Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane observes Pan-African Women’s Day
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities joins the rest of Africa today to celebrate Pan-African Women’s day under the theme: “Towards the African Women’s Decade: Realizing Women’s Human Capital through accelerated social and economic development, addressing the scourge of violence, food insecurity and good nutrition on the African continent.”
2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the Pan-African Women’s Organisation (PAWO). PAWO is Africa’s first collective women’s organization, which has contributed to the struggle for the continent’s liberation from colonialism, the elimination of apartheid and the eradication of gender inequalities, discrimination and injustices against women.
“Pan African Women’s Day presents us with yet another opportunity to reflect if we are on the right path to empower African women financially and economically,” said the Minister.
With this new decade focusing on the financial and economic inclusion of African women, the African Union has demonstrated its political willingness to significantly improve women’s access to the financial and economic sectors, to increase opportunities for African women and girls’ entrepreneurs and to reinforce their inclusion in the workplace.
PAWO contributes to the new decade by increasing the contribution of African women to the development of the continent that adds to the growth and transformation of the continent, especially at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the economies of the continent.
Addressing the theme of the year the Minister stated that hunger and poverty combined with inequality, climate shocks and tensions over land and resources tend to spark and drive conflict.
“Conflict forces people to leave their homes, land and jobs. It disrupts agriculture and trade, reduces access to vital resources like water and electricity, and so drives hunger and famine. We must do everything we can to end this vicious cycle. Addressing hunger is a foundation for stability and peace,” said the Minister.
“While climate change, environmental crisis and disasters affect women disproportionately, they are also agents of change leading in the search for sustainable solutions. We therefore need to affirm and ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership of women in all these areas.”
In the same breath, Minister stated that Government, recognised the need to join hands to deal with GBVF and hence as the collective established the National Strategic Plan (NSP) to respond to this pandemic.
“In addition, in February 2022 President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the signing into law of the three GBVF laws. These three Amendment Acts (Sexual Offences; Domestic Violence; and Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Acts) are part of a package of interventions committed to by the President in 2019.
Our major concern is that even as we implement the NSP and the 3 GBVF laws, violence against women and girls continues to rear its ugly head. It is therefore against this background that the emancipation of women in the economic sector is a key pillar of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. By improving economic circumstances of women, we are reducing their vulnerability to abuse and violence.
The Minister concluded by saying women empowerment has been part of the global agenda that has been breaking new ground in recent years.
“Empowerment of women forms an integral part for socio-economic development of our countries. Apart from being underrepresented in almost every part of the economy, women in South Africa are virtually absent as owners in key industries; such as energy, mining, agriculture and steel.”
“They are still underrepresented in boardrooms and in the corridors of power. Economic empowerment of women requires fundamental social transformation, in which every sector and every citizen must be involved,” concluded the Minister.
Happy Pan African Women’s Day!!
