While many recognise the vital historical role that took place on 9 August 1956, some say the plight of today’s women shouldn’t only be nationally amplified during women’s month.
JOHANNESBURG – As the country marks 65 years since the historic 1956 march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, many South African women say there is little reason to celebrate.
Thousands marched to the seat of government on this day 65 years ago demanding that then-prime minister JG Strijdom revoke the pass laws.
Decades later, many women and girls continue to fight for their human rights and wellbeing on a daily basis.
The emergence of COVID-19 has further exposed pre-existing gender inequality and discrimination.
The womens march on 9 August remains one of the most iconic moments in South African history.
While many recognise the vital historical role, some say the plight of today’s women shouldn’t only be nationally amplified during women’s month.
They know that women need so much protection and when Womens Month comes along, they say all the right things but no action takes place, one woman said. While another said: Whats life without women? We run everything, we run the world.
Womens Day is also taking place during a time when the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic with millions of lives lost.
The UN said women and girls were facing disproportionate impacts with far reaching consequences in employment, health and education while hard-fought gains for womens rights are also under threat.
REMEMBERING THE WOMEN OF 1956
The Ahmed Kathrada and the Dr Sophie Williams de Bruyn foundations have remembered the iconic women who led the 1956 march against apartheid pass laws.
The organisations have paid tribute to the generations of women whose struggles laid the foundations for the democratic era.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation together with renowned gender activist and struggle stalwart, Sophie de Druyn, visited the graves of anti-apartheid activists Helen Joseph, Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa and Albertina Sisulu on Sunday.
As stories of their bravery were told several issues affecting women today were also raised.
The foundations spokesperson Neeshan Boltan said threats against women have multiplied in recent years with increased poverty, gender-based violence and unemployment.
Bolton said the nation must take lessons of unity and resilience shown by South African women 65 years ago.
I think we can learn from the fortitude of the women in 1956 in overcoming these barriers and at least to bring long-lasting societal change.
The foundation has also extended gratitude to all women who are at the frontline of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
GOVT MUST URGENTLY IMPROVE ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES
There are once again calls for government to urgently improve access to basic services and the justice system to keep women and children safe.
Amnesty International South Africa estimates more than 14 million people still dont have access to safe sanitation and over 3 million people don’t have access to basic water supply in the country.
It said women and girls were usually the hardest hit by the state’s ongoing failure to provide water and sanitation.
At the same time, gender activists say the justice system is still not doing enough to protect women in abusive relationships and families.
Amnesty International South Africa said women and girls bear the brunt of poor access to service delivery, poverty and inequality.
Many women and girls in this country dont have access to running water and toilets in their homes and are forced to relieve themselves at night outside leaving them vulnerable.
Children, especially girls, are more likely to drop out of school in the absence of adequate and safe toilet facilities and Amnesty International South Africa is calling on government to prioritise this.
In 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared gender-based violence a national crisis and promised to do more, including strengthening the justice system.
Obtaining a protection order remains a daunting challenge for abused women who must fill in complex paperwork and subject themselves to intense questioning often from unsympathetic and untrained police officers.
Lisa Vetten, gender activist and researcher said she’s concerned about the gaps in the justice system.
On average, 250,000 protection order applications are made in South Africa’s civil courts every year but most of them never translate into a criminal case.
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