Parents and children to engage on human rights
ALEXANDRA - The culture of human rights is struggling to take root in many families and communities.
The culture of human rights is struggling to take root in many families and communities.
They find it difficult to adopt the culture, especially aspects that are perceived to conflict with cherished practices which undermine gender equality and children’s rights. Experts say this may result from the fear of power erosion, or to adopt change, values and new thinking that challenge comfort zones.
Admittedly, the process to a human rights culture may have flaws, but it is no reason to resist irreversible change which may soon be the norm which resisters may find themselves left behind from. Luckily legal frameworks, institutions and programmes have been devised to promote human rights, regardless of the slow adaptation and related challenges.
One organisation leading this process in Alexandra is Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training (Adapt). They work with victims of gender-based violence and child abuse by providing counselling and therapy to heal the wounds of abuse at home. Adapt will be conducting a workshop on human rights for families and community members as a way to promote unity, respect and cohesion within the family, and subsequently the community. Martina Monyamane of the organisation, said the workshop came about from a recognition at an earlier workshop that family unity as a human rights factor was a way to curb domestic violence. She said the workshop will focus on gender-based violence, children’s rights and responsibilities, and parental care.
“We will focus on the need to change entrenched negative beliefs and practices, and promote the merits of human rights in creating new practices more supportive of family unity,” she said.
“This will include focus on discipline, boundaries and rights versus responsibilities, and help family members assist each other in performing roles traditionally based on gender and age variations.”
Monyamane added that they will also explore ways to entrench mutual respect among family members in order to lessen conflicts due to parents feeling undermined by children who often threaten to report them for assumed child abuse when they [children] fail to perform their responsibilities.
“The conflicts often result in violence meted out by parents as a form of retribution,” she said.
Monyamane invited parents and children to the workshop, which she said would help lay the foundation for a human rights culture in children from an early age. It will be on 6 December at the Alexandra Clinic.
Details: Adapt 011 440 561.
