We gather here on this important day, 31 July, which marks the official launch date of the Pan African Women’s Day.
As we meet here we recall the words of President Mandela who once said, “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression.”
This is a significant day. It marks the coming together of women from across the African continent and the Diaspora to launch one association, the Pan African Women’s Organisation.
This historically significant political and social initiative happened 52 years ago at the Conference of African Women in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in 1962. This, amongst others, reconfirms the narrative that African women have and will always be the vanguard of the struggle for both emancipation and the development . No African society can claim to be free until all its women are free. We, in South Africa, have taken concrete steps since 1994 to build the building blocks that ultimately will lead to the total emancipation of women. We have much to be proud of.
August is a special month for both the women and the people of our country. On the 8th of August we remember and celebrate the resilience and vanguard role of our women in fighting institutional racism and apartheid oppression. In the last 20 years of our democracy and freedom, our democratic government, led by the ANC, declared 9 August as a Women’s Day to honour the role of women in the emancipation of South Africa. Accordingly this is an important day in the national calendar. It is not an ordinary public holiday.
This is a day that has its roots in the committed and principled political activism of women who defied their personal circumstances to take up their rightful place in the struggle for freedom. In this regard these courageous bands of women played a role no less important than that of their male counterparts.
This became more apparent when, for instance, in the middle of the dispossession of the 1913 Native Land Act, women stood defiant and refused to carry passes and other forms of permits that restricted their freedom of movement in the country of their birth.
However, it was on 9 August 1956 that more than 20 000 Women of all races, classes, background, languages and political formations marched, to the Union Buildings to, once again, tell a patriarchal and racist government that they reject the pass laws with the contempt they deserve. This marked a turning point in the tone and militancy of our national liberation struggle.
It is now history that the 1956 march was coordinated by the Federation of South African Women (Fedsaw) led by Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams – De Bruyn. We are truly blessed that Ms Williams- De Bruyn is still with us as we tackle the legacy that, in the first place, led to the 1956 march. She is the only surviving member of this resilient group.
As you know the Department of Arts and Culture is the custodian of commemorating and celebrating national days. Accordingly my department, working together with the Department of Arts and Culture will on Saturday, 9 August lead the programme to pay tribute to the thousands of women who marched in 1956. We will acknowledge and recognise these revolutionary pioneers and heroines of our struggle.
Malibongwe Igama Lamakhosikazi!
It is also significant to note that the year 2014 marks 60 years since the signing of the Women’s Charter on 17 April 1954 in Johannesburg.
It is important to note that long before the Freedom Charter, the women of our country defined and articulated a clear vision for a non-sexist society that we have been building, brick by brick, since 1994. This was the case even long before the formation of the oldest liberation movement, the ANC, our women were united in action demanding common action for the removal of all political, legal, economic and social disabilities.
The Women`s Charter of 1954 called for the enfranchisement of men and women of all races (the right to vote and be elected to all state bodies), the right to full opportunities for employment with equal pay and possibilities of promotion in all spheres of work (equal pay for equal work), equal rights in relation to property, land rights, marriage and children; and the removal of all laws and customs that denied women such equality among others.
Significantly, the Women's Charter influenced the 1994 Women's Charter for Effective Equality which marks its 20th anniversary this year. Also, it anchored the fundamentals of the 1999 Constitution.
Our women have always been about moving South Africa forward. We are where we are today largely through their self-sacrifice, principled commitment and dedication to a struggle for a just and equal society.
Coming back to matters at hand and in honour of all women – the living and the dead, the young and the old, the unsung heroines and the celebrated – my department in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), and other government departments will lead the Women’s Day celebrations on 9 August 2014 and a month-long programme of supporting activities.
The National Women’s Day celebrations on August 9 will be held in Kwazulu-Natal, ABSA Stadium from 9h00. The theme for the event is Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Women’s Charter and 20 Years of Freedom: together moving non-racial and non-sexist South Africa forward!
The President of the Republic will deliver the keynote address. And there will be various South African artists featured on the cultural program particularly to honour the resilience of our women.
A rolling calendar which will be accessible through various government websites as from today comprising activities of national, provincial and municipal governments. Some of the key highlights include the following:
On Monday, August 4, the Department of Human Settlement will launch its annual Women’s Built Project. This will see 1956 houses being built in each Province through a partnership between the department and sector stakeholders such as South African Women in Construction.
The Department of Health will launch a cell phone based application (programme) called MOM Connect through which it will register all pregnant women in the country to assist them through pregnancy and child birth. This is an interactive system that will allow communication between the department and pregnant women. It will be launched on August 21.
The month-long activities are linked to four sub-themes which are drawn from the eight aims of the 1954 Women’s Charter, the twelve articles of the 1994 Women’s Charter for Effective Equality and within the context of the 20 years of freedom celebration.
The sub-themes are as follows:
• Equality - Recognising the need to address the historical imbalances between women and men in all spheres of life including the political, civic and social life.
• Non-discrimination and rights - Women’s rights are human rights and include rights to legal status, land, property, inheritance, dignity, and freedom of association.
• Socio-economic empowerment - A focus on women’s education, health, access to productive resources (land, credit, and employment, among others) and social infrastructure.
• Moving the women’s agenda forward - Reviewing progress made on women’s empowerment and gender equality over the 60 year period and charting the road map for women’s advancement, development and a better quality of life.
In line with the mandate of my department, we will continue vigorously to play an oversight role and monitor the status of women in the public sector, civil society and private sector. Accordingly, we will launch the first report on the Status of Women in the country during the next Women’s month in August 2015.
In two year’s time we will celebrate 60 years since the 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings.
We are honoured that we have made important strides in realising the vision of the Women’s Charter. We have come a long way to move the women of our country forward. We know that we have a much longer road to travel fully to realise all our aspirations. Indeed, our society cannot be fully free until all our women are free.
We are determined to utilise the mandate bestowed on us by the President to promote the rights of our women who will remain a top priority in the government’s agenda.
In the last 20 Years of Freedom we are proud to say women now have equal rights before the law which did not exist before 1994. But we will also be the first to admit that many women are affected by crime, poverty, inequality and unemployment. Thus, as a government, we are working hard to pursue a collective programme to resolve some of the challenges. We will work with the private sector and civil society to address these challenges.
There is no better time to make the Women's Charter come alive in our lifetime. We are looking forward to seeing every citizen celebrating the resilience and principled commitment to the struggle to take South Africa forward.
We will shortly light the Torch of Peace which has been moving from one department to another, thus confirming the shared responsibility we have to ensure an environment in which all citizens can enjoy their right to safety and security, as enshrined in our Constitution.
I want to end where I started, our nation will not be free until all our women are safe, free and accorded the respect and dignity they deserve.
Forward with the ideals of the Women's Charter!.
Ngiyabonga
Dankie
For more information contact:
Spokespersons
Ms Kenosi Machepa
Cell: 072 571 2221
Sandile Memela
Cell: 082 800 3750
