Durban - In a passionate call to men, the executive director for UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has pleaded with men to join the fight against gender-based violence raging through the country.
Mlambo-Ngcuka says it is sad that men are standing by and watching, yet, they have a critical role to play to in ending the scourge.
She was speaking in Durban on Sunday while delivering a tribute to Dr John Langalibalele Dube, the first President of the ANC. She lavished Dube with praises for leading the ANC during difficult times and establishing a school and newspaper when the odds were against him due to apartheid legislation.
On the issue of gender based violence that has resulted in gruesome loss of life in several instances, Mlambo-Ngcuka said "this is a battle for men" since they come from the "perpetrator constituency".
"They (men) need to play a critical role in addressing the issue because women are not significantly and well positioned [to fight it]...They (women) are just the walking wounded and the men are bystanders watching the walking wounded battle for themselves," she said.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DrJohnDubeTribute?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DrJohnDubeTributeis former minister Mildred Oliphant, deputy minister Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize and former mayor of Msunduzi, Themba Njilo. pic.twitter.com/hu5Laz0xzI
— Sihle Mavuso (@SANewsBot)
Executive director for UN women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka pleads with men to stand up against gender based violence. Video: SIHLE MAVUSO
Making an input at the same gathering Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, the deputy minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, said gender-based violence is a result of the dismal failure of the country’s economic empowerment policies.