Gender links promotes gender justice

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Monday January 17, 2011 00:00

 

Briefing the media on Friday in Gaborone, Gender Links Coordinator, Keabonye Ntsabane, said that the second national summit will be held between March 28 and 30 under the banner of '365 days of local action to end gender violence: half gender violence by 2015'.

She said the summit will bring together local government councillors and officials, relevant government ministries, non-governmental organisations and other groups that may be working with the local government authorities from the district.

'The summit is calling for councils and stakeholders who have and are doing exceptional work on the ground concerning these issues,' she said. She said that candidates would have to show good practice towards the ending of gender violence in order to win an award.

This work would have to be in the form of photos, newspaper articles, CDs and DVDs.  She said that candidates can submit for any or more of the five categories that are aimed at addressing gender violence. 

'These are prevention of gender based violence at a local level, 16 days campaigns including cyber dialogues during the 16 days, response to gender based violence at local level, support around gender based violence at local level and lastly empowerment of women,' she said.   

For prevention, councils and other institutions have to show strategic and innovative communication campaigns and initiatives that ensure that gender based violence does not occur.  For response, candidates have to show what they do to advance legal literacy or work with local police for the benefit of the victims.  Ntsabane said that application forms can be submitted online, posted, faxed or hand delivered at their office in Gaborone. 

She revealed that other countries that are expected to participate are Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She said that the first summit and awards were held in Johannesburg last year in March where five women and four men from Botswana won.

'The summit featured 103 entries from 10 countries in a variety of categories including prevention, response, support, individual innovation, institutional good practices, specific gender based violence campaigns and innovative communication strategies,' she said.  She also indicated that the summit brought together journalists, local government authorities, municipalities, non-governmental organisations and many other stakeholders.  Last year, Gender Links, in association with Botswana Association of Local Authorities (BALA), held workshops with different councils to sensitise and teach them about issues of gender-based violence.

Ludo Matshameko, a project manager at BALA, said that often issues are discussed at national level, leaving out local authorities even though they are the very people on the ground who witness issues on a daily basis.  'So we found it important for us to educate them on the importance of their involvement in these issues,' she said. 

She said that even though there is reluctance and resistance from councillors who felt their cultures were questioned, they finally appreciated the importance of their involvement in the fight against gender based violence.  'These are the first people to be contacted on other issues in communities and they should also be involved in this one.  Their voices need to be heard,' she said.