03 Mar 2019

Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Ms Dorcas Makgato has challenged churches to play a more active role in the protection of the rights of a girl child.

Giving a keynote address during the Methodist Church Lobatse circuit women’s fundraising dinner on February 2 at the civic centre, Ms Makgato said the girl child was still facing a lot of challenges in the country. She said the challenges ranged from violation, discrimination, missed opportunities and many more.

“The challenges demonstrate in more ways than one our failure to protect and provide an environment that is conducive for the well-being of the girl child at home, on the street, at school and in the church,” she said.

The minister expressed disappointment that girls were even violated in churches. “How terrible when we believe that when we are in the church it is our sanctuary. To me that goes way beyond because in the church we live by the values in the Bible,” she said. She said the silence from society concerning challenges and violation of girls was perpetuating the problem. She urged society, including the church, to break their silence and increase activism on girl child matters

“The silence in our homes and our society when we see what is happening in our neighbourhood is part of the challenges of the girl child today. The church must be challenged to rise up and be counted as Vision 2036 recognises the role of faith as a foundation of our society. So, faith institutions have no choice but to be part and parcel of the solution,” said the minister.

She explained that activism would help to turn things around and allow the girl child to develop to their potential without outside hindrance. Ms Makgato also encouraged women to develop and support each other in order to be able to play a more active role in decision making positions in society. The fundraising dinner was held under the theme: Raising a Girl Child. 

Ms Edith Tirelo, who is the vice president of Methodist Church Lobatse women’s circuit, said the objective of the event was to raise funds to enable the church to host the church’s Southern Africa women’s convention in Kanye in April. ends