This year, South Africa commemorates the 55th anniversary of the historic 9 August 1956 Women’s March. More than 20 000 women from all walks of life marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against racial segregation and the discriminatory pass laws.
It is during this month that Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) will take stock of the challenges that persist in attaining women’s empowerment and gender equality.
On 9 August, Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, accompanied by her colleagues in government will visit the service delivery exhibition stalls at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Some of the services on offer will include health screenings, HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT), Home Affairs and South African Social Security Agency services.
Mokonyane will later deliver a keynote address and launch the Gauteng Policy Framework on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.
This year’s Women’s Month programme is held under the theme: “Working together to enhance women’s opportunities to economic empowerment.”
On 11 August, GPG will host a Business Opportunities Summit for women. The summit will create a platform for women to share information with other women in business.
Special focus will be on how the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (GEDA) can assist companies in unlocking and exposing business opportunities for women who are interested in doing business outside of South Africa through networks and other initiatives.
It will also serve as an information sharing session on business opportunities and mentorship for female youth-owned companies and companies owned by women with disabilities.
In promoting no violence against women and children, a campaign to reclaim the streets of Kwa-Thema has been organised on 19 August. The campaign will focus on gender-based violence including the rape and killing of two lesbians in the area.On the day, Mokonyane will unveil memorial stones and lay wreaths where the two were killed.
Furthermore, the provincial government will host five regional women izimbizo targeting rural women. The izimbizo will take place as follows:
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Bronkhorstspruit - Tshwane
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Devon - Ekurhuleni
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Tarleton - West Rand
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Zandspruit - Johannesburg
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Polokong - Sedibeng
The meetings will focus on dealing with day to day issues affecting women and their development and empowerment. This will form part of the build-up towards the provincial meeting on rural development in October.
On 26 to 27 August, a conference to advance opportunities for girl learners in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sector will be held in Johannesburg at Sci-Bono. The conference’s objective is to expose girl learners from disadvantaged background to these fields.
Following a Young Women’s Dialogue in June, Gauteng will host a young women development and empowerment seminar at the Riverside Conference Centre in the Vaal on 30 August. The programme seeks to engage young women on their own advancement with the support of mentorship and coaching from experienced women.
Another major focus during this year’s Women’s Month is the promotion of women’s health, including reproductive health rights.
The promotion of women’s health will ensure heightened interventions on HIV, Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign to mobilise women to know their status. It will also encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics as early as possible to reduce incidences of maternal and infant mortality.
However, the government has become more proactive on maternal and child health, especially with regards to HIV and Aids. The country’s new universal approach to HIV states that all pregnant women living with HIV must be treated with anti-retroviral when their CD4 count drops below 350. Also, prevention of mother to child transmission now starts at 14 weeks gestation instead of 28 weeks as previously practiced.
Enquiries:
Xoli Mgambi
Cell: 082 884 6299
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
