Chair, hon members, the UDM supports the idea of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. What we need to do now is to change the focus from the past preoccupation with how many women are represented where; the key now must be to move beyond numbers.
In the UDM pledge to mark the 16-days campaign, we said, amongst other things, that we recognise that violence against women and children is not only widespread, but also under-reported, poorly policed and that only a small percentage of it is ever successfully prosecuted. We recognise that violence against women and children reflects the deep seated misogyny that still pervades many areas of our society.
As individuals and as an organisation, we pledge to pursue the education and awareness of gender equality amongst adults and the next generation. We recognise that the biggest obstacle is the culture of silence that surrounds the abuse of women and children. We, therefore, pledge, as individuals and as an organisation, to speak out whenever and wherever we encounter the scourge.
Lastly, I hope and wish that one of the ANC caucuses received from the UDM caucus a manifesto of our preparedness to fight ruthlessly against violence against women and children. I thank you.