By Phumla Williams
At this time we remember this month 62 years ago, at the height of apartheid rule, when the powerful voices of some 20 000 women reverberated through the streets of Pretoria they marched in defiance against a brutal regime which sought to use discriminatory pass laws to undermine their dignity.
Their chant “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo” (you strike a woman, you strike a rock) symbolised the courage and strength of these brave women in the fight for freedom and their emancipation of all women.
Amongst those who marched to the Union Buildings was struggle stalwart Mama Albertina Sisulu, whose centenary celebration is observed this year.
During darkest hours she and other women took on the mantle of leadership and stood as a beacon of hope for others. It is in remembrance of her contribution and those of many other women that August 9th was declared National Women's Day in 1995.
The efforts took our country a step further towards building an equal society. We shall always be indebted to them and remain inspired in the fight to make our nation better. It is in the hands of our generation of women to carry Sisulu’s legacy and strive to overcome the challenges we face.
An area that needs urgent attention is abuse against women. It is unacceptable that one in five women have experienced violence at the hands of their partner, and that women are raped and killed.
Breaking the silence about abuse will help set women free from grip of their abusers.
We are also painfully aware of the number of women who stay in abusive relationships because of poverty and financial dependency. The recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics South Africa highlights the dire situation women face.
The rate of unemployment amongst women stood at 29,5 per cent, highest amongst black women at 33.2 per cent followed by coloured women at 12.2 per cent and white women at 7.4 per cent.
During Women’s Month, we call on all women to unite in the fight against economic imbalances and dependency and take their rightful place in society. We should be emboldened by Mama Albertina Sisulu words: “Women are the people who are going to relieve us from all this oppression and depression.”
Women of South Africa should not hesitate to empower themselves through education. There needs to be a collaborative effort from all sectors to open more employment opportunities for women.
Since 1994, the government has made great strides in ensuring that women enjoy equal rights, including better access for girls to schooling, bursaries and training programmes for young women and funding for women entrepreneurs.
Among our programmes is the Bavumile Skills Development Initiative which identifies talents in the arts, crafts and textiles, and clothing sectors while the South African Women Entrepreneurs Network helps support women who want to go into business.
In the spirit of Mama Albertina Sisulu, let us redouble our efforts and continue the fight to protect and advance women.
