Chairperson, the painful time of the year has arrived yet again when we all appear to focus our energies on one of the worst scourges in our society, which is violence against women and children. This is the commencement of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children. We will all talk the talk and attempt to walk the walk. The media will feed us stories of all forms of abuse against these vulnerable groups. At the end of the 16 days decision-makers will make new promises and pledges, and we shall then all go back to living the other 349 days in a patriarchal system that just refuses to protect its women and children.
During the 16 days most of our men will make politically correct statements condemning violence against women and children, and then they will go back to their homes, churches and work places and continue to entrench patriarchal values. Sad indeed!
A few lucky women, extremely few in fact, will go on in oblivion of the extent of the violence against women. But the majority will go on to live the 349 days in absolute fear - fear of being raped by someone close to them or by a stranger they have never seen; fear of being killed; fear of bringing children into a world where they cannot protect them; fear of the violence and abuse they face every day from intimate partners; and fear of being made to feel inferior at home, in church and at their workplace.
It is a sad scenario when research points out that one in four women is raped in South Africa, yet only one in 25 rapes will be reported to the police, and the conviction rate in these cases remains disappointingly low.
One columnist wrote that it is difficult to have the freedom to choose when you do not have freedom from systematic advantage. It is difficult to have the freedom to act when you don't have freedom from violence. It is difficult to have freedom to speak your mind when you don't have freedom from stigma, shame and social suspicion.
So, while we have beautifully written rights on perfectly prepared parchment, these are the reasons why women are not free.
The irony of the world we live in is that we all want the same things. I believe that victims and perpetrators, deep within their human souls, want the same things. We all want to be safe in our streets and we all want to be carefree.
I therefore urge all of us here, men and women, to make it an individual commitment, one person at a time, one day at time, one family at a time, to work to achieve a society where mothers can take their daughters to school knowing they will be safe on the road; where children witness no violence between their parents; where it is safe to send children out to play, with no fear; where nurses never have to treat children that have been raped; and where our girls can wear what they want to without thinking that they are inviting rape.
I believe it is achievable if we can commit ourselves to this for 365 days a year, instead of 16 days. Motlotlegi Modulasetilo, ga go na selo se se botlhoko mo botshelong jwa rona jaaka go bona motho wa mme a sotlwa ke rre. Bana ba rona ba sia malapa a bona ka ntlha ya matshelo a go sotliwa. Ke a leboga. [Nako e fedile.] [Legofi.] (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[Hon Chairperson, there is nothing more painful in life than seeing a man abusing a woman. Our children leave their homes as a result of abuse. Thank you.] [Time expired.] [Applause.]