Walking to end gender violence

THE Chrysalis Youth Academy and Western Cape on Wellness this weekend participated in a walk against gender-based violence. The walk took place at the Green Point Lighthouse.

Aim of the event – attended by Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz and Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez – was to raise awareness about femicide in South Africa and remember those who were harmed or killed in the country with white ribbons handed out on the walk.

“This powerful walk demonstrated both the resilience and strength of the women in our society and the life-changing work that Chrysalis Youth Academy does to uplift our youth,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez said the Department of Social Development was committed to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

“I’m incredibly proud of Chrysalis Youth Academy and I wish to commend them for raising their voices and saying that #EnoughIsEnough,” she said.

“We need the whole of society to come together to ultimately address gender-based violence. Our nation has the legislation and institutions to support the empowerment of women, promote gender equality and oppose oppression and all forms of violence against females, yet horrific acts of violence continue to be experienced by women on a daily basis.”

Chrysalis Academy is a Western Cape initiative that was set up in 2000 as a youth development academy that focuses on youth empowerment and development, and runs three-month residential programmes for young people in the province from the ages of 18 to 25.