SAHRC Committed to 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children

In furthering its constitutional mandate to protect, promote and monitor the observance of women’s and children’s rights as set out in the Bill of Rights, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or ‘Commission’) will be hosting and participating in numerous activities, across all nine of its Provincial Offices as well as its National Head Office.

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, runs from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women which is on the 25th November through to International Human Rights Day on the 10th December.

A number of these events are collaborative efforts between the Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), other Chapter 9 Institutions, civil society, media and state bodies; highlighting the important fact that the protection of women and children’s rights against violence and the realisation of their human rights, is a collaborative effort of all levels of South African society.

Staff based in the Commission’s KwaZulu- Natal Provincial Office will be participating in a march against gender based violence on 07 December 2017, whilst the Gauteng Provincial Office will be engaging in a Men’s Dialogue in collaboration with the Office of the Public Protector, at Zonderwater Prison on 05 December 2017. Other highlighted events during this period include a dialogue in Athlone, Cape Town, hosted by the Western Cape Provincial Office of the SAHRC, in collaboration with the National Prosecutions Authority (NPA), on 01 December; whilst the Commission’s Mpumalanga Office will be collaborating with the CGE in conducting a workshop for women in tribal authorities on 30 November 2017.

The Commission has continuously expressed its deep concern with incidents of violence against women and children and takes regular action in terms of its constitutional mandate in intervening in incidents of violence and human rights violations against this vulnerable group. Most recently, the Commission in conjunction with its sister Chapter 9 Institution � the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) � offered their joint assistance to the Department of Education in Gauteng in dealing with the case of 87 children who were molested, sexually harassed or otherwise sexually assaulted by a 57-year-old school patroller at AB Xuma Primary School in Soweto.

For a comprehensive list of events please refer to the attached programme outlining events during this period.

Source: Government of South Africa