Ukuphathwa Kwabesifazane Ngobudlova—Inkinga Yomhlaba Wonke
U-NOVEMBER 25 uwuSuku Lomhlaba Wonke Lokuqedwa Kobudlova Obenziwa Kwabesifazane. Lolu suku lwamukelwa ngokomthetho uMkhandlu-jikelele weZizwe Ezihlangene ngo-1999, ukuze kuxwayiswe umphakathi ngokwephulwa kwamalungelo abesifazane. Kungani lesi sinyathelo kwabonakala sidingeka?
Emiphakathini eminingi abesifazane babhekwa futhi baphathwe njengezakhamuzi eziphansi noma ezingelutho. Ukucwaswa kwabo kujule kakhulu. Ukuphathwa kwabo ngobudlova ngazo zonke izindlela kuyinkinga eqhubekayo, ngisho nasemazweni okuthiwa asethuthukile. Ngokwalowo owayenguNobhala-jikelele we-UN uKofi Annan, “ukuphathwa kwabesifazane ngobudlova kusemhlabeni wonke, futhi kwenzeka kuyo yonke imiphakathi namasiko. Kuthinta abesifazane kungakhathaliseki uhlanga lwabo, ubuzwe, isizinda sabo sezenhlalo, uzalo noma esinye isikhundla okungenzeka banaso.”
URadhika Coomaraswamy, owayenguMhlaziyi Okhethekile Wemibiko yeKhomishane Yamalungelo Abantu ye-UN ephathelene nokuphathwa kwabesifazane ngobudlova uthi kwabesifazane abaningi, ukuphathwa ngobudlova “kuyindaba eyihlazo, okungashiwo lutho ngayo emphakathini futhi eyiqiniso lokuphila elihlazisayo.” Izibalo ezakhishwa yinhlangano ehlaziya ukuziphatha kwezisulu (victimology) eHolland zibonisa ukuthi abesifazane abangamaphesenti angu-23 ezweni elithile laseNingizimu Melika, noma cishe oyedwa kwabane, babhekana nohlobo oluthile lobudlova ekhaya. Ngokufanayo, uMkhandlu WaseYurophu ulinganisela ukuthi owesifazane oyedwa kwabane eYurophu uphathwa ngobudlova ekhaya esikhathini esithile sokuphila kwakhe. NgokoMnyango Wezangaphakathi eBrithani, eNgilandi naseWales, kulinganiselwa ukuthi onyakeni othile wamuva, kwabulawa abesifazane abangaba babili isonto ngalinye bebulawa abantu abathandana nabo noma ababethandana nabo. Umagazini i-India Today International wabika ukuthi “abesifazane kulo lonke elaseNdiya baphila ngokwesaba futhi bangase badlwengulwe noma kuphi, kunoma imuphi umgwaqo, indawo yomphakathi nanganoma isiphi isikhathi.” I-Amnesty International ichaza ukuthi ukuphathwa ngobudlova kwabesifazane namantombazane “kuyinkinga ephathelene namalungelo abantu esakazeke kakhulu kunazo zonke” namuhla.
Ingabe izibalo ezishiwo ngenhla ziveza umbono kaNkulunkulu ngabesifazane? Lo mbuzo uzohlaziywa esihlokweni esilandelayo.