Africa-Press – Mozambique. Gender based violence and femicide can hinder progress in the community because when women are not safe then development is threatened, hence it is important that it is suppressed.
Speaking during a campaign held in Manzini in the past week, Senior Deputy National Commissioner of Police – Emmanuel Sula Dlamini condemned the senseless and brutal killings that have been witnessed in the country.
This was when the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) launched a nationwide campaign aimed at creating awareness around the issues of gender based violence and femicide (GBVF) following a surge of these cases.
The campaign will be held in all the other regions in the country under the theme ‘Speak-Out Now-Stop the Silence’ in a bid to engage the public on the course of action that can quell the situation.
Dlamini said the recent spike in violence against vulnerable groups such as women and children is an indication that GBVF is an issue of critical national concern, therefore, stakeholders who are in the fight against crime need to unite and tackle it with determination and resilience.
The senior deputy national commissioner noted that fighting the GBVF scourge requires that everyone plays an active role as policing interventions alone are not enough since these incidents occur away from the reach of the police.
He said a multi sectoral approach is key as it will bring together the different stakeholders who will in turn come up with interventions that will yield an effective response.
Dlamini said through the nationwide campaign, the REPS is encouraging the members of the community to take up an active role in the fight against GBVF.
He emphasised that there can never be any justification for ending anyone’s life, because every human being has a right to life. “We are saying ending GBVF hinges on you and me.
Let us not ignore abuse and violence when we see it occurring, but let us intervene, through reporting to the police or the other agencies involved in the fight against the scourge.
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He stated that GBVF is demonic and evil hence it cannot be allowed to continue and thrive in society unabated as it has since turned women into an ‘endangered species’ who live feeling vulnerable and anxious for their lives.
He said that the state of affairs is an unfortunate scenario as women are pillars in society, playing a pivotal role in socio-economic development initiatives both at community and broader national level as well as nurturing families.
Dlamini explained that speaking out is one of the strategies in the fight against GBVF and went to encourage everyone including potential perpetrators to speak out as counselling is available for all parties. Speaking out is not limited to those that are abused or perpetrators, but is also extended to those who may be facing social challenges.
The Senior Deputy National Commissioner said the cases of violence especially the GBVF ones are an indication that the country is facing a huge problem as people no longer have respect for the sanctity of human life.
He said despite the fact that the police were making arrests in these cases, it was not good enough as the important factor is to prevent and end the scourge.
The Speak Out Now campaign will build-up to the 16 Days of Activism Against GBVF which will come and hopefully find stakeholders ahead in implementing interventions. Men are urged to lead by example by creating a safe environment for women and children instead of being the number one perpetrator of GBVF.
The REPS further pledged to continue working tirelessly and diligently to ensure that the scourge of gender based violence is suppressed and further work towards proving a better service to survivors of any form of abuse.
“As a law enforcement agency, we will also continue to engage the multi-sectoral stakeholders who are our partners so that together we can find lasting solutions to the issue of homicides and suicides.Police officers encouraged to be decisive. ”
For the Speak out campaign the REPS has partnered with stakeholders such as SWAGAA, Crime Prevention Council, the National Psychiatric Centre and others.
Source: observer
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