Elections and Paper Promises: What do Political Parties Say About the Problem of Violence against Women?

The Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre, Women’sNet and the Department of Political Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand are hosting a forum entitled Elections and Paper Promises: What do Political Parties Say About the Problem of Violence against Women? on 2 April 2009 in Johannesburg.

South Africa’s statistics for rape remain some of the highest in the world. Figures for the number of women killed by their intimate male partners are also amongst the world’s highest. We may ask, with the country’s fourth democratic election imminent, how are political parties proposing to deal with these problems of violence against women?

Its key objectives are:

• To highlight violence against women as an area of policy concern
• To understand political parties’ various positions and responses to the problem of violence against women; and
• To create a space for critical engagement with these various positions

Parties to be represented at this debate include the African National Congress (ANC), Freedom Front Plus, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), United Democratic Movement (UDM), Congress of the People (COPE), Democratic Alliance (DA), Independent Democrats and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP).

Date: 2 April 2009

Time: 11h00 to 13h00

Venue:  Ikhaya Lethemba One Stop Centre to Address Rape and Domestic Violence, 176 Smit Street, corner Melle Braamfontein

Contact Persons: Lisa Vetten, tel: 011 403 8230/4267 or 082 822 6725 or Sally-Jean, tel: 011 429 0000.

For more information on 2009 Elections and Women, click here.