Artists collaborate in song against GBV

Chris Theko

With the surging numbers of Gender based Violence (GBV) cases in the country, a number of artists have decided to use their voices to speak against the battle faced by women and children. 

A song titled â€˜Emisang’ featuring Kot Inferno, Lemekoane and Tsebo Phakisi was released on October 26, 2021 along with the initiative supported by The Hub, Morija and could not have come at a better time.

‘Emisang’ is not just a song but a poetic call for all Basotho to stand up to reverse the status quo of widespread gender based violence and breathe the new meaning into ‘Khotso, Pula, Nala’ (peace, rain and prosperity) by creating a Lesotho where men and women live in harmony, peace and mutual respect.

The Hub with its mandate as a creative technology lab that seeks to take a creative, collaborative and participatory approach to raising awareness and seeking solutions on social issues has always utilised its resources to intensify efforts to fight increasing numbers of women in Lesotho losing their lives at the hands of men. 

According to the United Nations Women, 243 million women and girls worldwide were abused by their partners in the past year alone. In Lesotho it is said that one in three women and girls have experienced one form of GBV in their lives. 

In an interview with this publication, Rapper Kot Inferno said that people needed to stand together in the fight against GBV as it affects all.

“It is not just physical abuse, there is emotional and mental and they are all equal and all faced by women.

“We should all come together to use our resources and positions in society to curb abuse. Women suffer a lot and it seems that now children are also making large numbers of GBV. When children grow up in a violent environment, they inherit it and later pass it on to their friends,” the rapper said.

With the song, it is The Hub’s aim that a positive debate and discussions would be sparked to bring an end to gender based violence as well as femicide in Lesotho.

‘Emisang’ was produced by Taks-beats, with Tsebo Phakisi who is a poet passing on the strong message of hope towards the end.

The scenic video to the song is out and was shot by Sehlabaka Rampeta in collaboration with The Hub.

It was sponsored by Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa and Glasswaters Foundation.