Candle Lighting Message at SADTU 9th National Congress by Vice President for Gender, Dorcus Sekabate
Candle lighting
The objectives for this candle lighting
- To honor the memory of those we lost because of GBV and to honor the memories of our colleagues who died on the line duty
- To raise awareness and encourage comrades to speak out and take a stand against GBV
- To show support to those who are the victims of GBV and lost loved ones because of GBV
- To honor the memory of those we lost because of AIDS and to show support to those infected and affected by HIV
A. CANDLE 1: RED
This candle represent love to those who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Let’s show and give them love because to some that is the only thing they need. Lets rekindle hope and faith in their lives. Let’s live our lives responsibly. Those who are faithful please remain faithful, it’s the right thing to do. To those who can’t abstain nor have single partners please condomise ALL the times.
B. CANDLE 2: WHITE
This candle comes with the following message:
1. Fighting for rights
It is no use that only women take a stand against femicide. You don’t have to be black to fight racism, you don’t have to be a homosexual to fight homophobia nor do you have to be living with disabilities to fight for the rights of people living with disabilities, you don’t have to be a woman to fight for equality and women’s rights. Let’s join hands, men and women and fight this scourge that is destroying our future.
2. Abuse of children in our schools
The future of girls and boys can’t be destroyed by us who are entrusted with the responsibility to educate and take care of them. No sensible man/woman can have sex with her/his child not even animals do that. Let’s protect our children especially girl children from sexual abuse. Comrades let’s stand up as a union and say no relationships between learners and educators. Let’s say no to corporal punishment. Violence breeds violence. Let’s expose those amongst us who are turning our children into sex objects.
3. Killing of our women and children
We need an army of men and women to raise sons to see women as equals and partners. As we raise boys we must teach them about respect, responsibility about equality. Let us teach them that a no is a no even if you are my partner. Lets teach them that there is more to a woman than her body and looks. Equally let’s teach girls that their bodies are their precious assets and they belong to them and no one has a right to them except themselves. They must know it is very expensive and it can’t be quantified by money. They must never find themselves in a position where they auction it to the highest bidder. Let’s teach them self love.
4. Enough is enough
When an innocent child gets hit in a crossfire and her lifeless body is found still with her skipping rope or still in her uniform and full of blood. we all need to look at ourselves and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. LETS TAKE A FIRM STAND AGAINST GBV.
- WE SAY NO TO THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF OUR LEARNERS AT SCHOOLS AND AT UNIVERSITIES
- WE SAY NO HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF OUR CHILDREN
- WAY SAY NO TO THE ABUSE AND KILLING OF TEACHERS. TEACHERS ARE AN ASSET TO THE NATION AND THEY MUST BE PROTECTED. PLEASE
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!!