Combined efforts end Women’s Month on a positive note

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In Boksburg, National Women’s Month saw a number of organisations, including government departments, such as the police, organising events aimed at raising awareness about violence and abuse against women and children – while also encouraging citizens to break the silence and report any form of abuse meted out against women and children, as well as men.

Led by the Reiger Park Crisis Centre and the Reiger Park SAPS, on August 4, residents of Reiger Park and Ramaphosa took to the streets to march against the scourge of continuous gender-based violence affecting their communities.

In Dawn Park, on August 11, the Dawn Park SAPS, in partnership with the CPF, patrollers, LoveLife, Falcon College and community members took to the streets to raise awareness against abuse.

The peaceful march started from the Dawn Park police station and ended at the Family and Worship Church where different speakers spoke against the ill-treatment of women and children.

To celebrate National Women’s Month, other events were also held in Boksburg. These include the 2017 Women in Leadership Conference, which took place at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, on August 8.

Prior to this, a ground-breaking research report on gender based violence in Ekurhuleni was unveiled on August 1, at the OR Tambo Precinct, in Watville, to mark the National Women’s Month.

To mark the last day of the National Women’s Month, the African National Congress called for a sustained campaign to protect women and children.

“In our efforts to eliminate any form of violence against women and children, this heightened campaign must not only be limited to August, but must be a year-long campaign.

“Such commitment and dedication should be carried out 365 days of a year until we collectively defeat the demon of patriarchy and gender stereotypes,” said the ANC in a statement.

“As we close the month of August, we would like to thank the law enforcement agencies for their most important role in dealing with whoever is a perpetrator of any form of violence against women and children and their efforts in protecting the victims.

“However, government and the police alone will not succeed in dealing with such crimes,” said the ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa in the statement.

Kodwa said the ANC reiterate the directive of the national executive committee meeting, held in May 2017, that the organisation should redouble its efforts and affirm the freedom of women and engage in campaigns that involve communities in the prevention of any form of violence against women and children.

“Working together, as communities, we can ensure that women and children are not exposed to any form of harassment and discrimination. We call for harsher sentences against perpetrators of any form of violence against women and children,” concluded Kodwa. -@FanieFLK