On Thursday the 16 Days of Action Against Violence campaign was launched. The campaign aims at raising awareness about violence against women and children. This year the campaign takes its action into cyberspace.
The campaign is needed, especially in South Africa where gender-based violence and violence against children is at one of the highest levels in the world.
Every six days a woman is killed by her partner. Rape levels are ever increasing; the Law Reform Commission estimates the amount of rape cases at 1,7-million a year.
Through a project called Cyber Dialogues the public will be able to debate gender-based violence related issues online and make their voices heard.
This is done through a daily chat session. Prior to each internet discussion there will be a live debate at the City of Johannesburg. The Cyber Dialogues project was launched on Wednesday.
“We knew that a lot of interested people would be occupied today and decided to launch the project a day prior to the campaign,” Melanie Knight, communications officer of the National Network on Violence Against Women told Mail & Guardian Online.
That was not a bad idea because the live debate on Thursday was only attended by five members of the public. Three members of the panel were not present.
“Every day a different Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) organises the debate and the Gender Advocacy Programme could not get all the members here in time from Cape Town,” Knight explains.
“But it does not matter because members of the public from all over South Africa will have the chance to join us during the chat-session.”
To realise this, there are 80 different places nationwide where the internet can be accessed. People who don’t know how to use the internet will be assisted.
“The intention is that communities will have a discussion on the theme of that day and will bring the outcome to the chatroom,” said Deputy Director of Gender Links Kubi Rama.
Gender Links is the main organising NGO and would like to see decision-makers as members of the panel for the discussions. These people will also play a central role in the chat sessions.
“Thus people and communities can have direct communication with the government,” Rama said.
Chat
Thursday’s live debate, with five participants, was not a real success.
It boiled down to a discussion on issues like should abused women take refuge in a shelter; or should an abusive man be removed from the home; should there be focus on economic empowerment; or is emotional empowerment of women more important?
The online chat session, which takes place after the live debate, was supposed to focus on five set questions, but with about 45 people participating, the discussion became unfocused and chaotic.
“It is not important that we have an organised discussion on the internet,” Knight said. “What is most important is that issues around gender-based and child-directed violence are addressed.”
Issues addressed by the public were: the role of traditional leaders, empowerment and the influence of alcohol on violence. And there was the occasional true story told by women who were the victims of abuse or have witnessed it.
Empowerment
Apart from opening the debate and creating direct communication, Cyber Dialogues wants to empower citizens and, especially women, in the use of information and communication technologies.
“Internet is a very powerful tool and it is about time that women claim their space,” Rama said.
Gender Links is not afraid that this project will divert the attention from the true goal of the 16 Days campaign, namely raising awareness for violence against women and children.
“This is all about gender justice. We cannot keep separating the issues. The themes around which the dialogues will be constructed are all related to the issues that are important in the 16 Days campaign.
“The medium through which these dialogues are taking place is new. It is a chance for women, especially in rural areas, to get acquainted with information and communication technology,” added Rama.
The Cyber Dialogues project is a pilot. After the 16 Days campaign the 80 access points will be dismantled.
“We were very lucky to get so much sponsoring this time so we could realise this and if this pilot is a success we might start to lobby for a more permanent project.”
16 Days
The 16 days of activism campaign 2004 has the theme: Unite against women and child abuse.
The world wide campaign is initiated by the United Nations and runs from 25 November (International Day of No Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).
The campaign aims at raising awareness and hopes to bring about a change of behaviour. Activities, workshops and events are organised on a national and local level and are directed at men, women, police, aid workers, politicians and the general public.
You can join the chat session every day between 1pm and 2pm on www.cyberdialogues.co.za