WOMAN TO WOMEN TO MEN ON WOMEN’S DAY

It is only over the last three or four decades that women’s role in the history of South Africa has, belatedly, been given some recognition. Previously the history of women’s political organization, their struggle for freedom from oppression, for community rights and, importantly, for gender equality. Women throughout the country had put their names to petitions and thus indicated anger and frustration at having their freedom of movement restricted by the hated official passes. The bravery of these women (who risked official reprisals including arrest, detention and even banning) is applauded.  There is no doubt that South Africa has made significant progress towards achieving gender equality since 1956, when 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women.

Women of the 20^th Century I salute you and say thank you today. Thank you from the dawn of the 20^th century to the turn of the 21^st century.  Your legacy has shown that we can do more. You did not just shake the tree, you uprooted it and carried it for every generation to follow.  Here I stand today because you would not rest in your fight as I read this timeline.

1910s – Anti-pass campaigns, Native and Coloured Women’s Association was formed in 1912, The Bantu Women’s League (BWL), The 1913 Bloemfontein anti-pass campaign, The 1920s – Women, employment and the changing economic scene, Women and rural activism: The Herschel district in the 1920s, Women and the Potchefstroom anti-pass campaign, 1928-1930, The role of women in the Natal beer riots in 1929, The 1930s – Trade unionism blossoms and women become more assertive, Women in the schizophrenic 1940s – World War II and its aftermath, Women, the war, and grassroots protests in the 1940s, The ANC Women’s League 1940, Indian women and passive resistance in the 1940s, The turbulent 1950s – Women as defiant activists, Women and the anti-pass campaign 1950-1953, The Defiance Campaign is launched and women step forward, The Federation of South African Women (FSAW or FEDSAW), Women’s role in the Congress of the People and the Freedom Charter, Preparations for the 1956 Women’s March

(Adopted at the Founding Conference of the Federation of South African Women)

The long road of the push to be heard, seen and allowed to participate in the economy has been one of a Long Road to Freedom. When I read through the history of women’s voices in South Africa I am in awe with the tenacity and fervent generational baton that was handed down through the years to get us where we are today.  As a woman in her late 40s I contemplate how different it would have been had our history books lined the pages of these phenomenal women and their trails by fire. How different would I have been. While I am unapologetically a voice for women, I feel cheated not having heard or read about these stories before.  So to honour all women that when before and those to follow; this generation can do more. The 21^st Century women have a louder struggle and fight now that our forerunners stood up for us and change the dynamics of how we are received in society, the workplace and in our homes. Sadly our fight continues to be of equality, a life without abuse and femicide. A fight were the statistics are still so alarming; Worldwide, 27% of women and girls aged 15 and older have experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence. In South Africa this figure is a shocking one-third or even up to 50%. (UN WOMEN.ORG)

Right here in present-day South Africa, women are faced with a wide range of issues that affect their everyday lives; domestic violence, child abuse, HIV/AIDS, unemployment, gender discrimination as well as poverty. It is against this background that women then organized themselves within the community to take up these challenges and try and change policy. I am certain more can get done to change these statistics.

Women’s Day has become a day of High Teas, with celebrity guests, with an aim to sell tickets to assist a struggling NPO. Its become a day that memes, stickers, quotes on images and motivational videos that will grace our phones today.  Women’s Day is fast becoming just another public holiday in South Africa where the majority of women and the girl-child is not reached and neither the message of 2023 theme “Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment”.  What does this really mean really? As a women in business I know all too well the daily hustle to keep a business going. I know how hard it is to get your business seen, for the sales funnel to turn into a paying client. I know how costly it is to keep registrations, accreditation, certifications and insurance going while trying to source sustainable revenues of funds. I know how hard it is to try to be extraordinary everyday, when all you are trying to do is stay current and in the fight.

This not forgetting what is also plaguing women. Other women.  Today, I will receive images of women of all race, creeds and colour raising their hands together. Women picking other women up. Women climbing the ladder with another sister by her side.  This is so far from the truth and so far removed from everyday standing side by side with a sister. We continue to gossip, compete, block and shame another woman who is not in our circle of influence or not on our economic level.  More so we see political party positioning and rewards more than we see women supporting women. If the stats show that since the march to the Parliament Building in the year 1956 has seen more women in higher positions in the workplace and at a seat in the higher levels of government our statistics should be getting much better not much worse.  There are more female-headed households, more and more young girls missing school because of poor sanitation during sanitary personals, increased poverty and high-risk activities such as prostitution and escorting just to keep a roof over their heads and their loved ones fed… More and more women are afraid to walk the streets at night and an alarming increase in unemployed, with women still having to take whatever menial job is made available. It is going to take more than just a theme to see the change in equality for women. Especially when the fight we fighting now must be louder than ever. Our fight is life threatening and our sense of security and safety in our own homes, workplaces and streets is all but diminished.

Our fight against abuse, equality, employment, and economic empowerment can not be the crumbs from the minimal slice of the pie we so hungrily fight for daily. We need to do more than sip champagne, take a selfie and say – “Here’s to all phenomenal women” when the statistics show that the women who need to be called phenomenal really, are nameless.  She is the gogo sitting in the baking sun on the side of the walkway with fruit, veggies and little packs of sweets – street vending her business. She is the young girl standing on the street corner all day and night, no longer a lady of the night, but all hours risking all, just to stay alive and fed. She is the woman covering up her bruised cheek and putting on a smile so her children do not fear their homes and/or a parent. She is the woman sitting in a boardroom overlooked and / or sidelined on a project she is not given the recognition because she left to attend to a family crisis because she is first wife and mother. She is the young teen, wearing cloths to school during her monthly cycle hoping it does not get so heavy that she is embarrassed or made to feel unclean.  She is the woman on the highway standing with bananas she has picked off her tree at home, hoping to turn it into a loaf for bread.  She is a young adult that has finished her studies and has to do sexual favours to get an interview or even be considered for hire. She is you and she is me. She is all women, and these of the just some of the nameless women that need to be honoured today.  Its going to take more than just a theme to see the change in equality for women.

How great would it be if men joined in the fight. That women’s day meant men standing up, banning together and changing the landscape for all atrocities inflicted against women.   In my opinion men charging other men to change their behaviours and thoughts towards women would go a mighty long way to all the challenges plaguing women.  It takes those men in power and the women in power positions to do something more life-changing and lasting in our societies. The statistics have changed and more and more women hold positions of influence and power. There are more and more women walking the halls of justice and sitting on a seat in parliaments across the world, yet in the 21 century, we are still dealing with 13-century (as far back as the dawn of time) mentalities and behaviour towards women.

No beard grows upon my cheeks
But in my heart I carry a sword
The battle sword for bread and honour
Against the poverty which pains my mother heart.

We, the women of South Africa, wives and mothers, working women and housewives, African, Indians, European and Coloured, hereby declare our aim of striving for the removal of all laws, regulations, conventions and customs that discriminate against us as women, and that deprive us in any way of our inherent right to the advantages, responsibilities and opportunities that society offers to any one section of the population. We women do not form a society separate from the men. There is only one society, and it is made up of both women and men. As women we share the problems and anxieties of our men, and join hands with them to remove social evils and obstacles to progress. (The Charter expressed the philosophy and aims of the newly established Federation of South African Women)