Date: 11/08/2010
Source: The Democratic Alliance
Title: DA: Robinson: Speech by DA Member of Parliament, on the Women's Day debate, National Assembly, Cape Town

Honourable Speaker, Honourable members.

Throughout the ages women have had to fight for recognition as individuals and the right to make their own choices. I think of someone like Florence Nightingale who defied convention and revolutionised nursing during the Crimean war, of Emily Hobhouse who left a life of prosperity overseas to come and work in the concentration camps during the Anglo Boer war in South Africa, to assist the women and children who were living in appalling conditions. And then there was our own Helen Suzman who braved ridicule and insults, and asked the difficult questions, exposing the evils of apartheid. She stood her ground and fought for her principles and for the human rights of people like Nelson Mandela and his fellow prisoners on Robben Island.

National Women's Day commemorates the 20 000 South African women who marched for justice on August 9 1956. Fearlessly, they sang a song that has become a rallying cry: "Wathint'a bafazi, Wathint' imbokodo" - You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock. Women can be the rock on which a freer, safer and more prosperous South Africa is built. They just need the opportunities to receive a quality education, to be given decent health care, to make informed choices about their reproductive rights, to determine their own futures and those of their children.

Creating economic opportunities for women, giving them the opportunity to be gainfully employed, is the key to social and economic progress. Their creativity, entrepreneurial skills and their determination to provide for their families, is a driving factor towards economic success and a better standard of living.

We need to assist those grassroots women who have their own informal businesses and projects and give them the necessary mentoring to grow their businesses as Lillian Masebenza does so successfully through her "Mahni Gingi" Programme, with tailor made skills and social justice training. "Mahni Gingi" means an industrious caring woman, these on whom our social stability relies.

The lives of many rural women are still dominated by the need to fetch water and fire wood each day. They eke out a meagre living.

In some areas women are denied the right to own property and are themselves regarded as mere chattels, to be passed from one member of the family to another. So often platitudes are mouthed about equality, but we need to make this a reality in everyday life. I quote Ban Ki Moon - Secretary General of the United Nations: "Gender Equality and women's empowerment are fundamental to the global mission of the United Nations to achieve equal rights and dignity for all ... but equality for women and girls is also an economic and social imperative. Until women and girls are liberated from poverty and injustice, all our goals - peace, security, sustainable development - stand in jeopardy."

Honourable Speaker, as leaders of our nation let us work together for equal opportunities and progress for women, their families and our entire nation.