House Chair, hon members, and ladies and gentlemen, it gives me pleasure to stand before you today to discuss the elimination of violence against women and children. The ANC has always advanced the philosophy of women's rights as human rights. This progressive and human approach has also been incorporated in our Constitution.
The ANC recognises that legislation is not the only strategy that should be used to empower women in our struggle for gender equality and against gender-based violence. However, it is important that existing legislation is used whilst ongoing attempts are made to plug whatever gaps may exist in it.
In February 1994 the ANC approved the Women's Charter for Effective Equality. Through this critical milestone the ANC reiterated its historic commitment to realising equality as envisaged in its aspiration to a nonsexist South Africa. The ANC said the following, among other things, about the principles that should underpin legislation and the administration of justice to empower women against gender-based violence:
At all times the law, and its application, interpretation, adjudication and enforcement, shall promote and ensure the practical realisation of equality for women. ...
Positive and practical measures shall be taken to ensure equality for women complainants in the criminal justice system ...
There shall be educational programmes to address gender bias and stereotypes and to promote equality for women in the legal system.
The legislation to address violence against women should aim at addressing violence comprehensively and multidimensionally. In this regard, the United Nations General Assembly urges members to do the following: revise their laws to ensure that all acts of violence against women are prohibited; revise their criminal procedures to ensure that primary responsibility for initiating prosecution lies with the authorities; ensure that acts of violence are responded to and that police procedures take into account the need for the safety of the victim; and adopt measures to protect the safety of victims and witnesses before, during and after criminal proceedings.
As a country, we do not have a scarcity of laws. Our challenge is that we are sometimes overwhelmed by these laws. We have little or no knowledge of their existence and therefore we may fail to insist on seeing them implemented. That is where it becomes important to join networks where we can empower one another and conduct joint advocacy.
Examples of laws that we can invoke include: the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, Act 120 of 1998; Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, Act 4 of 2000; Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, Act 32 of 2007; and the recently gazetted Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, which is currently being discussed.
Perhaps the most pertinent tool in our hands is a strategy for mainstreaming issues of gender, disability, children and youth rights for governance, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in government. This strategy is expressed in a policy called South Africa's National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality. The policy includes the focus area of reducing inequality faced by women based on sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, class and urban-rural geography. It also includes a focus area on eliminating the barriers that limit women's full participation in society and the economy as equals.
In conclusion, House Chair, as a country we have made significant strides in the area of enacting legislation which will bring us ever so close to the aspirations of the Freedom Charter, which promised a society where there would be peace, security and comfort for all. We need to step up our campaigns to ensure that the benefits of these laws are enjoyed by those for whom the laws are intended.
However, there are significant gaps in the legal framework. Also, too many perpetrators are not held accountable, and still too many others destroy women's and children's lives with impunity. Furthermore, sometimes women are revictimised through the legal system. The ANC says that we can do more to improve quality of the lives of women, children and people with disabilities.
I wish to make a call on us as men that we, as the men of this country, should stand firm and resolute in word and deed in saying that gender inequality, and the abuse of women and children, cannot be done in our name. [Applause.] That will portray South African men as humane, nurturing to children, and progressive. We should be custodians of ubuntu. Our children must grow up with father figures who will set an example. I thank you. Amandla! [Power to the people.][Applause.]