The 16 Days of Activism campaign was launched locally after a march to bring an awareness about the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) which remains the most widespread and pervasive human rights violations worldwide, affecting more than an estimated one in three women, a figure that has remained largely unchanged over the last decade.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until December 10, Human Rights Day.

The campaign was started by activists at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership Institution in 1991.

Organiser of the event Ms Trudy Xhala-Mavimbela, co-ordinator in partnership with the pastoral organisation and traditional leadership started with a march and ended in front of the municipal offices when the executive mayor addresses.

She said the aim was to create awareness and mobilise to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.

In her address the Executive Mayor of Emalahleni Clr Connie Nkalitshana said the event was commemorated all over the country in order to stop the violence against women and girls.

She called upon parents to teach boys to treat girls with dignity.

“Lets start by teaching our children love at home, we need to set a good example. We need to protect women and children 365 days, not only during the 16 days. It is our duty to do that to protect women and children against rapes, abuse, assault and any violence. Time for marches is over, we need to take actions. We need to meet with the court manager and public prosecutor to find out about the statues of the previously cases and told them about our displeasure in some of the cases. We need to make stand and send a strong message. We need to live in a safe city and a meeting need to be set within the ten days and if the needs be, we will approach the Minister of Justice,” said the mayor.

The mayor also called on women to stand on their own and not to rely on their partners for everything and urged them to unite and support each other.

She added to say that the municipality will look into the issue of unemployment, especially women and will come with a plan to help some of them.

She pointed out that the women need to pull together as a unit and stop bullying, abuse and GBV.

Mr Nkululeko Khanyi, a motivational speaker and suicide survivor twice, and depression survivor urged men to stop gender-based violence and to play the role of being protectors.

He said there is a need to find the root cause of violence by men towards women and children.

Other key commemorative days during this period include World Aids Day on December 1 and the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 3 of every year.

The theme for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign for 2022 is: “Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment to build Women’s Resilience against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: Connect, Collaborate, Contract”.

Messages of support were received from other organisations and the traditional authority said they are behind and in support of the event.

Later the executive mayor lighted a candle of hope.

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