Department of Women, Youth and persons with disabilities launches Women's Month
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane launched the 2019 Women’s Month programme under the theme: 25 Years of Democracy: Growing South Africa Together for Women’s Emancipation.
The theme is a call to South Africa to reflect on the country’s success in achieving gender equality and mainstreaming the gender agenda across all sectors, from the arts, to sport, politics, the economy, health, land ownership, entrepreneurship, and gender dynamics. The theme also calls on South Africans to break gender stereotypes and remove barriers that seek to serve misogynistic interests.
Journalists and Media organisations engaged with development partners of the department to better understand the department’s mandate in serving the interests of women, youth and persons with disabilities through partnerships. During Women’s Month the department, together with whole of government, will host events that elevate the achievements of South Africa in achieving gender equality. Women’s Month also elevates the plight of women, young women, and women with disabilities who face compounded discrimination due to their gender, class politics, and economic status.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane stressed that Women’s Month was not only a month for government to celebrate women and launch programmes that would benefit women. She encouraged the media, business, and civil society to expose gender inequalities and to ensure that no space in South Africa tolerates any form of discrimination based on gender. “Government alone cannot lift up women because inequalities exist in all four corners of this country. This must be a collective effort,” she added. Women’s Month gives South Africa the space to showcase work that continues year-round in emancipating women and challenging inequalities with a united voice.
The department presented on four broad areas, encouraging the media to explore these themes during the month. The first week’s focus is on the 65th Anniversary of the Women’s Charter, including government’s priorities in addressing what women want, e.g. economic empowerment, eradication of gender-based violence, elimination of pay gaps for equal work etc. Week Two focuses on young women and women with disabilities. Week Three focuses on advancing the rights of women with disabilities. The department encourages the media and civil society to look at universal design and access and reasonable accommodation for women with disabilities. During Week four the focus turns to activities that seek to develop action plans to mainstream the needs of women, young women and women with disabilities. Activities would look back over the past 25 years reflecting on the country’s achievements and setbacks in attaining gender equality and women’s emancipation.
Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Resident Coordinator: United Nations reminded South Africa that our fight for the total emancipation of women, youth and persons with disabilities is guided by global, continental and regional instruments. This includes the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, Resolution 1325 on women and peace and security, and the AU Maputo Protocol. As South Africa moves towards 2020, our Beijing + 25 Report will reflect on our achievements as a country and is a key reporting tool to reflect the human rights-centric approach of government.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane also announced that National Women’s Day (09 August) would take place in Vryburg, North West Province, where President Cyril Ramaphosa would deliver the keynote address. Minister also stressed that our solutions must take into account intersectionalities of discrimination linked to sexual identity and socio-economic situations.
Government’s call to action under the hashtag #WHATWOMENWANT aims to get women talking about the real issues they face through traditional and social media platforms. The campaign seeks to get a diversity of voices to express their vison of an equal society, and one that does not discriminate on the basis of gender. South Africans are encouraged to use this hashtag to introduce South Africa to inspirational women who are making a difference every day in their communities.
The department calls on South Africa to celebrate our achievements and rejuvenate efforts to eliminate inequalities based on gender.
Media enquiries:
Shalen Gajadhar
Cell: 060 979 4235
Email: shalen.gajadhar@women.gov.za
