Date: 23/08/2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: N Rasmeni: Women's Month celebration
ADDRESS BY MEC RN RASMENI, DURING THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S MONTH IN KHUMA, Stilfontein, 23 August 2004
The Programme Director,
The Mayor of Stilfontein and other councillors,
All Public Servants,
Bagolo le bana botlhe ba ba fano,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'm indeed honoured to be addressing you on this occasion when we do not only celebrate our liberation as a country but also when we zoom into the developments that the women of this country have experienced over the last ten years. It is women like Lilian Ngoyi, Albertina Sisulu, Ruth First, Ellen Khuzwayo and many others whose dedication to the liberation struggle have brought us where we are today. It is now incumbent upon us to take the baton and continue to run the race with vigour until such time that women are recognised and respected for who we are.
The power relations that hamper women's attainment of healthy and fulfilling lives operate at many levels in society, from the most personal to the highly public. Achieving change requires policy and programmes actions that will improve women's access to secure livelihoods and economic resources, alleviate their extreme responsibilities with regard to housework, remove legal impediments to their participation in public life and raise social awareness through effective programmes of education and mass media.
To further improve the status of women, we should enhance their decision-making capacity at all levels and in all spheres of life, especially in the area of sexuality and reproduction. This, in turn, is essential for the long- term success of population programmes. It is widely believed that population and development programmes are most effective when steps have simultaneously been taken to improve the status of women.
Ladies and Gentlemen, since in most societies discrimination on the basis of sex often starts at the earliest stages of life, greater equality for the girl child is a necessary first step in ensuring that women realise their full potential and become equal partners in development. In a number of countries, the practice of prenatal sex selection, higher rates of mortality among very young girls, and lower rates of school enrolment for girls as compared with boys, suggest that "son preference" is curtailing the access of girl children to food, education and health care. Investments made in the girl child's health, nutrition and education, from infancy through adolescence, are very critical.
The equal participation of women and men in all areas of family and household responsibilities, including family planning, child-rearing and housework, should be promoted and encouraged by governments. This should be pursued by means of information, education, communication and employment legislation and by fostering an economically enabling environment, such as family leave for men and women so that they may have more choice regarding the balance of their domestic and public responsibilities.
As government, we would like to emphasise men's shared responsibility and promote their active involvement in responsible parenthood, sexual and reproductive behaviour, including family planning; prenatal, maternal and child health; prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV; prevention of unwanted and high-risk pregnancies; shared control and contribution to family income, children's education, health and nutrition; and recognition and promotion of the equal value of children of both sexes. Male responsibilities in family life must be included in the education of children from the earliest ages. Special emphasis should be placed on the prevention of violence against women and children.
The Programme Director, community leaders should promote the full involvement of men in family life and the full integration of women in community life. Parents and schools should ensure that attitudes that are respectful of women and girls as equals are instilled in boys from the earliest possible age, along with an understanding of their shared responsibilities in all aspects of a safe, secure and harmonious family life.
Bagaetsho let me conclude by indicating that there are funds in the department that are meant for poverty alleviation projects. Our primary beneficiaries are unemployed women who are willing to work to bring food onto their tables. I would therefore like to urge all of you, especially unemployed women to organise yourselves into cooperatives and access these funds.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Social Development, North West Provincial Government
23 August 2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: N Rasmeni: Women's Month celebration
ADDRESS BY MEC RN RASMENI, DURING THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S MONTH IN KHUMA, Stilfontein, 23 August 2004
The Programme Director,
The Mayor of Stilfontein and other councillors,
All Public Servants,
Bagolo le bana botlhe ba ba fano,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'm indeed honoured to be addressing you on this occasion when we do not only celebrate our liberation as a country but also when we zoom into the developments that the women of this country have experienced over the last ten years. It is women like Lilian Ngoyi, Albertina Sisulu, Ruth First, Ellen Khuzwayo and many others whose dedication to the liberation struggle have brought us where we are today. It is now incumbent upon us to take the baton and continue to run the race with vigour until such time that women are recognised and respected for who we are.
The power relations that hamper women's attainment of healthy and fulfilling lives operate at many levels in society, from the most personal to the highly public. Achieving change requires policy and programmes actions that will improve women's access to secure livelihoods and economic resources, alleviate their extreme responsibilities with regard to housework, remove legal impediments to their participation in public life and raise social awareness through effective programmes of education and mass media.
To further improve the status of women, we should enhance their decision-making capacity at all levels and in all spheres of life, especially in the area of sexuality and reproduction. This, in turn, is essential for the long- term success of population programmes. It is widely believed that population and development programmes are most effective when steps have simultaneously been taken to improve the status of women.
Ladies and Gentlemen, since in most societies discrimination on the basis of sex often starts at the earliest stages of life, greater equality for the girl child is a necessary first step in ensuring that women realise their full potential and become equal partners in development. In a number of countries, the practice of prenatal sex selection, higher rates of mortality among very young girls, and lower rates of school enrolment for girls as compared with boys, suggest that "son preference" is curtailing the access of girl children to food, education and health care. Investments made in the girl child's health, nutrition and education, from infancy through adolescence, are very critical.
The equal participation of women and men in all areas of family and household responsibilities, including family planning, child-rearing and housework, should be promoted and encouraged by governments. This should be pursued by means of information, education, communication and employment legislation and by fostering an economically enabling environment, such as family leave for men and women so that they may have more choice regarding the balance of their domestic and public responsibilities.
As government, we would like to emphasise men's shared responsibility and promote their active involvement in responsible parenthood, sexual and reproductive behaviour, including family planning; prenatal, maternal and child health; prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV; prevention of unwanted and high-risk pregnancies; shared control and contribution to family income, children's education, health and nutrition; and recognition and promotion of the equal value of children of both sexes. Male responsibilities in family life must be included in the education of children from the earliest ages. Special emphasis should be placed on the prevention of violence against women and children.
The Programme Director, community leaders should promote the full involvement of men in family life and the full integration of women in community life. Parents and schools should ensure that attitudes that are respectful of women and girls as equals are instilled in boys from the earliest possible age, along with an understanding of their shared responsibilities in all aspects of a safe, secure and harmonious family life.
Bagaetsho let me conclude by indicating that there are funds in the department that are meant for poverty alleviation projects. Our primary beneficiaries are unemployed women who are willing to work to bring food onto their tables. I would therefore like to urge all of you, especially unemployed women to organise yourselves into cooperatives and access these funds.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Social Development, North West Provincial Government
23 August 2004
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