Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka believes one of the ways to fight gender-based violence is to allow the boy child to embrace their femininity and do away with social norms that make men feel that doing such is a sign of weakness. She was speaking at the annual Uyinene Mrwetyana Lecture, at Makhanda in the Eastern Cape.
The commemorative lecture was established in 2019 to celebrate Uyinene, with the aim of empowering young people to stand against gender-based violence.
It has been five years since Uyinene Mrwetyana passed away but her legacy lives on. A legacy that is founded on ensuring boys and girls play their part against the scourge of gender-based violence.
Main speaker at this year’s event, Gcaleka made a call to parents to be intentional about removing the gender tags even at home and allow their children to be ethical human beings before anything else.
“I’m so happy that the Uyinene Foundation is putting the boy child in the forefront in fighting GBV. But also, as parents we need to do better in how we raise our kids, especially the boy child. We need to teach them that is okay to cry, to embrace your femininity, be in touch with their emotions. With the girls, we need to teach them they can embrace their masculinity without losing their feminine touch. All in all, we need to raise children that see a human being before a gender, because when you do that, you will treat people better.”
Uyinene’s mother, Nomangwane Mrwetyana, says it still feels like yesterday but as a family they find strength in honouring her in events like these.
“Days like today are where we draw our strength as a family, where we are seeing Uyinene being remembered for who she was. We can see her legacy lives on and that is really comforting for us and everyone who has been sending messages of support for the family and the country as a whole that’s really helping us to move on.”
Kingswood College pupils, where the lecture was held and Uyinene’s former school, says they have taken lessons from the lecture about gender-based violence.
“What really stood out for me is the antagonistic relationship between masculinity and femininity and how ethics can be a solution towards addressing gender-based violence.”
Another learner, “What really stood out was the idea that we must raise our kids to be people and not necessarily boys and girls and that we need masculinity and femininity to co-exist.”
Advocate Gcaleka also urged teachers to encourage their pupils to treat each other with respect. Report by Sinethemba Witi
