ZAAHIER ADAMS: PROTEAS WOMEN BLOOMING ON THE FIELD

NON-government organisation 1000 Women Trust in partnership with the Ruben Richards Foundation, are currently running an active anti-gender based-violence campaign in the Matzikama and Cederberg municipalities.

The organisations also collaborated with the Department of Social Development to launch the initiative in hopes to engage both elderly men and young boys through a social mobilisation campaign that would work to confront and engage men on how they can actively prevent the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) and rape culture.

1000 Women Trust, founder Tina Thiart said that the organisations had decided to run the project in communities between Matzikama and Cederberg municipalities because they were looking to engage men in various areas as part of their drive to campaign across the country.

She said: “We recently launched a fresh and new initiative in two rural municipalities within the province.

“This is part of our nationwide campaign as we fight South Africa’s second pandemic, gender-based violence. Last week began with rolling out anti-bullying toolkits in schools in several communities of the Matzikama and Cederberg municipalities.”

“We are planning to follow up the toolkits with our #MakeTime-campaign, which focuses on encouraging fathers and parents to pledge time every month to share values with their sons about non-violence, respect and gender equality in their relationship with women and girls.”

“We believe that boys don’t grow into wellrounded men all by themselves.

“Parents and guardians must invest time in sharing values about respect and gender equality with their school-going sons. We need to lead by example if we want better chances at ending GBV,” said Thiart.

Dr Ruben Richards developed a curriculum to deal with gender-based violence but from a male perspective.

Richards said: “The title of the curriculum is masculinity, and the subtitle is called conversations about gender equality.

“My focus is on influencing religious and community leaders as they hold the trust of the community.”

“GBV is destroying the country, and our contribution as a foundation is facilitating restoration and healing.”