Johannesburg - Musician and United Nations Aids goodwill ambassador Annie Lennox drew up a petition on Wednesday demanding an end to violence against women and girls in South Africa.
“Our goal is to inspire and invigorate a lasting wave of action and support in order that this issue may never be marginalised again,” she said.
In the petition, Lennox says South Africa has an outstanding legacy of activism renowned all over the globe, but 19 years since the end of apartheid people have become fatigued and disillusioned, as there are still many obstacles to be overcome.
“It will take the same strength of focus and purpose to create lasting and impactful (sic) transformation, but it is achievable.”
Lennox said gender violence could and should be tackled.
“We need to create a tipping point of collective awareness and action to make it happen.”
A number of prominent organisations, such as the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, and the Charlize Theron Outreach Africa Project, are listed on the petition.
Lennox's call comes after a number of highly publicised rape and murder cases in South Africa.
She highlighted the rape, murder and mutilation of 17-year-old Anene Booysen on February 2.
Booysen visited a Bredasdorp nightclub on Friday, February 1. A few hours later, she was gang raped and mutilated. She was found at the construction site where she worked the next morning. She died in hospital later that day. - Sapa