Learners at Parktown High School for Girls rallied together to protest against all forms of gender-based violence on International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October.
More than 1 200 learners stood outside the school premises holding posters in the morning following which 20 representatives travelled to Constitution Hill to hand over a memorandum containing a number of requests to government officials.
Similar protests took place at a number of schools throughout Joburg organised under the banner of FEED (Feeding, Educating, Empowering, Developing), an NGO actively involved in advocacy related to girl education, empowerment and gender equality.
Protest facilitator and Parktown learner Ammaarah Cachalia said, “Today we celebrate girl children in South Africa and acknowledge the long way to go in securing a safe society. We are putting all our ideas into action to bring about change.”
Grade 11 learner Maryam Suleman explained that the purpose of the protest was to draw attention to the issue of gender-based violence so that the state will take action and also raise awareness about the plight of women.
The memorandum delivered at Constitution Hill stated that in South Africa, the femicide rate is five times the global average. “Every day, three women die at the hands of their partners. A girl is more likely to get raped than get an education. 41 per cent of all rape survivors are children. We, as women from Parktown High School for Girls, are here to demand immediate change regarding the protection of South African women,” said Ammaarah, reading the memorandum.
The memorandum further stated that it was the obligation of the state to protect all citizens and address the issue of gender-based violence by educating people, preventing the perpetuation of violence, protecting all women in South Africa and effectively prosecuting those who violate women.
Ammaarah stated that the school was concerned about the lax rape laws and issues of male entitlement as well as the importance of consent, providing a safer space for women and protecting female prisoners.
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