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Gender violence: 16 days' awareness not enough

9 Jan 2012

On the 20th anniversary of the global 16 Days of Activism campaign on gender violence, Shuvai Nyoni Kagoro of Gender Links asks whether "the millions of dollars spent in cash and human time" have significantly reduced the violence women and other marginalised groups face "because of their gender", Sunday World repots.

She concludes that a constant cycle of planning, implementation, and measuring to assess progress and devise new strategies is needed. "This campaign lasts for just over two weeks," Kagoro told Sunday World "One might ask if this is enough to conscientise the nation. Do we only raise awareness on domestic violence for the duration of the campaign?"

According to Sunday World, a study by Gauteng Gender Links and the Medical Research Council last year indicated that the level of violence against women and children is on the increase. The study states that more than 50% of women in the province have experienced some form of abuse. Such statistics are worrisome, and one cannot help but wonder what leads to the escalation of gender-based violence, Kagoro says. Sixteen days are not enough to address domestic violence and factors that are related to the issue. "We need to recognise and respect the rights of vulnerable groups."

Read the full article on www.sundayworld.co.za.
For more information, go to www.genderlinks.org.za.