Bojanala district municipality monitors gender workshops

Kgang Moloko

A common setup in the workshops is having guests to give presentation and the community and activists on the side of receiving side of the massage. We conceptualised the idea to involve the community in the conversations through Dialogue, at the beginning beginning most of the participants were not sure on what is needed or how to participate in a dialogue as they have not been to a dialogue. We invited members of the community and other organisations to share knowledge and ignite conversations beyond the dialogue.

In tackling Gender based violence there is a need to understand what Gender, Sexual Orientation and Socially constructed roles and expectations are. The first session started very slowly with participants a bit lacklustre, not sure how to be involved but once they got comfortable, they started to open up. Most of the participants were members of local organisations dealing with gender-based violence but did not know much about how to define Gender and sexual orientation and that makes it a challenge in dealing with GBV, it means a lot needs to be done to share information as organisations and assist each other in tackling Gender issues.

We also engaged with schools to have GBV campaigns and found out the great challenge faced by the schools is bullying, drug use from Primary schools to high schools. The other challenge is uncontrollable young boys, one of the principals articulated that the source of the problem is the absence of fathers in most families with single mother parenting a boy in child and the boys lacking the guidance of fathers and vacuum has created violent boys who are naughty and have signs of anger.

Our area is a mining area and has a number of migrant workers who contribute to single parenting by mothers. We attended one Primary School that is Matlhware Primary school to have a campaign or discussion with learners on GBV and bullying. The challenge at the beginning was the learners were un attentive especially the boys and got to experience one girl bullying the other while engaging on Bullying. The learners made an agreement that they will improve their attitude in closing as we requested of them.

Participants at the dialogue were happy and indicated that a dialogue is new to them and they enjoyed it as they got to participate and not just listen and ask questions on presentations. They requested more dialogues as it assisted them to open up. We received a request to have a dialogue on Single mothers raising a boy child. In the dialogue women or mothers had a chance to open up and share their problems and give each other advice. The challenge we face is that we can have the events on Weekends as most community members are not available during the week and social workers are available during the week but give information to share with participants.

GBV awareness campaign was held in Sifikile, Moses Kotane Local Municipality, guest speaker gave different speeches to the community on tackling GBV

– Testimony from Gender Based Violence Survivor, encouraging women to leave an abusive relationship, speaking about the manipulative ways partners use to keep their female partners in that relationship.

– A woman community leader encouraged women to stand up against any form of violence and give support to a girl child. She has testimony on how she rescued a young girl from her father who was sexually abusing her and helped in sending the father to prison and the girl to a safer place.

– Ward Councillor gave support to the women and encouraged them to emulate the 1958 “imbokodo”women, and baton and fight against GBV.

– The BMF CMS facilitator spoke about socially constructed roles, behaviour and expectations which builds masculinity in boys and men, and feminine in girls and women. Encouraged girls to be assertive in their decision making.

– A TV personality encouraged truth to be spoken, he encouraged parents to question their young daughters bringing food and items at home while not working and not to support it. To question children especially the boys as it usually them bringing stolen items at home, as most of this stuff is acquired through violence. Men should cough out their problems as most carry a burden and when it comes out, it bursts out in a form of violence and in many cases a woman becomes a victim of that violence.

– Community Media Trust is an NGO that works with youth. They promote youth to community monitors and activists against Gender Based Violence. They gave advice on handling rape and reporting it. They promoted the use of PrEp and PEp. They have social workers who assist youth in the communities and schools against social ills.

The challenge that is encountered in all communities is lack of desired attendance especially on these kinds of issues like GBV, and programs do not start on time as community members do not keep time.

Some of the community feels that they cannot get involved in other people’s relationships even when it is violent. Some of the victims are not reporting the violence and the community does not know how to assist.Most of the activists do not do research and find other ways in fighting GBV other than campaigns.

Lessons learned are :

– Create better communication and encourage the community to fight Social injustices.

– Work together with likeminded local organisations and support each other in the fight against GBV.

– Members of organisations have less information, encourage more information or education for ordinary members.

Work- or business-related matters

– Women are seen as sex objects in most industries. Sexual exploitation is rife in employment opportunities and business opportunities for women

– We have opportunities reserved for women, even for those positions the male dominated management demand sexual favours.

– One female participant narrated how she worked as a secretary for a male manager who wanted sex from her and she refused and reported the matter to senior managers, instead of getting assistance they ganged against her including her female co-workers, who secretly told they knew the manager is a pervert but they had to protect their jobs.

– In business opportunities, women are used as fronts by their male partners or associates.

– Women who fight for their rightful opportunities face a challenge of the males using other females to fight the battle against GBV.