The Minister of Youth, Women, and Persons Living with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, urged the religious sector to address women’s challenges.
Chikunga expressed her concerns on Thursday, 8th August, during her keynote address in the Build-Up program and prayer session held in the Pofadder community hall in the Khai-Ma Municipality. This year Women’s Month 2024 was commemorated under theme of “Celebrating 30 Years of Freedom Towards Women’s Development”. The campaign took stock of progress made on socio-economic empowerment of women since the advent of democracy and indicate the achievements of the Women Charter.
Chikunga posed rhetorical questions to the religious sectors about what they do for ordinary citizens and their congregations regarding development. She noted that although progress has been visible in the past 30 years of democracy, “women today are facing the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) pandemic perpetrated by trusted family members, neighbors, and society”.
Chikunga emphasized that preaching should not only focus on matters of heaven and the afterlife but also on addressing current issues on Earth. She highlighted that churches are custodians of moral values and called upon them to assist those suffering in silence as victims of GBV and enduring poverty.
The Northern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola emphasized the turning of the tide of violence committed against women, children, and vulnerable groups. She urged victims of gender based violence to break the silence and to report perpetrators.
“We must stand very closely together as a society and say NO to violence against women and children and report all forms of violence”, Lieutenant General Otola said.
Minister Chikunga urged society to promote freedom for women and children, without labeling or subjecting them to objectification.
