Ramaphosa calls on men to take a stand against GBV
President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged men and boys to take a stand against gender-based violence (GBV), saying they must reject violence against women…
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged men and boys to take a stand against gender-based violence (GBV), saying they must reject violence against women and refuse to remain silent.
Ramaphosa made the call during the National Women’s Day commemoration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Sunday.
The event marked 70 years since thousands of women marched to the Union Buildings to protest against apartheid pass laws.
Men must speak out against GBV
Ramaphosa said gender-based violence and femicide affect society as a whole and cannot remain a problem that women are expected to solve.
“Gender-based violence and femicide is not a woman’s problem. It is a problem of society. It is a problem of violent men,” he said.
He called on men and boys to actively reject violence and challenge those who commit it.
“Men and boys must step forward and say, ‘Not in my name’. More and more men must stand forward and say, ‘I shall not lift a hand against any woman’,” Ramaphosa said.
His call comes as South Africa continues to grapple with high levels of violence against women and children, placing pressure on men to play a greater role in preventing abuse.
Ramaphosa also used the commemoration to honour the women who marched against apartheid 70 years ago.
About 20,000 women gathered at the Union Buildings in 1956 and handed over petitions containing more than 100,000 signatures against the apartheid pass laws.
Ramaphosa said the march showed that women were not simply supporters of the struggle for freedom but played a leading role in shaping the country’s history.
He said the women who marched in 1956 helped change the course and leadership of the fight against apartheid.
Ramaphosa also highlighted women’s achievements in education but said more girls and women must pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
He said women were performing strongly in education but remained underrepresented in STEM fields.
“We want to see more and more women into the STEM disciplines,” he said.