National Women's Day 9 August 1999 is a Day of Commitment. Women's Rights are Human Rights
Speech to the Department of Transport
Pretoria, 5 August 1999
On 9 August, 44 years ago, thousands of women converged on Union Buildings, Pretoria, to hand over to the prime minister of the apartheid government thousands of petitions signed by women all over the country, demanding an end to pass laws. The women had come from all over South Africa. Whilst the overwhelming majority were black women (who were the immediate victims of pass laws), women of all racial groups participated.
It was an historic event, never to be forgotten. Every year since then, 9 August, has been remembered as a very special day on our calendar - not officially, but by all freedom loving south africans. The petition 44 years ago was ignored by the apartheid government. But the struggle continued - against apartheid, against injustice, for an end to pass laws and for freedom for all South Africans. In 1994 apartheid and white domination came to an end And South Africa became a democratic country with a place for everyone - but sad to say, the struggle to free our women from violence, humiliation and from the shackles of male domination has not ended. The suffering of our women continues. And therefore the fight for freedom is not over.
Since 1994, 9 August has been a public holiday - National Women's Day - to celebrate what we have achieved in the area of women's rights and to commit ourselves to the total emancipation of our women.
We are gathered together today, therefore, to celebrate what our women and our struggle have indeed achieved. Women have played a major role in the struggle. They have provided leadership. They have sacrificed their lives. Many women went to prison and they have given our struggle that human quality which is so important - also bringing in compassion and a caring attitude towards other human beings. But whilst we celebrate those achievements, we are only too painfully aware that there is still much to be done. Our women are still subjected to horrendous suffering - rape, assault, other forms of violence, inequalities and domination.
And so today whilst we honour our women for the role which they have played in the struggle for freedom in our country, we are here to rededicate ourselves to continue the struggle sothat our society becomes a truly human and caring society in which men and women can live in equality and free from violence.
We say: women's rights are human rights. Freedom is indivisible. Our society is not free until our women are free. Our society is not truly democratic unless our women are able to meaningfully participate in that democracy at every level - in government, parliament, all governing structures, business, at work and indeed in the home. We must also fight for gender equality, for equality between men and women in all areas of life. Equality means an end to domination and building mutual respect and self respect.
By focusing on women on National Women's Day, we focus on the ongoing problems confronting women in this country. We raise our voices in protest against violence against women in our country. The level of violence is totally unacceptable and all of us must join hands to put an end to this evil. We must speak out. We must break the silence.
The perpetrators of this violence are men. Often they are mere boys. The victims can be their mothers, their wives, their sisters, or even their daughters. Often men and boys perpetrate unspeakable violence against women and girls in their homes.
That is why there is a special responsibility on our men folk and our boys to commit themselves to end violence against women. Male attitudes must change towards women. To talk of human rights without respecting women's rights, is hypocritical because women's rights are human rights.
We need to build a human rights culture in our country. How do we do this in relation to the fight for women's rights. What we need from our men and our boys is a commitment and a recognition of their responsibility and their duty towards every woman and every girl. It is the responsibility of every man or every boy to respect the life and the dignity of every woman and every girl. If we observe this obligation as men, then our women will be able to enjoy their human rights. The basis of every right is obligation or duty.
Very often men inflict violence against women because they think they have the right to dominate women, to subject women to their will and they think that women are there to serve men, and so, when the woman does not submit, the man resorts to violence and brutality. Domination and violence go hand in hand. In south africa under apartheid, blacks were regarded as inferior, they suffered under white domination. That domination also was accompanied by violence and brutality. These two things, namely domination and violence go hand in hand.
Today, as we celebrate National Women's Day (9 August), we also remember all those women who have been, and the many who continue to be, victims of such violence. We do so because violence against women is wrong and must come to an end. We raise our voices because we can change the situation. The question which we must ask ourselves is what contribution can we make to end violence against women. What can we do towards building respect for women, their life and their dignity. What can we do to achieve recognition that women's rights are human rights.
We must start where we are and we must start with ourselves. We need to change our attitudes. We need to educate ourselves. We need to educate others and together we can reverse the culture of violence which is so prevalent today. Today we meet here at the workplace. Let us talk about the issue. Let us help each other to change our attitudes. Let us make the workplace one in which women enjoy equality with men and are not subject to humiliation and abuses. Let us make sure that at the workplace sexist behaviour will not be tolerated.
Then there is the home. It is a sad reality that countless women and children are subjected to violence and abuse in their own homes. Often those who should love them and protect them, subject them to humiliation and suffering. Therefore we must also look at the question of violence in the home. Let us talk about it here at the workplace and let us go back to our homes to help to transform them to havens of peace and protection for our women and our children. There is much that we can do. I know that generally people expect the police to act in all cases of violence. That is correct. Perpetrators must be arrested. They must be prosecuted and tried in our courts and those found guilty must be severely sentenced to set an example.
But what can we do to prevent such violence and crime? It is not just a matter for the police and the court. There is much that we can do to mobilise at our workplace and where we live - meeting together, talking about matters, breaking the silence, educating ourselves and changing attitudes to women.
In our broader communities too, wherever we live, let us join hands with our women's organisations, civic organisations, ngo's and religious organisations. Let us form a powerful block and an atmosphere in which violence against women will not be tolerated. In this way we will be able to reverse the culture of violence and build respect for our women.
In this regard I should also mention HIV/AIDS. Large numbers of women and girls, having been subjected to terrible violence and brutality have also as a result become the victims of HIV/AIDS. Rape is a very serious crime and must be punished as such. But it also often becomes a death sentence for the victim because she gets infected with HIV/AIDS. We need to talk about this as well. I know that generally there is a reluctance to talk about it. The scourge of HIV/AIDS in our country is so serious, that in this regard too we must break the silence, educate ourselves and take appropriate measures to prevent HIV/AIDS. We must also make sure that we do not discriminate against victims of this disease, but do whatever is necessary to make it possible for them to live normal lives.
Let me conclude by conveying to all our women and girls our warmest greetings on the occasion of national women's day. We honour you, we respect you and we want to see that the violence and abuse which you suffer come to an end. Don't allow yourselves to be discriminated against. Don't allow anyone to abuse you. Don't allow anyone to treat you as an inferior. Remember women's rights are human rights.
Thank you.
Didi Moyle
PA and Media Liaison Officer to the Minister of Transport
Pretoria: (012) 309 3131 (phone) or (012) 328 3194 (fax)
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email: moyle@mweb.co.za or moyled@ndot.pwv.gov.za (Pretoria
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