About the Campaign
This year the theme is "From peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Lets challenge militarism and End Violence against Women."
The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is a United Nations campaign. It takes place annually from the 25th November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to the 10th December (International Human Rights Day). Since 1999 the South African Government has run a parallel campaign that includes issues relating to violence against children. This campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children as well as society as a whole.
The National Convener for the Campaign is the Deputy Minister of the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) Ms. Nomatyala Hangana. The vision of the Deputy Minister is that the campaign is taken to the people at grass roots level and beyond the borders of South Africa. DPLG, as the lead department, is working closely with the Special Programmes Directorate in the Presidency as well as other government departments. In addition, strategic partnerships between government, civil society and business, have been established to broaden the potential impact of the campaign.
The Local government policy and legislative framework creates an enabling environment for gender equality, empowerment and the participation of women and other disadvantaged groups in developmental initiatives.
The White Paper on Local Government (1998), the Local Government Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (No 17 of 1998), the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (No 32 of 2000), and the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003 (No 41 of 2003) constitute part of the policy and legislative environment within which local government transformation takes place. These mechanisms specify measures to advance women's leadership, development and quality of life.
Cabinet approved South Africa's National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in 2002. The Gender Policy Framework outlines South Africa's vision for gender equality, its overarching principles and defines the terms of reference for various stakeholders in the development and implementation of sectoral policies and programmes. Government departments are therefore required to develop their own policies in line with the national framework.
In the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region the campaign has gained significant momentum through the adoption of the Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence against Women and Children by the SADC Heads of State in the year 1998. Hence, the Deputy Minister's vision to establish good working relationships with the SADC region to jointly fight against the scourge of violence against women and children.
