By ‘Majirata Latela
Despite the loud cry of activists, associations and organisations fighting for the rights of women and children, Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) show that husbands who are supposed to be protecting their wives continue to be their killers.
In this week’s police reports, LMPS public relations officer, Senior Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said on November 25 this year in the Thaba Tseka a 33-year old man of Tšieng is in police custody for allegedly killing his 24-year old wife.
The police reported that during the night, the suspect allegedly beat his wife with a big stick around 22:00pm.
“After beating her, they both went to bed and around 3:00hours, the suspect realised that the wife was dead. He reported the matter to one local government councillor and fled the scene.
“The main cause in the matter is reported to be that the killer suspected that his wife is cheating on him. The suspect shows that the wife received a call from the man she was cheating on but she did not pick the call.
“The suspect took the contacts and made the call. When a man answered the phone, he suspected that his wife was cheating on him and went home to beat the wife to death,” Mopeli said.
He further said the man handed himself to the police on November 28. The suspect is said to be doing this while he is still out of jail on bail. The suspect was arrested with other three men in 2015 for killing Malimatle Jabaru who was a public transport driver.
Mopeli indicated that the suspect is also reported to have – in one incidence- beaten his parents who he accused of not bowing to his demands. The parents failed to report the attack to the police.
In another instance, Mopeli says the suspect is also linked to a case of theft of farming equipment among from the community members. The property was found at his home.
The co-accused who is also a friend to the suspect in the murder of Jabaru, Seipati Beleme this year in January was also charged with the murder of his wife whom he stabbed with a sharp object.
The police pleaded with the nation to report criminal incidents so that perpetrators could be apprehended. The warned men to stop killing their wives but instead protect them.
In her remarks, in marking the sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV) She-Hive treasurer, ‘Mampai Lebeko, said there is a programme called Men Engage where men are advised to engage more against gender based violence.
Lebeko was adamant that education to encourage men to campaign against the violence meted out against women and children.
“Men usually remain mum about being abused and instead resort to fend their anger on women,” Lebeko said.
In his speech on the commemoration of 16 days of activism against gender based violence, António Guterres said nearly one in three women have been abused in their lifetime.
He said in times of crises, the numbers rise, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent humanitarian crisis, conflicts and climate disasters.
A new report from UN Women, based on data from 13 countries since the start of the pandemic, shows that two in three women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence and are more likely to face food insecurity. Only 1 in 10 women said that victims would go to the police for help.
“While pervasive, gender-based violence is not inevitable. It can and must be prevented. Stopping this violence starts with believing survivors, adopting comprehensive and inclusive approaches that tackle the root causes, transform harmful social norms, and empower women and girls.
“With survivor-centred essential services across policing, justice, health, and social sectors, and sufficient financing for the women’s rights agenda, we can end gender-based violence.
“The Generation Equality Forum that concluded in Paris in July set the momentum for decisive actions and investment to advance gender equality. The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, the only global grant-making mechanism dedicated to ending and preventing all forms of violence against women, has announced a special fundraising challenge, #Give25forUNTF25 marking 25 years of grant-making to support women’s organizations around the world,” he said.
The 16 days of activism against GBV are commemorated each year from November 25 to December 10. This year’s theme for the commemoration is “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”
In a statement by the Sothern African Development Community, Executive Secretary, Elias Mpedi Magosi, on the occasion of the 2021 Commemoration of the 16 Days he said this year’s theme calls for immediate action to end violence against women and girls.
“Efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls have been, and continue to be pivotal to the SADC regional integration and development agenda by addressing gender-based violence,
“This year’s theme complements SADC’s on-going efforts and commitment expressed in the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development that calls for the development of strategies to prevent and eliminate all harmful social and cultural practices,
“The SADC Strategy and Framework of Action on Addressing GBV (2018-2030) also provides for the prevention and early identification of GBV. At strategic level, the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and the SADC Vision 2050 have made clear provisions and interventions for enhanced gender equality as well as women’s empowerment and development, and elimination of gender-based violence,” Magosi said.
He added that there is lack of consistent and sustained GBV prevention programmes and lack of reliable, timely and accessible data on GBV to inform targeted programmes in the Region. This he said has been revealed by the 2018 Regional Comprehensive GBV Study.
He further showed that SADC Secretariat commits to continue to engage and build capacity of Member States to promote effective GBV prevention interventions and strategies.
