01 Dec 2022

Kgosi Kazuu Mbakareratjike of Bodibeng has implored all stakeholders to curtail negative attitudes, harmful cultural practices and traditions that perpetuate gender based violence (GBV).

Giving a motivational talk during a gender based violence workshop organised by the Department of Gender Affairs in Chanoga on Wednesday, he called on the public, faith based organisations and other stakeholders to change attitudes and behaviour to end GBV, noting that government alone could not win the battle.

Some tribes, Kgosi Mbakareratjike said, used culture as an excuse to perpetuate GBV, saying that in some, girls were forced to marry at a young age  while some pastors lured young women into sexual activities.

He called on men to change their attitudes and communities to question gender roles and stereotypes that made GBV acceptable.

Statistics indicated that a lot had to be done to curb the situation, he said, stressing the need to go beyond culture and beliefs to end the vice.

It was reported that a 2018 survey on gender based violence shows that 37 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men had experienced GBV.

Earlier on, Kgosi Oateng Setlhodi of Chanoga had noted that GBV affected all and stressed the need for communities to start talking openly about the scourge in order to reduce occurrences.

He appreciated government interventions and urged stakeholders to join forces to make a positive impact.

He called for increased awareness and promotion of positive social change to empower communities to better understand, prevent and mitigate GBV.

Kgosi Setlhodi also encouraged members of the community to report incidents of violence so that victims could get the right assistance, while perpetrators got punished for their acts.

Gender officer, Ms Gagoope Modimoosi noted that education was critical as people would then identify the forms of violence and their roles in preventing them from happening in their homes.

North West District, she said, had seen a high number of GBV cases, which was worrisome.

She emphasised the importance of a holistic approach to eradicating GBV, adding that it was imperative to include men and the boy child to help them realise their role in the fight, not as abusers. “Much more needs to be done to curb the pandemic.

It is disturbing that GBV robs women and girls of the privilege to enjoy their freedom,” she stressed. ENDS