Programme Director, Ms Leanne Manas,
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Michael Masutha,
Deputy Minister of Police, Ms Makhotso Sotyu,
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa,
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology, Dr Ngcobo,
Ambassador of China, His Excellency, Mr Xuejun,
High Commissioner Republic of Kenya, His Excellency, Mr Amolo,
High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency, Mr Kapewasha,
Ambassador of France, His Excellency, Mr Brochenin,
Ambassador of Russian Federation, His Excellency, Mr Petrakov,
High Commissioner of Republic of Mozambique, His Excellency, Mr Fazenda,
Keynote Speaker for the evening, Prof C Potgieter,
Representatives of the Sponsors of the Women in Science Awards,
2013 Women in Science nominees,
Ladies and gentlemen.
With all these foreign dignitaries present here tonight a think it may be useful to recall that a very famous call in the liberation of South Africa was: "wathint’ abafazi wathint’ imbokodo" - "you strike a woman, you strike a rock".
The call continues to resonate with democrats who realise that none are free until all are free.
The Women in Science Awards are always a special event. They are a celebration of the achievements of Women in Science, and they are a reminder that we will not realise the full scientific potential of our country until all our budding scientists (and tonight we are particularly conscious of our women scientists) are able to enjoy access to quality facilities and education.
But tonight’s awards are distinctive in two additional ways. Firstly, tonight is the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the awards. In those ten years, they’ve become deeply embedded in the fabric of Women’s Month, helping to mark the critical importance of gender equality. I have had the honour of attending these Awards over the last eight years and have seen the event growing in stature and also heard many inspirational anecdotes of women who refused to give up on their dreams; women who knew that their place was wherever they wanted it to be.
In addition, the awards have always been a signal to a patriarchal society that the harnessing of ‘woman power’ significantly enhances South Africa’s ability to produce superior intellectual assets and, therefore, to build the knowledge-based economy that is our national priority.
I’m delighted that this tenth anniversary also marks the moment in which the awards pro-actively harness woman power in eliminating and preventing violence against women and girls. Violence against women and girls is the focus of the 2013 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and, in aligning tonight’s theme with it, we ask the question: What is the role of science and research in addressing violence against women?
Tonight we also provide part of the answer to that question. Because 2013 is one of the years in which we award achievements in the Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, we have introduced a special award category that celebrates women whose research and innovation will help to eliminate violence against women.
However, the Women in Science Awards also make a more subtle contribution. They make having a dream permissible. Far too many girls are told or are allowed to assume that their dreams are irrelevant.
Africa’s patriarchal traditions exacerbate the problem. Even so, many women have refused to be deprived of their life vision and, as a result, have often led the way in the rebuilding of South African society. A remarkable number of them are now heading up international institutions that are focused on transformation all over the world.
For instance, Mrs Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who was the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President of South Africa and, at the time, was the highest ranking woman in the history of the country, was last month appointed as an Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who has held a number of cabinet positions since 1994, was last year elected by the African Union Commission as its chairperson, making her the first woman to lead the organisation. Her appointment really does signal the formal end of African patriarchal traditions!
And then there’s Professor Tebello Nyokong, named in 2011 by the Royal Society in Chemistry and the Pan African Chemistry Network as one of their Distinguished Women in Chemistry. Last year she was included in the National Centre for Research on Human Evolution, located in Spain, as one of its 13 Names to Change the World.
Susan Anthony,a prominent, 19th century American civil rights leader once said “The day will come when men will recognise woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race.” I believe that day is here.
In considering why women like these succeed when others don’t, I am aware of the often heroic personal drive and determination of these scientists and leaders that just won’t let dreams die.
And this is where I believe the Women in Science Awards play a role in diminishing violence against women. They ensure that the fire of success lit by all determined, driven women burns brighter and spreads faster. In practical terms, the awards do this by inviting winners and finalists to participate in science awareness campaigns so that young people, particularly, can see role models in action.
At a more fundamental level, being public, the awards make it difficult to commit the intellectual violence of stealing women’s dreams; of stifling their drive and forcing their determination to be used for surviving abuse.
The women I’ve mentioned tonight haven’t succeeded because men allowed them to. Their personal priorities left them no choice but to persist until the barriers collapsed.
But, most women and girls need to be told that their dreams are important. Not just for themselves, but for all the people who will benefit from their vision. The Women in Science Awards are one way of telling them that. And, your support for these awards, ladies and gentlemen, makes the message louder and clearer.
I thank you for that.
Malibongwe!!!
