In societies where religion predominates, it is pivotal that faith-based organisations play their part in eradicating gender-based violence and femicide - and face resistance and possibly alienation in response to the call for gender equality that will threaten to shake the foundations of patriarchal religious traditions, writes Joanne Joseph.
Many women and children in particular, who fall victim to heinous crimes committed against them precisely because of their gender or age, ultimately abandon their quest for justice because they do not believe that authorities either care enough or are able to deliver such justice.
The government can change laws as often as society demands, but only societal accountability will end gender-based violence and femicide, says justice minister Ronald Lamola.