Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members of the executive council and hon members, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender- based Violence campaign started at the Women's Global Leadership Institute in 1991. This annual campaign takes place from 25 November to 10 December. South Africa added violence against children to its 16 Days of Activism campaign because of the high incidence of child abuse. The campaign symbolically links violence against women and children to human rights violations.
Violence is not bound by nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, culture, ethnicity or race. The 16 Days of Activism campaign is used by interest groups and world leaders to create public awareness of the elimination of all forms of violence against women and children. The campaign seeks to inform the public of abuse and bring an end to abuse in any form. A study by the International Criminal Police Organisation, Interpol, has revealed that South Africa is among the countries with the highest number of rape cases. This necessitates the continuation of this campaign.
Abuse stems from a misinterpretation of power. It creates a lower status for women and children. When control of women and children is misinterpreted, it leads to physical, emotional, financial and verbal abuse, to sexual harassment and to human trafficking.
According to the "survivor journey" on the website www.rape.co.za, it is estimated that a woman born in South Africa has a greater chance of being raped than learning to read. According to the survey, 25% of men in the survey admitted to having raped someone.
Our Parliament has introduced laws on family abuse, protecting children, domestic violence, maintenance and unfair discrimination. These pieces of legislation seek to address the consequences for perpetrators, stating that they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. There are allegations that the criminal justice system lacks the capacity to redress injustice to human dignity. The justice system must be more accessible to the most vulnerable in society. We need to provide people with the means to protect themselves. The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities was created and the government is seriously showing that it wants to combat this issue.
International conflict and power struggles impact negatively on violence against women and children. In South Africa we have a democratic system with a strong focus on human rights. Breaking the silence requires that all of us must act against women and child abuse and inform people of their human rights. It is also important to show compassion and support for the survivors of abuse and to protect their human dignity. This campaign further seeks to create an environment that encourages victims of abuse to come forward and speak out.
Human trafficking remains a huge global challenge and can only be combated with the co-operation of the international community. South Africa has a Bill of Rights which includes the most advanced human rights laws, but as a nation we are struggling to combat this challenge. This challenge impacts on people's health, education, lifestyles, social conditions and human rights.
It is imperative that we generate a constructive response from civil society and understand the root cause of violence in all its forms. Some practical campaigns include speaking out against women and child abuse, reporting violations to the authorities and forming family-based networks.
In conclusion, the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign once again reflects the vulnerability of society. If not addressed adequately by all stakeholders, this form of violence will have destructive consequences for future generations. It is therefore imperative that all South Africans unite in the fight against women and child abuse.
On behalf of the DA I take this opportunity to encourage all members and all South Africans to participate in a plan of action to change the behaviour towards women, children and disabled people. I want to encourage this House to take the ribbons that were handed out when you walked in here today as a sign that the NCOP is serious about this campaign. Now is the time to stop abuse. Now is the time to protect our women, children and people with disabilities. [Applause.]