{"id":19455,"date":"2022-11-26T12:07:38","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T12:07:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/seychelles\/all-news\/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence-gets-under-way"},"modified":"2022-11-26T15:14:24","modified_gmt":"2022-11-26T15:14:24","slug":"16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence-gets-under-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/seychelles\/all-news\/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence-gets-under-way","title":{"rendered":"16 days of Activism against gender-based violence gets under way"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Seychelles. <\/strong><\/span>First Lady, Linda Ramkalawan, has said girls and boys should be educated at a young age, about acceptable and non-acceptable behaviours towards each other in a relationship, as part of effort to stem out violence.<\/b><\/p>\n

She was speaking at the launch of a half-day forum at the National Theatre yesterday morning, organised by the Women in Action and Solidarity (Waso), to officially launch this year\u2019s 16 days of Activism against gender-based violence, which will last until December 10.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s international theme chosen by the United Nation is \u2018UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls\u2019 and invites everyone to play their role in ending violence against women and girls, show support and solidarity to women\u2019s rights activists and to resist the rollback on women\u2019s rights.<\/p>\n

Mrs Ramkalawan said it was important to teach young ones the acceptable behaviour as it was crucial to ending violence in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeach them that it is not normal to abuse another person physically, verbally, psychologically, or sexually. They must learn you cannot earn respect by controlling another person or putting fear into another person,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Mrs Ramkalawan also called on women to stand up for themselves and to refrain from getting involved in relationships that are harmful and disrespectful.<\/p>\n

She also advised them to take time to learn about a potential partner and to speak up when they are being abused.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many women suffer in silence and some lose their lives through violence,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She said earlier this year the Women caucus in the National Assembly highlighted the plight of women and urged for more stringent laws, which she hopes will be introduced soon to help fight domestic violence.<\/p>\n

She has also urged the various non-governmental organisations dealing with gender-related issues to unite and work together to come up with solutions against violence.<\/p>\n

The first lady also said that the counsellors should also focus on perpetrators as much as they do the victims \u201cbecause if we don\u2019t heal those doing those acts, nothing much will change\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mrs Ramkalawan also applauded and praised the men who respect women and girls and said there should be more of them in the society to serve as role models for other young boys.<\/p>\n

It is estimated that over 736 million women and girls face some form of violence, which is one in every three women.<\/p>\n

In Seychelles according to the ministry for family, administrative statistics gathered by the National Bureau of Statistics for the Second Quarter 2022 indicates that there were 427 police-reported cases, among which there were 23 sexual offenses and 245 offenses against person.<\/p>\n

For her part the chairperson of Waso, Rose-Marie Elizabeth, said the population should stop classifying violence and look at it in its entirety and how the country\u2019s culture has played a major role in encouraging violence.<\/p>\n

She said the aim of the forum under the theme Addressing Gender Violence from Institutional & Socio-cultural Perspective was to look at all facets of violence and find ways to deal with it.<\/p>\n

She highlighted various forms of abuse from bullying in school to the physical, psychological, verbal abuse that are committed by adults either at home or their workplaces.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to break the silence. It is no longer time to say that it is a family issue. This can no longer be the excuse. Yes, it may seem like a family issue now but it does not stay within the family. It permeates into the society and everybody else is affected,\u201d said Mrs Elizabeth.<\/p>\n

She urged NGOs to work towards a common goal and pull their resources to fight a common cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the 16 days of activism let us reflect on how we can make a difference. We do not have to help everybody but if we can make a difference in the life of one person, educate one person then it will be worthwhile,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

This was echoed by Minister Marie-Celine Zialor, who said this year\u2019s theme which focuses on unity was appropriate as everyone should unite for the betterment of Seychellois families.<\/p>\n

She called on everyone to help at least one person and organisation to stop focusing on activities and events but rather on worthwhile projects that have an impact.<\/p>\n

Minister Zialor said there should be in-depth research to find out the causes of violence but at the same time the country\u2019s focus should shift from talking about violence but rather focus on promoting 16 days of activism for peace.<\/p>\n

\u201cShow people how to argue and make your point without being violent, how to pass on your message and let your voice be heard while respecting a person whose opinion differs. How not to make personal attacks, how to be tolerant,\u201d said Minister Zialor, while urging everyone to give Seychelles an overdose of positivity.<\/p>\n

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign also known as the Orange campaign, with orange representing a bright and optimistic colour for a future free from violence against women and girls.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, yesterday afternoon, there was a national dialogue under the theme \u2018Break the Silence, Stop Domestic Violence\u2019, spearheaded by the family department, within the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family.<\/p>\n

It saw the participation of key partners, namely non-governmental organisations, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and stakeholders and addressed various issues including the status of violence in the country, interventions, challenges, successes as well as actions being taken at community and national level to address the issue.<\/p>\n

Yesterday\u2019s event also saw a donation of t-shirts with a message \u2018Break the Silence\u2019 sponsored by local telecommunication company, Cable and Wireless Seychelles.<\/p>\n

They were presented to the NGOs and guests present to promote the 16 days of activism.<\/p>\n\r\n