LETTER: Condemn Naledi Pandor’s silence about women
It is high time rape deniers face the truth: women in Iran and Israel have been subject to sexualised assault
10 March 2024 - 13:58
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International relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor. Picture: DIRCO
International Women’s Day was commemorated on March 8 under the banner “Inspire Inclusion”, a noble theme that sadly is not universally accepted. This is particularly evident in SA, which is plagued by a distressing history of gender-based violence, highlighted by the shocking statistics of rapes and assaults on the country’s women.
Iran, under the rule of a theocratic regime, perpetuates suppression of women’s rights, allowing girls as young as 13 years to marry. That regime’s brutality is highlighted by the implementation of cruel punishments such as public executions and blinding of one eye under retribution laws.
Yet despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s rhetoric on gender-based violence, SA has heard little from prominent women in his government on the plight of women in Iran. International relations minister Naledi Pandor even travelled to Tehran in October and met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign affairs minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to discuss matters of “mutual bilateral interest”.
The silence of Pandor and the ANC Women’s League in the face of the brutality of the ayatollahs highlights a concerning lack of action on pressing global human rights issues in general. After all, when handing over her report at UN headquarters the same week that International Women’s Day is marked, Pramila Patten, the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, confirmed that there was “clear and convincing information and evidence that sexual violence, including rape, sexualised torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” was committed against Israeli women on October 7. There are “reasonable grounds” that this abuse is ongoing against Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
After five months of near denial by the “#MeToo” movement, which morphed into #MeTooUnlessYou’reAJew”, it is high time these well-known sceptics and deniers face the truth they have avoided all this time.
Allan Wolman Tel Aviv, Israel
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Condemn Naledi Pandor’s silence about women
It is high time rape deniers face the truth: women in Iran and Israel have been subject to sexualised assault
International Women’s Day was commemorated on March 8 under the banner “Inspire Inclusion”, a noble theme that sadly is not universally accepted. This is particularly evident in SA, which is plagued by a distressing history of gender-based violence, highlighted by the shocking statistics of rapes and assaults on the country’s women.
Iran, under the rule of a theocratic regime, perpetuates suppression of women’s rights, allowing girls as young as 13 years to marry. That regime’s brutality is highlighted by the implementation of cruel punishments such as public executions and blinding of one eye under retribution laws.
Yet despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s rhetoric on gender-based violence, SA has heard little from prominent women in his government on the plight of women in Iran. International relations minister Naledi Pandor even travelled to Tehran in October and met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign affairs minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to discuss matters of “mutual bilateral interest”.
The silence of Pandor and the ANC Women’s League in the face of the brutality of the ayatollahs highlights a concerning lack of action on pressing global human rights issues in general. After all, when handing over her report at UN headquarters the same week that International Women’s Day is marked, Pramila Patten, the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, confirmed that there was “clear and convincing information and evidence that sexual violence, including rape, sexualised torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” was committed against Israeli women on October 7. There are “reasonable grounds” that this abuse is ongoing against Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
After five months of near denial by the “#MeToo” movement, which morphed into #MeTooUnlessYou’reAJew”, it is high time these well-known sceptics and deniers face the truth they have avoided all this time.
Allan Wolman
Tel Aviv, Israel
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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