The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (GBV) affects women of all social classes in many African communities.
From physical to emotional, intimate partner violence, financial among others, women bear the burden of GBV, some suffering in silence.
The ninth episode of “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” addresses an important issue of “Stopping Gender-Based Violence (GBV)”, the impact of this issue on communities and the need to address it.
The past episodes of the show have addressed the importance of early detection and prevention of diabetes, breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, promoting a healthy lifestyle, ending female genital mutilation (FGM), coronavirus health awareness, and sustainability and up-cycled fashion, respectively.
Merck Foundation chief executive officer, Senator Dr Rasha Kelej said:
“The response to ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ TV program has been very positive and overwhelming. I am so happy that the TV program has been informative and entertaining at the same time.
“Now, we bring to you the ninth episode that focuses on the issue of ‘Stopping Gender-Based Violence’. GBV is the most pervasive yet least visible human rights violation in the world. Gender-based violence affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime, globally.”
She said they addressed the sensitive topic through their ‘Fashion and Art with Purpose’ community.
“I really admire Art and Fashion in Africa and I strongly believe that fashion and art should have a purpose beyond entertainment and looking good. They can contribute to being the voice of the voiceless and sensitising our communities.”
Through our programme, she said, they want to reach out to youth and other members of urban and rural communities across the continent to address and raise awareness about a wide range of pressing social and health issues that are relevant to Africa such as; stopping GBV, breaking the infertility stigma, ending child marriage, supporting girl education, ending female genital mutilation (FGM), promoting a healthy lifestyle, prevention and management of diabetes and coronavirus health awareness and more.
While GBV is not a problem unique to Africa, there is little doubt that the extent of the problem persists more severely on the continent than elsewhere in the world.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that, in 2013, 35 percent of women worldwide had experienced either physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes. In contrast, 45,6 percent of women 15 years and older in Africa have experienced the same.
This high incidence of GBV in Africa can be correlated to low levels of education, exposure to violence elsewhere, patriarchal systems, attitudes accepting of violence and gender inequality, and low access to information.
In societies where justice is seldom achieved, knowledge of women’s rights is limited, and exposure to violence is consistent, the task of reducing GBV remains of paramount importance.
The ninth episode of “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” features Nancy, TV Presenter and Style Coach from GHONE TV, who shared tips on how to use fashion to build confidence in women. The episode also featured young and talented designers Gaone Mangogola from Botswana and Stephany – Lee Schmidt from Namibia who shared their designs displaying STOP GBV messages.
Dr Rasha further emphasised:
“We have also launched awards for media, fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians/ singers, and new potential talents in these fields from African countries to address the sensitive issue of stopping GBV, and also other issues like breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, women empowerment, ending child marriage and/ or ending FGM.
“We are running these competitions in partnership with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies.”
