The United Nations marked the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from November 25 to December 10, 2021. We at Cape {town} Etc will be using our platform to raise awareness over this period.
“Gender-based violence and femicide is not a secondary priority. It is not a women’s issue. Gender-based violence is overwhelmingly and unequivocally a human rights issue.” – President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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Day 5: Women in the farming sector hit hard by the pandemic
The unemployment rate in our country plays a significant role in gender-based violence, and women in the farming sector are more vulnerable that ever due to factors such as minimum wage, unfair dismissals and the woes of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Western Cape farmers say that the COVID-19 pandemic has done nothing but multiply their hardships, with unemployment and GBV continuing to rise as a result.
The farming sector fears that the socio-economic issues caused by unemployment and poverty — including social ills due to alcohol and drug abuse — will continue to increase as the nation is at risk of a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, reports The Wall.
Health and empowerment coordinator for Women on Farms, Micealah Ford said their level of concerns shot through the roof once the pandemic hit.
The Women on Farms Project (WFP) works with women in commercial agriculture, mainly in the Western Cape Province aimed at meeting the specialised needs of women who live and work on farms. Micealah has been in contact with 144 shelters worldwide, but has only dealt with the ones around the Western Cape to help in anyway possible.
Cape {town} Etc spoke to Micealah Ford from the Women on Farms Project about some of the obstacles these victims face, as well as how women in the farming sector can be empowered and protected.
Obstacles:
The overall mission of the organisation is to empower and strengthen the capacity of women who live and work on farms to claim their rights and fulfil their needs.
A major area of focus is expanding resources for victims of abuse, particularly in relation to the accessibility of gender-based violence shelters in rural areas. As it stands, the demand far outweighs the resources. This means that women from Ceres, Wellington and Rawsonville, to name a few, need to travel to Paarl as it is the only shelter in close(ish) proximity. There are shelters in Atlantis, but many times they are full.
Another point that Micealah raises is that many of these women are not legible. This means that in cases where women seek police protection, they are unable to complete the necessary documentation provided by the court to take their cases forward. This often leads victims back into the cycle of abuse, and even perpetuates it as women are “caught” by abusive partners with these papers in their attempts to have friends and family help fill them out.
To add to the struggle, verbal abuse is not deemed as worthy of arrest.
Another point brought to our attention is the fact that when victims dial helpline numbers, they are unable to communicate in their mother tongue. Ford explains that most farmwomen speak Afrikaans, however hardly any helpline staff can speak a language other than English.
Empowerment:
Women on Farms is working towards hosting workshops for vulnerable women. Here, they will offer lessons on how to read, write and deal with various social issues.
The organisation has been looking into the needs of women who live and work on farms and strongly believe in Feminist Reparation — meaning to reduce the centuries of injustice experienced by women farm workers and dwellers.
They are also passionate about the creation of more gender-based shelters.
How they can achieve this? They need us — the Cape Town community to get actively involved and hold the government accountable for service delivery.
The Women on Farms Project’s is working towards building and strengthening partnerships with local institutions who women can be in contact with directly to voice their concerns.
To get involved, email [email protected]
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for information, more resources and events and gatherings.
Gender based violence resources South Africa:
- Rape Crisis Cape Town Hotline: 021 447 9762
- South African GBV Hotline: 0800 428 428
- Tears Foundation: 010 590 5920 / www.tears.co.za / [email protected]
- Childline South Africa: 0800 055 555 / www.childline.org.za / [email protected]
- People Opposed to Woman Abuse: 011 642 4345 / www.powa.co.za / [email protected]
- Community Intervention Centre Helpline: 082 821 3447
- Free Legal Advice on WhatsApp (LawForAll): 063 603 3759
- Stop Domestic Violence Helpline (Lifeline): 0800 150 150
- Suicide Helpline: 0800 567 567
- SAPS: 10111
- National Counselling Line: 0861 322 322
- Legal Aid: 0800 110 110
Useful websites:
Also read:
Day 4: Incredible talks that shed a light on gender-based violence
Picture: Facebook