By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG (AA) – President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that his government will work with citizens in ending violence against women and children.
Addressing a summit on gender based violence and femicide on Thursday, Ramaphosa said though violence against women is a global phenomenon, the problem is more severe in South Africa.
“Statistics South Africa reports that 138 per 100,000 women were raped last year, the highest rate in the world,’’ the president said .
He said his government will not rest until they have brought these figures down to zero.
The South African leader said women are often violated by their intimate partners in the privacy of their homes.
“They are slapped, hit, raped, assaulted and emotionally abused and killed because they are with a man who feels entitled to exert power and control over them.”
He urged communities to report such abuses and not protect the perpetrators so they can be prosecuted. “We must name and shame those who perpetrate violence against girls and women.”
Ramaphosa said that they will ensure that law enforcement officers are trained to investigate the cases of abuse to get convictions.
“I call on all South Africans to become champions of the fight against gender-based violence and femicide,’’ he said, adding that the government will continue to respond to calls by gender activists in combating violence against women and children.
Recent data from the World Health Organization shows that South Africa’s femicide rate was 12.1 per 100,000 people in 2016. This is almost five times higher than the global average of 2.6 per 100,000 people.
“We are aiming for a femicide rate of zero per 100,000,” Ramaphosa said.
