THE Nelson Mandela Bay YMCA, a youth-oriented non-profit organisation situated in Parkside, partnered with a local public high school, this Youth Month is to advocate against gender-based violence and sexual harassment against women and young girls in society.
Learners from Coselelani High School in Motherwell NU9, who attend a YMCA programme called Transformative Masculinity every Thursday in their school, were taught about the various types of GBV, which helped them realise that in their community some social ills were normalised. With help from the YMCA and its various stakeholders and their teachers, the young learners were able to put together a peaceful march that aimed to combat the sexual harassment/GBV issue that plagued their society.
“A safe society for all that is void of any form of harassment should be every citizen’s reality. It is quite unfortunate that our sisters and mothers do not have the luxury of safety and are constantly subjected to such unfair treatment [sexual harassment/ GBV] all because of their gender,” said Mongadi Makhetha, the Transformative Masculinity programme coordinator.
Makhetha added, “This Youth Month was the perfect time to collectively stand together and voice our disdain for GBV. Much like the youth of 1976, who rose against an entire regime because they would no longer accept being taught in a language they were not comfortable with, we will make ourselves heard.
It breaks my heart to hear all the stories the young girls I work with share with me, knowing that some are forced to change the route they take to school because they are sexually harassed based on their uniforms. This advocacy march was long overdue. Society and law enforcement need to do better.”
Coselelani High School, along with the Nelson Mandela Bay YMCA, The Rape Crisis Centre, Phila Ndoda, Yokhuselo Safe Haven, Ranyaka and LoveLife, all proceeded to march to the Motherwell Police Station to hand over a petition with a list of demands from the collective organisations to Station Commander Colonel XG Toba.
-– ISSUED BY NELSON MANDELA
BAY YMCA
