLs;o Traditional leadership (where available and relevant); o Local councillor(s); o Local SAPS management and relevant specialised units; CPFso LGBT and Youth Organisations etc.

 

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  PROVINCIAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES Cont…

 The provincial stakeholder sessions should seek to:

• Understand the nature of the challenge in the specific community;

• Identify main contributing factors;

• Map existing services and programmes and identify gaps;

• Identify key actions needed to reverse the tide of these crimes in the area; and

• Mobilize commitment of all stakeholders to implement a coordinated response.

The outputs of such engagements should form part of reports which will serve as indicators to inform response interventions for the 365 Days of Activism Programme in 2012. These reports will be fed back to the Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities.

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COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

• DWCPD is working together with Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS) to develop the campaign Communication Strategies and their Implementation Plans;

• Among other factors, the Communication Strategy for 2011 will be informed by the recommendations of studies that have been undertaken on the campaign and persistent types of violence that have been happening in 2011 such as “corrective rape” of lesbians and other abuses that women and children suffer;

• The Department and GCIS had both mobilized support/partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), print media institutions and other media partners for the campaign.

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COMMUNICATION STRATEGY cont…

The communication strategy will aim at:•  Encouraging partnerships between government, communities

and other stakeholders;• Mobilizing stakeholder commitment;• Encouraging reporting of cases of abuse;• Profiling response strategies; success stories; and • Highlighting the extent of the challenges and victims’ experiences;

Communication of activities will include direct engagement with affected communities and utilisation of all media to increase awareness about the campaign

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KEY MESSAGES

The following are key messages for the campaign:

  Play your part in making your community safer;

Government and civil society are committed to preventing and eradicating gender based violence;

Government provides services, and support to prevent and eradicate the abuse of women and children.

The key messages will be utilised along the supporting statements

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CAMPAIGN TOOLS• White Ribbon: utilised as a symbol in innovative and inventive

ways to reflect solidarity with abuse victims and commitment to campaign objectives;

• Torch of Peace: The “Torch of Peace” forms a link between the 16 Days of Activism Campaign and other major national campaigns that support the thematic programmes that underpin Government’s national outreach activities. The Torch of Peace will be lit during the media launch at the Union Buildings on the 24th of November 2011;

• Campaign Toolkit: A toolkit was developed for use by all partners, private and public. It outlines methods and elements of participation in the Campaign to ensure effective and appropriate communication.

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CONSOLIDATED 2011 CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME (CALENDER OF EVENTS)

• National, provincial and municipal government Gender Focal Persons (GFPs) will continue to prepare sector-specific, rural- and urban-based activities for the duration of 16 Days as well as for the 365 Days initiatives;

• NGOs, State-Owned Enterprises, business, faith-based organizations and other stakeholders are also requested to submit their programmes for inclusion in the national programme;

• The information will be fed into a national programme which will be posted on the website of the Department for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities (www.wcpd.gov.za );

• The national programme will be consolidated and managed by the Department for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities in partnership with the National Coordinating Committee (NCC).

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CAMPAIGN• In addition to implementing own 16/365 Day programmes,

partners could feature the campaign logo in their internal publications and correspondence, on their websites and in messaging to their clients; and feature it on product adverts and individual advertising campaigns. The logo is obtainable from the DWCPD and the GCIS;

• Corporate donations could augment funding for NGOs and source their white ribbons (beaded, ceramic or lint fabric) from relevant service providers or women’s empowerment groups. DWCPD for database of suppliers (internet).

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CONCLISION• The rights of women and children are fundamental human rights

entrenched in and protected by the Constitution;

• They are thus inalienable from, integral to and indivisible from the human rights framework;

• Violence against women and children in all its different guises is incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person, and efforts (vigilance to prevent; report and support victims) to eliminate them should be responsibility of everyone. Hence, the call to society is “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Proliferation of small arms and their role in domestic violence.”

 

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THANK YOU