LETTER: SA still has a long way to go to bridge the gap between men and women

On August 9 we celebrated Women’s Day, where we remember the strong and courageous women of 1956 who took it upon themselves to march to the Union Buildings to fight against a system that intended to control and lessen them as inactive members of society. Their bravery and sacrifice paved a way for us to live in a society where we are not defined by our gender.

Though a lot has been done to bridge the gap between men and women, we still have a long way to go. Women and children continue to suffer social ills from unemployment, domestic violence and workplace inequality. According to the 2018 Grant Thornton International Business Report, women still lag their male counterparts in business. It shows that though almost one-third (29%) of senior roles in SA are now filled by women, one in five local businesses (20%) still have no women in senior positions

This year’s presidential keynote address was delivered under the theme The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Realising Women’s Rights. We need to ask ourselves a question: were Mama Charlotte Maxeke alive, what would she say? Would she be happy with the progress we as a country have made to protect women? In his keynote address President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “Let us together raise a new generation of men and women who understand that the rights and freedoms guaranteed by our constitution belong to all, men and women alike.”

This Women’s month I acknowledge the young remarkable women who are in the forefront fighting against gender-based violence, unemployment and inequality in the workplace, for better education and better service delivery for all.  We celebrate you — despite the struggles you continue to break walls each day to fight to be heard. 

Zamansele Mhlambi, Pretoria

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