Johnathan Paoli
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for more to be done in combating gender inequality in the country, despite the achievements made over the last three decades.
President Ramaphosa delivered an address at the National Women’s Day commemoration at the Denis Nel Stadium in the Khâi-Ma Municipality in Pofadder, Namakwa District, Northern Cape; under the theme “Celebrating 30 Years of Freedom Towards Women’s Development”.
“Over 30 years, through the struggles of women, we have done much to improve the status and circumstances of South African women,” he said.
The president outlined some of the transformative milestones the democratic dispensation has achieved in its attempt to undo the legacies of apartheid, including: rights and freedoms under the constitution, progressive legislation, representation in parliament, executive and the judiciary, and positions within the workforce.
He welcomed the millions of South African women who are supported every month with social grants, one of the highest rates of female literacy in the region and the improved parity between girls and boys in the school environment.
Ramaphosa said that currently 66% of participants in the President Employment Stimulus are women and that young women make up the majority of students in higher education institutions.
He acknowledged the need for more to be done and said women must take their rightful place as active participants in the economy.
The president praised the launching of the Women’s Economic Assembly and confirmed that through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, approximately 8000 women have been trained to establish and manage businesses.
“With funding from government and development finance institutions, we are increasing the support provided to women-owned enterprises,” he said.
However, Ramaphosa said the scourge of violence against women and children was not only a betrayal of the constitution but one of the most important obstacles to the transformation agenda.
He said the National Strategic Plan was a vehicle for introducing new legislation that protects survivors of gender based violence, improve the response of the police and ensure harsher sentences for perpetrators.
Ramaphosa highlighted a national survey on GBV prevalence in the country by the Human Sciences Research Council which found that around 7% of women aged between 18 and upwards experienced physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months.
The report found that 13% of women in intimate relationships reported experiencing economic abuse at the hands of their partner.
The president called on the men of the country to change their behaviour, attitudes and take responsibility for their actions.
“That is why we today call on all South African men to make a pledge to be part of the solution. If we are to end gender-based violence, we must work together as a society,” Ramaphosa said.
August 9 is a national holiday commemorating the historic march of approximately 20,000 women to the Union Buildings in 1956 to petition against proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act of 1950, referred to as the “pass laws”.
Pass laws required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a passbook, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manage migrant labour during the apartheid era.
The women marchers, consisting of women from all racial groups and all walks of life, handed over a petition, containing over 100 000 signatures, despite the marked absence of the then Prime Minister J.G Strydom.
Prominent leaders included Lilian Ngoyi, Amina Cachalia, Sophia Williams, Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph.
After the handing over, the women sang a historic protest song “Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo!” that has become a motto for the strength and courage of women across the country.
The first National Women’s Day was celebrated on 9 August 1995, instituted under former president Nelson Mandela and the first democratic administration.
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