The 16 days of activism campaign for no violence against women and children needs to adjust its focus to boys and men, Gauteng community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the official campaign launch in Reiger Park on the East Rand, she said citizens needed to make sure boys were taught correctly.
"We must make sure we teach our boys."
She said communities needed to encourage people to speak out about abuse instead of remaining silent.
"All of us need to make sure we intervene. Peace in the world begins at home."
Most abuse incidents occurred behind closed doors and women and men needed to take good care of their children.
Nkosi-Malobane was speaking on behalf of Gauteng premier David Makhura who could not attend.
President Jacob Zuma was expected to address the gathering later in the day.
The campaign is held once a year to help prevent violence against women and children.
Recently three-year-old Cuburne Lavone van Wyk went missing, and his burnt body was found at a mine dump in Ramaphosa, Reiger Park.
A man was arrested and is due in court again in December.
Ten-year-old Siphamandla Madikane, from the Ramaphosa settlement, was found by a passer-by also at a mine dump in November last year.
Four-year-old Taegrin Morris from Delmore Gardens, near Reiger Park, died after his parents' car was hijacked.
He got stuck in the seatbelt and was dragged along the road and later found dead.
Earlier in November, the Boksburg Magistrate's Court withdrew all charges against Thamsanqa Twala, who had been accused of involvement in the death of the child, infuriating the community.
On Monday Makhura and a team of representatives of various departments met residents to discuss ways of dealing with the problems they faced.
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