Daily Sun: A Placard for Protection by Alfred Ndhlovu, Infinite Family Net Buddy Alum

On the 9th of August 1956, 20 000 women in South Africa stood up to protest for their rights which were suppressedby the Apartheid Laws. They marched to the Union Building in Pretoria to protest against the legislations aimed attightening the apartheid government’s control over the movement of black women in urban areas. The whole aimof the march

was actually to seek attention from the officials to raise their concerns. 64 years later, women and children of thiscountry are raising their placards for protection from an epidemic that has emerged in this country, which is the GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (GBV). A lot of women and children have been raped, some have lost their lives, others are living in fear and others are living with bruises caused by the men who were supposed to protect them. A lot ofwomen are raising their placards for protection against those men who abuse them behind closed doors, who usetheir fists on them, and a lot of women are raising their placards for protection for those voiceless women who areunable to open those closed doors, who are trapped, crying, behind them. A lot of women are raising their placards in defence of those who lost their lives through GBV.

To all men out there, before you decide to use your fist on our sisters, think of the life she still needs to serve,think of the child/children she needs to raise. Think of a bright future she once shared with you in good times andbefore you decide to end her life, think of her wishes that she needs to pursue or accomplish. Before you decide toharm this innocent child, think of the trauma that you are going to inflict on him/her and above all, before you decide to kill this innocent child, look at him/ her in a parental perspective and tell me if you wouldn’t love or wish to have such a precious daughter/son.

Today, I urge all men out there who are both responsible and not responsible for this epidemic to now clean outtheir ears and listen to the concerns of our mothers, sisters and children of this wonderful nation and be preparedto wipe their tears in deep pain. Let’s all stand up in fighting against this Gender Based Violence epidemic. Let us bethe ones who unfold the fists of the abusers in this country by providing words of peace. Let us all take an initiativeto ask the abusers to drop their weapons that were aimed to our innocent mothers, sisters and children of this wonderful country and let us all raise the flag to say

#HUMANLIVESMATTERS in all racial context, because this epidemic is not classified by race, but accommodates and involves all.

Now it’s about time for all of us to stand up and fight  Gender Based Violence together rather than undermining therights of every human to live. I urge all men in this country to start being the protectors of our women and childrenrather than be the monsters to those who seek for protection. May God Bless South Africa and her Children……I Thank You.