Gender parity the way to go
Finding the correlation between social norms and gender-based violence.
The Kobie Moller Hall situated at Bertha Gxowa Hospital was recently adorned with colour of pop when a number of women seeking to empower one another, and to defeat gender-based violence, gathered in the hall in their colourful doeks.
The event, organised by Ekurhuleni Clinical Forensic Medical Services in conjunction with the Employee Wellness Programme of the Ekurhuleni District, sought to dissect the influence of social norms on gender-based violence.
Traditional, corporate and domestic laws which often see women as marginalised members of the community, formed part of the dialogue.
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Assistant manager of nursing at Ekurhuleni Clinical Forensic Medical Services Anna Mabunda, led the dialogue to figure out how women are dealing with domestic violence and femicide.
“Who is benefiting from these gender-norms?” asked Tumi Seoloane, one of the guest speakers.
“Most of these norms oppress us and do not allow us to use our power and intelligence to full capacity.
“Instead, our own mothers and grandmothers perpetuate the cycle, instead of helping us break it.
“Most women are oppressed through the leagues of women who uphold patriarchal standards in the absence of men.”
Although feminism has trended on social media for years, many women at the event stated that, in reality, a lot of women were afraid of demanding equality in the workplace and family life.
“We need to revisit these norms and raise sons who will not be intimidated by a woman who asks questions, sons who will not respond with violence when they fail to use their words,” said Tumi.
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According to Anna and her team, these workshops are designed to break the silence against gender-based violence and to assist women who feel trapped by violence.
They also empower women through financial talks and intend to break stereotypes associated with single, independent women.
Various finance companies and support groups were present, providing knowledge on how victims could pave a way forward, and survive horrendous gender-based crimes.
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