President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced an emergency action plan to address gender-based violence in the country.
Ramaphosa was addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Province on steps the government is taking in response to the scourge of gender-based violence
The president also said additional funding has been allocated to fight gender-based violence.
Here are Ramaphosa’s top 10 quotes from his address on Thursday.
- “Women should not have to protect themselves from men. They should feel safe and secure with us as men.”
- ‘We will make substantial additional funding available for a comprehensive package of interventions to make an immediate and lasting difference.”
- “Given the urgency of the situation, we have developed an Emergency Action Plan, which will be implemented over the next six months.”
- “This emergency action plan will be driven by an Interim Steering Committee located in the Presidency and co-chaired by government and civil society organizations.”
- “In implementing our prevention measures, we must recognize that violence against women is not a problem of women. It is a problem of men.”
- “Our young men and boys are daily exposed to patriarchal attitudes and practices, and are often encouraged to prove their masculinity through domination and violence.”
- “A focus will be on men’s groups and formations, youth at risk and offenders inside prisons. This must be matched with prevention education in schools. Women’s rights and gender power relations will be part of Life Orientation in the school curriculum.”
- “As part of this campaign, we are going to provide gender sensitivity training to law-enforcement officials, prosecutors, magistrates, and policymakers & ensure that those who are found in breach of their responsibilities in this regard are held to account.”
- “Funding has already been approved for the establishment of an additional eleven Sexual Offences courts over the next financial year.”
- “We will propose to Parliament the necessary legislative changes to ensure that all crimes against women and children attract harsher minimum sentences.”
In other news – Lillian Dube – I’m grateful for my cancer
It’s hard to see the good in a bad situation, like cancer for example. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining! And that’s the attitude actress Lillian Dube has adopted after battling breast cancer.
Known for her memorable role as Sister Bettina in TV series Soul City, Lillian underwent surgery and chemotherapy after she was diagnosed in 2008. continue reading
Source: eNCA