4 December 2006
Media release
Department to highlight abuse of elderly women
The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Dr Jean Benjamin will join
the wives of Chiefs and elderly women in KaNyamazane Stadium, Nelspruit
on 8 December as part of the campaign of 16 Days of Activism against the
abuse of women and children.
The objective is to highlight the abuse of elderly women, who are
amongst the most vulnerable members of society, but whose plight
sometimes goes unnoticed. The event will start at 9h00.
The event will be co-hosted by the Mpumalanga Daantjie royal kraal in
line with the Southern African Development Community Gender and
Development Declaration and its Addendum on “Prevention of Violence
against Women and Children”.
Said Dr Benjamin; “Many elderly women face abuse from spouses, children,
grandchildren, members of the community and this largely goes unnoticed,
as campaigns tend to focus on younger or middle-aged women. As
government we seek to highlight the plight of elderly women and to
mobilise society to assist in combating it. We are pleased that the
wives of Chiefs are buying into this campaign, as the traditional
leaders are a central point in most rural areas’’.
This meeting takes place against the backdrop of the National Queens and
Wives of Chiefs conference in 2005 led by the Minister of Social
Development.
On the 7th of December, the Deputy Minister will officiate at a
sod-turning ceremony for a shelter for abuse victims in Badplaas,
Mpumalanga near the Albert Luthuli Municipality, starting at 9h00.
Enquiries: Zingaphi Matanzima on 012 312 7381/0731223133
Issued by the Department of Social Development
Pretoria |
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