Date: 31/08/2005
Source: Northern Cape Provincial Government
Title: Peters: Honouring retired women during Women’s Month


Speech delivered by the Premier of the Northern Cape, Honourable Ms Dipuo Peters on the occasion of honouring retired women, City Hall, Kimberley

Programme Director;
MEC for Education, Mr Gomolemo Archie Lucas Officials from the various departments Media representatives
Our grandmothers and mothers
Ladies and Gentlemen:

The month of August is internationally known as Women's Month. This is a tribute to all women that is aimed at reminding us of their courageous contribution towards the achievement of human rights.

In August 1956 the black women of our country marched to the Union Buildings in protest against the compulsory carrying of 'dompasses' by African women. Some of them were carrying their babies on their backs and others even risked being fired from their jobs by their madams.

This was indeed a very brave stance taken by our women at a time when any show of dissatisfaction by the oppressed masses to the government's unjust laws was met with horrific brutality by the state.

Dedicating the month of August to women struggles against all forms of human rights abuses internationally is indeed a fitting tribute to the inner strength, courage and resilience of our women.

Just as the marchers of 1956 demanded respect and equal rights, today we demand a society that respects and honours its womenfolk.

Today we call upon all members of our society to join in the fight to stem the tide of abuse and violence against women and children. We call upon society to unshackle our women from the yoke of oppression and all forms of bondage.

Our presence here today is therefore an unmistakable demonstration of our solid commitment to pursue our common objective of promoting women emancipation and gender equality.

It is also an occasion for us as a province and country to celebrate the massive achievements we have scored in the area of women empowerment since the dawn of our freedom. The simple message of this gathering is that our collective forward march towards the total eradication of gender oppression and discrimination is irreversible.

Despite the massive progress we have made in changing the lives of our people, especially women, for the better, more still needs to be done by all of us to eradicate the legacy of racial and gender domination.

The freedom of our country, its Constitution and the right to gender equality are the gains we must defend with every available ammunition at our disposal. History has placed a responsibility on our shoulders to jealously guard these freedoms and rights.

The freedom that South African women enjoy today did not come cheap. It is a consequence of a long and bitter struggle, in which many of our people paid the ultimate price.

Side by side with our male counterparts we knew that we would overcome. For history has shown that no unjust system can survive the tidal waves of freedom forever.

In the midst of the most callous forms of state repression, the women of this country soldiered on with one objective in mind - to free our people from a brutal and monstrous state that had neither conscience nor respect for human rights and dignity.

Our struggle for liberation was intricately linked with the struggle for the emancipation of women. For, no nation can claim to be completely free if more than fifty percent of its population is still toiling under the yoke of male oppression.

So significant is the progress we have made in advancing the goal of gender equality and democracy that today we can afford to gather like this - to celebrate our achievements as women, free from fear or intimidation.

The vision of a non-sexist South Africa requires that we work unceasingly towards gender equality, affirmation of women, and greater participation by women in all spheres of life.

This task is part of our historic mission. But it is also an important constitutional obligation, which this democratic government ranks very highly.

Eleven years of democracy has seen gender equality and women empowerment occupying the centre stage of government policy and delivery programmes.

In our own province, evidence points to substantial improvements in the status of women since 1994. An array of measures introduced over the past decade to uphold gender equality, have enormously improved the lives of women.

In fact yesterday witnessed another historic development in our province with the launching of the Northern Cape Men's Forum in which men pledged to act firmly to ensure that the dignity and identity of our womenfolk is restored as a necessary and valued part of their own existence.

Programme Director,

Women now occupy influential positions in government and play an important role in decision-making processes. The vast gender gap that existed is rapidly narrowing as women's positions continue to improve.

The living conditions of the majority of women have undergone significant qualitative change. Women now have access to housing and essential services such as water and electricity.

Access to education, welfare and quality healthcare by women is a living reality for women in our province. The provincial government has also adopted a zero tolerance approach to any kind of violence against women. These measures reflect government's commitment to gender equality and women empowerment.

It is these achievements and successes that we have been celebrating during this Women's Month. It is these achievements and successes that we are celebrating today.

It is therefore vitally important for us to continue with these noble efforts of empowering our women, many of whom have laid to rest the old adage that says: