Taking a collective action against gender based violence and women abuse

As we are approaching the sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence, it is important to remember that this year alone, we witnessed many gruesome cases of women who were mostly young and promising, killed in the hands of people they thought were their lovers. Others died in the hands of strange men they met in unsuspecting places and others died right in their homes. Whatever the circumstances, no one deserves to die in the hands of anyone and no woman deserves to die in the hands of a man.

Society is incorrectly mobilised to pay attention to issues of women during women’s month and thereafter we carry on, the same has happened to the question of gender-based violence and women abuse. We only talk about it when there is a case and once we bury the deceased, the public debates cease. We also only talk about it with commitment during the sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence only to stop when the calendar period lapses.

The first thing we need to emphasise on is that, we need a change of mind set and a reawakening among our people to stop treating issues of women, gender-based violence and women abuse as periodic events that come and go, we need to start taking them as mainstream issues that must be attended to all the time.

There is need for all activists, political and civic organisations to change their approach on this disgusting burden that weighs heavily on society. Our advocacy work in this field must reach new heights where our communities are organised to be the first line of defence for our women and children.

Every community must derive means to make it safe for its women, this can only be done with active participation of all stakeholders of each community, we must encourage community meetings where our people meet to discuss safety for all, more especially women and children.
The other thing we need to discuss openly in fighting against gender-based violence is sexuality and the patriarchal conceptualisation of beauty. These discussions must take place on social networks, radio, church, schools, clubs, community meetings and forums.

Every space where people meet must have time to discuss how gender relations affect it and what people can do to foster gender equality and women emancipation. Discussions on sexuality must not be a taboo disguised under outdated backwards traditions.

Most women and children who are sexually abused find it difficult to speak out and seek help because of the resentment they face should they do so, the grave choice becomes a painful non-option of keeping quite without seeking help because of the heavy stigma they risk facing should they cry for help.

What remains visibly clear is that we can’t carry on like this. The status quo must change, this is not a time for events and sloganeering about gender-based violence and women abuse, it’s a time for all of us to make a commitment that we have buried enough women already and now we say no more!
Society must rise against norms and traditions that subjugate women. Our cultures must evolve to capture the imagination of the future we want, that future has a confident woman who is not denied opportunities, sexually abused and violated or even disrespected for only being a woman.

Patriarchy must be dismantled at all levels and yes, gender relations are power relations. Traditional leaders must play a role in doing this, our cultures have become havens that preserve and reproduce male domination.

A debate on the evolution of our traditions is necessary, those traditions that oppress women and promote male domination and chauvinism, we must unapologetically get rid of.

All the transformation we want, we will continue to demand even beyond the sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence which comes up later this month, because to us, the struggle for women emancipation is not staged, it’s a lifestyle!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of Pride News.