Today Sistas, sex and politics are joining the rest of the world in the fight against gender based violence. Today is the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence and the theme this year is ‘From Peace in the Home to peace in the World: Make education safe for all. As the group coming from different backgrounds, we noted that in commemorating this day, we have something in common, the injustices that we want to be addressed are almost similar. Today we are continuing to say no to violence against women. Women are still violated and made trophies in war zone countries, they are abducted every single day with nowhere to go and they face the wraths of civil unrest. We are saying no to the women who are raped during wars to satisfy the egos of cruel regimes. We are saying no to using women for revenge in politically volatile areas. We are joining the rest of the world in addressing issues of domestic violence. We are putting an end to the notion that ‘because I am a girl/woman’ is a reason for the inequalities that women face. The harmful aspects of partriachy need to be replaced with system that empower women and realise them as equal members of the society. As we are starting the 16 Days of Activism we have had enough about girls who are given away as child brides and women who are forced into marriage and we shall not remain silent. Give them books and not husbands, treat them respectfully as equal members of the society and give them the dignity they deserve. We need a change in perspective and a change in attitude. This is the time. Let’s end gender based violence now.
This year’s theme is an eye opener of some of the neglected forms of violence faced by women and girls. Girls rights are violated when they cannot go to school because of lack of sanitary wear, their self-esteem is knocked down because of the insecurities they face due to unavailability of easy access to disposable towels and places to dispose. Education in this regard becomes unsafe for them. Students in tertiary institutions face repeated cases of sexual harassments every day in order to obtain a certificate. This has led to the degrees being sexually transmitted. Not only is this a violation of women’s rights, but it poses an unsafe environment which leads to insecurity and also this affects the contribution of women to the broader contexts of a country’s Gross Domestic Product. Now is the time to act.
By Donna Nyadete
Sistas, Sex and Politics 