16 Days of Activism

Imagine if no rape or child abuse took place in South Africa for 16 days. That’s the challenge posed by the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign — for South Africans to declare a truce on violence against women and children – and, ultimately, to make it permanent.

Throughout the country, South Africans are being called on to combat violence against women and children. This appeal is fully supported by Women in Action (WIA) which started the “Save a Tamar” campaign to oppose abuse on Women’s Day, 9th August this year.

This is the 11th year that South Africa is taking part in the global 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, which runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) through to International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

While the campaign only runs for 16 days each year, its objectives are reinforced by a year-long programme and a national plan to combat abuse.

Despite our renowned Constitution and a legislative framework which safeguards women’s and children’s rights, South Africa still witnesses high levels of violence against women and children. Government, business, civil society, faith-based organisations and the media are all participating in the drive to increase awareness of the negative impact of violence and abuse on women and children.

In its four-month long campaign against women and child abuse, WiA members have repeated the message that abuse stripped women of their dignity and most women in society could not strike back at those who abused them.

Our Children

As parents, we invest so much in the wellbeing of our children because we expect to be able to give them what maybe we could not have.

We build dreams for their future. We plan in every way possible for their school years. We think about their adulthood, when they will start dating, have a family of their own. All in all, we plan well into the future.

We do it in a way as if we had the power to make everything happen just as we plan or dream.

We end up forgetting that as soon as they understand themselves as human b

eings they will make their own choices.

Some of them good, others not so wise and they will have to live with the result of their choices. As we will too, as their parents.

This is the reason why we should invest far more in their spiritual and emotional growth rather than try to set aside wealth for their future.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov 22:6)

Our Sunday School plays a very important role in complementing parents’ discipline because we envisage teaching our children to choose according to the Word of God.

If they attend our church services, they may not fully comprehend the message that is mostly aimed at adults.

In our Sunday School the message is conveyed in an interesting manner, through games, charts, pictures, puzzles, drama and other tools that are more fitting for their level of understanding.

All that is required is that you arrive at church a little earlier and enrol your child in the Sunday School.

Believe me, this is a true investment in their future. Whatever they learn Sunday after Sunday will be important for the rest of their lives.

Marcia Pires