The day will see Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Women, Ms Susan Shabangu, launch the National and Provincial Dialogues programme. The dialogues which will be held across the country between March and June 2015 will amongst others  provide  platform for discussions on the strides made towards the attainment of women empowerment and gender equality, while also critically assess persistent shortcomings and gaps in the legal framework and programmes of public, private and social sectors that lead to women not benefiting from the country’s empowerment and development initiatives and also propose ways in which to  change the status quo.  The dialogue process will lead to the development of the first Report on the Status of Women to be launched in August 2015.
IWD is a time used annually to reflect on progress made, call for change and celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who played an extraordinary role in the history of their communities and countries.. The United Nations’ adopted theme for 2015 is Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture It! Domestically the Month of March is Human Rights Month and the theme is Human Rights are Women’s Rights: Together Moving a Non-Violent South Africa Forward.
The 2015 IWD takes place at a time when countries across the world are reviewing progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action which was signed 20 years ago by 189 governments as a historic roadmap to the realisation of women’s empowerment and rights.
Transport has been provided for community members.  The buses will pick up people at 07:00 at the following identified points:

Bonjour Garage (next Luhlaza High School in Khayelitsha)
Andile Msizi Hall  and   Site B, KwaNoFirst  in Khayelitsha
Eyethu Multipurpose Centre in Khayelitsha
Khayelitsha Hospital
Chumisa Primary School in Khayelitsha
Trek Garage in Khayelitsha
Delft (Community Hall)
Nyanga (Zolani Centre)
Gugulethu (Gugulethu Sport Complex)
Lucas Mbembe Creche in Gugulethu  (Cnr of NY61 and NY3A)
Philippi (Browns Farm Municipality)
Bontehuewel (Parliamentary Constituency Office)
Elsies River ( Elsies Civic Centre)
Hout Bay (Parliamentary Constituency Office)

Members of the media are invited to the event scheduled as follows:
Date: Sunday, 08 March 2015

Time: 09:00

Venue: Langa High School - Sports Ground, (close to Langa SAPS), Langa Township, Western Cape
RSVP and Enquires:
Motalatale Modiba
Cell: 072 515 3022
Email: Motalatale.Modiba@women.gov.za

Issued by Department of Communications on behalf of
Department of Women