VIDEO: Women march to stop gender-based violence
"The government has been silent about the abuse of women and children. We want to tell it we can't take it anymore."
The #TotalShutdown intersectional women’s march against gender-based violence attracted hundreds of women.
They gathered at the old Putco depot in Marabastad on Wednesday to march to The Union Buildings to submit their memorandum of demands.
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Women from various organisations united in songs pleading with men to stop abusing them and children.
Organiser Zimasa Nqabeni said it was high time the government took action against violence against women and children.
“One of our demands is for the president to set up a gender-based violence summit. There is a high rate of femicides and there has been silence from the government. We want to tell them we can’t take it anymore,” Nqabeni said.
Among the demands were that men convicted of crimes against women be barred from holding influential positions, transgender women/non-binary people be recognised and better training of the police.
Nqabeni said South Africa’s failure to record statistics of violence against transgender people amounted to discrimination.
Marcher and mother of three girls Puleng Solo said she supported the march as it gave her a platform to tell abusers to stop it.
“Basically we are saying hands off our children. We are also marching on behalf of women who are victims of gender based violence,” she said.
CEO of Centre for Communication, Bronwyn Pearce said the march excluded men because they were the perpetrators and not serious about helping to address the abuse.
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“They are the very same ones who protect their abusive friends, colleagues, and relatives.”
The marchers are expected to disperse around 14:00.
Watch video:
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