Women march for change as GBV fight continues
Organisers took their message to some of Fourways’ busiest roads, but one question stood out, and it was directed at the men watching from the sidelines.
“It’s very quick to say, ‘Not all men’, but where are you when times like this are happening?”
This is the question Kiara Theobald wants men to ask themselves as communities continue to grapple with gender-based violence (GBV).
Theobald, who organised an anti-GBV march recently in Fourways alongside Mia Abrahamson, said challenging abuse meant looking beyond social media posts and confronting behaviour that often goes unchecked among friends.
Read more: Awareness raised about GBV
She questioned why some men remained silent when they heard inappropriate jokes or when someone they knew was accused of harming a woman. “You need to start actually holding each other accountable and not feeling that women are inferior to you,” she said. “We’re not. We are all equal in this world.”
For Theobald, that accountability is part of building communities where women feel safe, supported and empowered to speak out. She said the march was intended to bring women together, regardless of the areas they came from, and remind them that they did not have to face the struggle alone.
Also read: Douglasdale police station holds GBV programme
“It’s very easy to post something on social media, but not to take action,” she said. “We’re all about taking action now because it’s time for a change, and this is a step forward to that change, hopefully.”
The decision to march along Witkoppen Road and Winnie Mandela Drive was deliberate. The organisers wanted the message to reach people beyond those who had gathered to participate. The approximately 5km route was chosen because of the roads’ high traffic volumes, allowing motorists and other members of the public to see the demonstration.
“That’s the best way to gain more attention for what you’re trying to achieve,” Theobald said, explaining why the organisers chose a public march over a dialogue or social media event.
Participant Bongani Nkosi said he joined the march to show support for women because they are mostly the victims. “Even during those casual conversations we have as majita [gents], we need to talk about these issues. We need to hold each other accountable and challenge one another when something is wrong, instead of keeping quiet.”
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