Speech by Maxwell Moss on the Debate: "Acknowledgemets and Challenges facing women and Total Emansipation of women"
9 August 2006
IGAMA LAMAKHOSIKAZI, MALIBONGWE. I am privileged to participate in this very important debate and I dedicate my speech to all the women, especially those who are not with us anymore, the stalwarts who have played a big role to our liberation struggle and still to this day, and the ordinary women who have sacrificed their whole lives for our beloved country.
Women are faced with many challenges, as correctly been alluded by the speakers who have spoken before me. When one thinks of the trafficking of women and children, domestic violence, poverty, unemployment, HIV-aids, and many more, it is crystal clear that only the total emancipation of woman in general, is what is needed to overcome all these challenges.
I participated on the 3rd and 4th of this month in the Womens Parliament which was held in the Old Assembly with mostly women and men delegates from all over the country and from all walks of life. The topic under discussion was THE TRAFFICKING OF WOMAN AND CHILDREN, and that is what I want to concentrate on.
The trafficking of children, women and men is in layman terms when people are being lured against their will, without their consent or on false and untrue pretensions. They are been exploited in many ways such as slave labor, for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation, all against their will. Trafficking takes place everywhere, and with all classes of society, but especially the poor and vulnerable.
A case study done on Trafficking in South Africa has revealed that there are no official statistics on the number of persons been trafficked to and from South Africa and across its borders. This makes it difficult to give an accurate overview and determine the extent of the problem and its nature. Furthermore, the majority of known trafficking cases involve women and children who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation.
The trafficking of men in South Africa and across the borders are under reported, because if not all, most Non Governmental Organizations are, in rendering services to victims of trafficking to woman and children only.
One must clearly distinguish between trafficking in persons versus smuggling in persons. Trafficking involves the continued exploitation of the victim, whilst smuggling is the procurement of illegal entry of persons into a state of which that person is not a national or a permanent resident. In this case the territorial integrity of the state is at stake.
The smuggler is usually paid a fee or other reward and his or her involvement with the smuggled person end once illegal entry into the country has been secured. The intention of the smuggler is therefore not to exploit or otherwise subject the smuggled person to abuse of any kind. The South African Law Commission noted that the distinction between trafficking in persons and smuggling in persons is not always clear.
A Trafficking case may start of as smuggling, but once the person has been smuggled into the country of destination, the smuggler may then decide to force him or her to work in the sex industry or another exploitative practice.
Inspite of the fact that the overwhelming majority of the women of our country suffered triple oppression suffered under apartheid laws, because the were black and suffered at home under their husbands, the women of this country have made big achievements, especially since our new democracy after 1994.
Women Day has come and gone. This month of August is the month of the woman and a lot is being done to highlight the many difficult issues faced by woman in South Africa. The plight of women should be highlighted everyday for 356 days of the year. Everyday must be a Womens Day.
IN PARLIAMENT - SENIOR POSITIONS LIKE DP, MINISTERS, DEPUTY MINISTERS SPEAKER & D-SPEAKER & CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES AND WHIPS
IN GOVT DGs & HEADS OF DEPTs, DDGs, CHIEF DIRECTORS & MANY OTHER SNR POSITIONS . & CHAPTER NINE INSTITUTIONS
IN BUSINESS & THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IN SPORTS AND ADMINISTRATION`
