Johannesburg - Imagine a Joburg where there is no rape, no physical or emotional abuse, no child exploitation or sexual harassment, a city where children are not afraid to approach their fathers and uncles.
This is the city towards which people should strive, and during the upcoming 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, the City and the rest of the country are calling on all to help stop violence against these vulnerable members of society.
16 Days is an international campaign running each year from 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, through to International Human Rights Day on 10 December, reports Joburg.org.
While internationally it only focuses on violence against women, South Africa added children to its campaign because of the high incidence of child abuse in the country.
The City has a number of anti violence awareness campaigns planned for the 16 days. To start, its public safety department will have HIV and Aids awareness drives.
According to the member of the mayoral committee for public safety, Elgina Ndhlovu, this is in keeping with the call from President Jacob Zuma for 15 million South Africans to be tested.
The department will also raid taverns and shebeens that sell liquor to children under the age of 18, and educate people about human trafficking and first aid. They will support a march against gender violence by residents of Matholeville.
Up north in Ivory Park, Region A's human development unit will host an older person's workshop on 26 November at Ivory Park North Hall. "At the workshop we will be talking to elders about issues relating to abuse against elderly persons and other things that are of importance to the elders," said the assistant director of the unit, Yvonne Phogole.
On 29 November, there will be a workshop for people with disabilities at Diepsloot Youth Centre. It will focus on job opportunities for people with disabilities in City departments and municipal-owned entities. The training will start at 10am.
A meeting to raise awareness of human rights and domestic violence will be held at the Sandspur Ethnogeny Centre in Region C on 25 November.
On 2 December, there will be training on human trafficking at the Rand Leases Community CrSche. Another workshop on human rights and domestic violence will at Durban Deep Hall on 7 December.
In Region D, a march against women abuse will take place from Zola Clinic to Naledi Police Station. The protest will be to submit a memorandum to the police about all the unsafe places in the area.
On 29 November, the human development unit in Region E will host an event that puts the spotlight on gender violence, at the Alexandra Disability Movement premises on Ninth Road in Alex.
The day's agenda will focus on gender violence in relation to men living with disabilities and the relevance of HIV and Aids in abusive relationships, according to the project facilitator, Busiswe Nkosi. Activities will start at 10am.
In Region F, an awareness campaign will be held at the Cleveland Police Station on 26 November. The campaign will be to teach people about human rights and to raise awareness about the relationship between gender violence and HIV and Aids.
The aim of the day's activities is to make men and all perpetrators of violence and abuse aware that such abuses had a negative effect on the whole of society. On 30 November, the campaign will move to Eikenhof informal settlement, at a venue still to be announced.
Information and resources on gender violence will be available in Lenasia at Signat Terrace on 26 November. Then, on 1 December, Region G's human development unit will host a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and HIV and Aids. It will be held at Don Maitman Hall in Eldorado Park.
A community dialogue for men and their partners on ways to prevent violence will be held at Don Maitman Hall on 3 December.
For more information about the various activities in the different regions, call:
* Region A - 011 203 3650
* Region B - 011 718 9665
* Region C - 011 761 0149
* Region D - 082 559 3767
* Region E - 011 582 1547
* Region F - 011 376 8533
* Region G - 011 855 2079
