Gender activists oppose virginity testing
VIRGINITY testing, a cultural practice embraced by many communities in South Africa, is a controversial subject.
It elicits spirited defence by those who treasure its continuation, but it is also a subject of political contestation.
Lulama Nare, a commissioner of the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), emphasised the importance of balancing the right to practise culture with the right of women and girls to choose whether or not they want to participate in these.
The commission has received complaints from researchers and non-governmental organisations.
But Professor Jabulani Maphalala, with the royal Zulu delegation, challenged Nare, saying: “It would be good for her to go to the virginity testing
[reed dance] …
to see for herself what is done there … and then she can speak.”
Maphalala said the NGOs were paid by foreigners to challenge African culture. “Who is paying those NGOs? NGOs are paid by foreign countries. It is not a secret. And they come here and impose their views. It is known throughout, it doesn’t need any research,” he said.
He also challenged the role of the Gender Commission.
“Now this gender commission that keeps saying [something about] the constitution, we know the constitution and it gives us the right to do our own things.”
Maphalala said as custodians of the tradition, they hadn’t done anything wrong.
At its policy conference in December, the ANC Women’s League called for the abolishing of virginity testing.
Last month it said: “The custom of virginity testing of young girls exposes the girl-child to rape, incest, abuse and sexual violence and must be abolished.”
The statement has angered CRL Rights Commission chairwoman Thoko MkhwanaziXaluva, who sees it as an attack on African culture.
The league’s statement came after the UN High Commission for Human Rights committee on the elimination of discrimination against women reached similar conclusions. It wants South Africa to amend the Children’s Act to prohibit virginity tests on girls – irrespective of their age.
It also wants the country to implement effective education campaigns to combat traditional and family pressures on girls.
The South African constitution upholds the rights of cultural communities to practise their cultures as long as these do not conflict with the Bill of Rights.
Virginity testing has been provided for in the Children’s Act, which contains guidelines on how it should be conducted.
“We thought we had a deal here in South Africa,” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said. “We have our Children ’ s Act and the department of social development permits virginity testing.
“Then come the people from Geneva and government must answer. Government has its back against the wall.
“A policy conference of the women ’ s league is not a playplay thing. It is … [about] where the country is going …” she said.
“If we as cultural communities keep quiet and roll over and play dead, our great-grandchildren will ask us why we kept quiet while things were falling apart.
“Someone needs to say what it is about [virginity testing] that leads to incest … This whole thing is vulgarity, an insult. We need to begin to say ‘ how do we fight back?’.” This special report is a collaboration between CRL Rights Commission and Sowetan Dialogues