WITH gender-based-violence under the spotlight as the country observes 16 Days of Activism, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) believes that violence directed at Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer (LGBTIQ) community is not being decisively dealt with.
On Monday, 10 December the SAHRC released a breakdown of complaints it received in the 2016/17 year which provides an analysis of trends and findings in human rights violations over the past five years.
According to the Commission, more than 700 cases relating to the infringement of the right to equality were reported. This right guides the prohibition of unfair discrimination on sex and race among others.
Also read: Gender-based violence is an ‘evolving war’
The stats however show that the number of gender-based inequalities decreased by 50 per cent from 2015/16 to 2016/19.
“Pervasive discrimination against members of the South African LGBTIQ community, high levels of homophobic hate speech and the frequency of hate crimes, particularly the murder of black women who identify as lesbian or queer, are an issue of great concern. The commission has also undertaken a number of initiatives outside of the complaints handling process to enforce rights and secure reforms,” said the SAHRC.
In its recommended resolutions, the commission called for an end to all acts of violence and abuse committed by both state and non-state actors.
“States need to enact and apply laws which prohibit and penalise all forms of violence targeted at LGBTIQ persons, and to ensure the investigation and prosecution of such offences,” read the SAHRC’s report.
Early this year the Commission, working with the Justice Department and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation held a three-day seminar on finding practical solutions for addressing violence and discrimination against persons based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE).
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