Religious leaders, government representatives and community members gathered at Thembalethu in George in the Western Cape to sign a pledge against Gender-Based Violence.
The men also held a conference about social ills that lead to GBV and the roles they can play to address it.
An actual Men’s Conference to deal with Gender-Based Violence. The logic is that men must be targeted because they are the perpetrators. Event organiser, Mzoxolo Panduva, says that the focus was on the role men in stamping out violence against women and children.
“So this year we said we’re going to go to our women and make sure we do a pledge to them to say not in our time there will be no women and children crying while we’re still existing as a man.”
Attention was also given to social issues that often lead to violence. Thando Adonis from the organisation SAHARA, which stands for Smoking Alcohol Harms Alleviation and Rehabilitation Association, says alcohol and substance abuse tops the list of major concerns.
“You cannot divorce alcohol from gender-based violence. When people drink too much they indulge in GBV. As Sahara, we want to ensure that our communities do not drink, rather we enforce that people drink differently, in a responsible manner so that people do not engage themselves in GBV.”
Religious groups have also been lobbied to play an active part in addressing Gender-Based Violence. Reverend Luthando Gxowa from the Thembalethu Ministers Fraternal says religious institutions should not only comfort victims but also steer perpetrators onto the right path.
“It’s not only the word of God we need to preach, but the social issues that are affecting our people. Hence, the church has got a big role to play, making sure churches are not quiet, they raise their voice so we know we’ve got a role to play in terms of preventing GBV.”
The men have pledged to stop the cycle of abuse. They’ll educate peers and the younger generation on acceptable behaviour, and will have conversations with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours on changing their abusive ways.
