By Mfezi Mjwara
March is Human
Rights month and 21 March is Human Rights day. There are several measures and initiatives which
are utilized world-wide aimed at mitigating Human Rights violation. A very
strong stand is taken on a daily basis across the African continent to fight
against human rights violation and gender based violence.
16 Days of
Activism against Gender-Based Violence is one example of an initiative focused
at strengthening the fight against gender-based violence of which is a national
crisis in South Africa.
Human Rights definition-“Human rights are a set of principles concerned
with equality and fairness. They recognise our freedom to make choices about
our lives and to develop our potential as human beings. They are about living a
life free from fear, harassment or discrimination. Human rights can broadly be
defined as a number of basic rights that people from around the world have
agreed are essential. These include the right to life, the right to a fair
trial, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, freedom of
speech, freedom of religion, and the rights to health, education and an
adequate standard of living” (Australian Human
Rights Comminssion, 2023).
Gender-based violence- According to Mile (Mile,
2023), gender-based violence is directed at
an individual based on his or her biological sex or gender identity. It
includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, threats,
coercion, and economic or educational deprivation, whether occurring in public
or private life.” Although GBV can occur towards any gender, Violence Against Women
(VAW) by men has been, and remains the most prevalent form of GBV, especially
in South Africa.
The University of KwaZulu Natal ensures that all
students and employees are able to enjoy their rights and there is less
gender-based violence in the institution. This is because a special prominence
which includes gender-based violence awareness and action campaigns are
exercised for the purpose of mitigating GBV in UKZN throughout the whole year. Again,
the University of KwaZulu Natal Libraries is not only about books but also continues to emphasize the important role of
gender equality by providing a series of GBV programs, Human Rights library
displays & GBV awareness blogs for students and staff. There are programs offered in the institution which assist in
maintaining risks pertaining gender-based violence whilst at work, such
programs are streamed online for example (Code of Good Practice on the
prevention & elimination of harassment in the workplace by Adv. Pushpa
Naidu).
UKZN also has a legal
services department that caters for legal support to the
University in contracts management, litigation management, copyright
management, student discipline management, gender-based violence, human rights
violation matters, protection from legal risk, and the provision of general
legal advice to University Management.
USEFUL LINKS TO FURTHER READING
Archives and
human rights - https://ukzn.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1224044165
UKZN Gender based violence awareness and prevention
programs -https://ukzn.ac.za/gender-based-violence-awareness-and-prevention-programmes/
UKZN Legal Services - https://legalservices.ukzn.ac.za/
Culture,
citizenship and human rights - https://ukzn.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1125276387
Patriarchy
at the helm of gender-based violence during COVID-19 - 10.3934/publichealth.2021003
Gender-based
violence and environment linkages - https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2020.03.en
Forced
marriages in Europe: a form of gender-based violence and violation of human
rights - 10.17561/tahrj.v14.5474
UKZN Gender based violence speak-up - https://www.ukzn.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/GBV.pdf
Gender based
violence: a South African plague - 10.13140/RG.2.2.13157.42724
REFERENCES
Australian
Human Rights Comminssion. (2023). An
Introduction to Human Rights. Retrieved 27 February from https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/introduction-human-rights
Mile, K. (2023). Gender Based
Violence: A South African Plague. ResearchGate. Retrieved 27 February fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/344748162_Gender_Based_Violence_A_South_African_Plague
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