Deputy Speaker, if we have to teach world peace and wage a war against violence and abuse, we would have to begin with the women and children. We have to broaden the potential impact of the campaign. The government, business and civil society must play an integral role. The Medical Research Council in 2009 pointed out that legal and illegal guns are still widely used to threaten and kill. Guns play a major role in violence and homicide.
In the light of this, it is absolutely imperative that in incidents of domestic violence, police officials deliver on the responsibilities to confiscate firearms which have been used to threaten and harm women and children.
The rights of women and children are fundamental rights. They experience challenges and difficulties in every facet of life. They live under inhumane circumstances. More funding undoubtedly must be directed to organisations that protect the wellbeing of our women and children. Sexual offences against children under 18 years increase by 2,6% and 18,7% of social contact crimes committed against women are sexual offences.
The MF hereby commends that we must commit ourselves to intensify the campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children, not only for 16 days, but for the entire year if we have to honour our women and children of this beautiful land. I am reminded of the beautiful Chinese proverb that: If a man is at peace with himself, then he is at peace with his family, and if his family is at peace with one another, then the neighbours, villages, towns, cities, provinces, country and the world will be at peace.
I thank you. [Applause.]