Women march to create awareness on gender-based violence

The Democratic Alliance Women Network (DAWN) in Buffalo City Metro celebrated the national Women’s Day differently, training women on how to defend themselves against violence.

DAWN Eastern Cape provincial chairwoman Celeste Barker today led about 100 women in a march around the streets of Vergenoeg in a quest to create awareness on gender-based violence in the area.

Later, the women met at Alphendale High School for an hour of training on self-defence.

Barker said South African women still suffered from a lot of violence and that there was a need for more advocacy and identification of areas of intervention.

“South African women continue to suffer an onslaught of gender-based discrimination highlighted during Women’s Month by MP Mduduzi Manana – Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training -- who publicly harassed and assaulted Ms Mandisa Duma on Sunday August 6 at the Cubana Restaurant in Fourways, Johannesburg.

"Despite our constitution and the protection it affords -- South African women, rural women in particular, now suffer a quadruple oppression of race, class, gender and poverty that includes patriarchy, commodification, a heritage of racist and gendered legislation and a weak and failing economy,” said Barker.