UNICEF staff members join 100 Men March against gender violence
UNICEF staff joined the Hundred Men March through the centre of Pretoria in order to highlight the role of men in ending violence against women and children.
Pretoria - Amidst singing and chanting of “down with gender violence”, UNICEF staff joined the Hundred Men March through the centre of Pretoria in order to highlight the role of men in ending violence against women and children.
Coordinated by the Government Communication Information System (GCIS), a key partner of UNICEF, and led by various government departments, the march was part of a series of initiatives aimed at mobilizing civil society to combat the high rate of gender violence in South Africa.
In her remarks as the march began, the Minster of Communications, Nomvula Mokonyane, acknowledged the presence of UN agencies at the march, while calling for an end to patriarchy and silence in the face of this endemic violence that permeates the country. UNICEF amplified the messages of the march using social media.
Commencing in Church Square in the centre of the city, the approximately 4000 marchers made their way to the Union Buildings, the seat of South Africa’s government, where messages of support from government and civil society were read out.
It is true that a Men’s March is not going to bring an immediate end to the violence that affects too many women and children both in South Africa and globally. Nevertheless, UNICEF believes that initiatives such as these are a necessary call to action and a tangible reminder that gender violence can only end when everyone speaks up and stands up, men and boys included.
