Why does Dirco censure only Israel, not the many countries where gender abuse is the norm?

AN OPEN letter to the Minister and Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco)

What kind of a message are Dirco and its minister and deputy minister – both women – sending to South Africans during these 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children?

The issue of gender-based violence has been an ongoing debate, but the incidents seems to be on the increase.

Hardly a day passes that we don’t hear about women and children being the victims of violence, rape and murder. Despite the ongoing debate at the highest level of government, South Africa remains one of the most violent countries in the world.

Dirco and the South African government, however, continue to maintain warm relations with the worst human rights abusers and gender-based violence countries.

The government should be sending out the positive message that it will not condone or continue to maintain diplomatic relations with these human rights abuser countries. Countries where women don’t enjoy the very basic human rights, where gender violence forms part of the culture of many of the

Arab and African countries.

Restrictions on women attending football matches, restrictions on women driving a motor car. Restrictions on women venturing out of the house without a male escort. Forced marriage for young girl.

Countries where hatred of Jews forms part of the education curriculum. Where apartheid practices abound in most Arab countries and hardly a Jew is permitted to live or even visit.

In the face of such abuse of women and children, the South African government chooses to censure only one country – Israel, where gender-based violence is almost unheard of, where all citizens regardless of colour creed or faith enjoy equal rights, where general elections are held every four years, and where any citizen can stand for political office, attend political meetings and rallies and is free to hold civil protests at any time.

But it’s with this country that South Africa chooses to downgrade its diplomatic relations, yet it warms up to those despotic countries whose human rights abuses and gender abuses are the norm.

Is this the message that Dirco sends out during these 16 Days of Activism? ALLAN WOLMAN | Israel