President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to South Africa’s women, saying that they have played their part in building the country.

‘We salute their resilience and their dignity,’ he said on Friday.

Addressing the Women’s Day celebration at the Dennis Nel Stadium in Pofadder, Northern Cape, President Ramaphosa said each year on Women’s Day, government commemorates the historic march of more than 20 000 women to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956. The women were protesting against the pass laws of the apartheid era.

‘Today, as we celebrate 30 years of freedom and democracy, we should take stock. We should reflect on how far we have come, and we should deliberate on the challenges that stand in the way of the emancipation of South Africa’s women.’

President Ramaphosa said to move forward as a country, the nation must understand its past.

‘South Africa remains a highly unequal country. Poverty still has the face of a black woman. Black women are more likely to be unemployed, to be poor and to be unskille
d.

‘Apartheid broke up families. Men were recruited as migrant labourers, leaving women and children behind to fend for themselves. Young girls were brought up for marriage. They did not go to school. They were confined to the home.

‘Over 30 years, through the struggles of women, we have done much to improve the status and circumstance of South African women. We have built on the struggles of many decades.’

Rights and freedoms

The President said that women now have the right to vote.

‘They have the right to equal work for equal pay. They have the right to equality before the law. We have made great progress in providing for the protection of mother and child. As the Women’s Charter demands, we have worked to provide proper homes for all. But much is still to be done.

‘Women in South Africa enjoy rights and freedoms under our Constitution. They benefit from progressive legislation. Women today are significantly represented in Parliament, in government and in the judiciary.

‘Women in South Africa enjoy t
he right to quality healthcare, including reproductive health care. Millions of South African women are supported every month with social grants to enable them to care for their families and support their children,’ the President said.

The President also added that South Africa has one of the highest rates of female literacy ‘in our region.’

‘There is parity between girls and boys in primary school enrolment. Female learners achieve more bachelors passes. Young women make up the majority of students in higher education institutions.’

Improving the lives of women

President Ramaphosa said that government has prioritised women and youth in its public employment programmes. This, as around 66% of participants in the Presidential Employment Stimulus are women.

‘Yet, we still have much further to go. As the Government of National Unity, we are united across the political spectrum by our common commitment to improve the lives of South African women.

‘To grow our economy and accelerate development, women mus
t take their rightful place as active participants in the economy. Women must be business owners, producers, employers and employees.’

To support this effort, in 2021 government launched the Women’s Economic Assembly.

The Assembly aims to secure procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses in different industries.

Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme approximately 8000 women have been trained to establish and manage businesses.

‘With funding from government and development finance institutions, we are increasing the support provided to women-owned enterprises,’ said President Ramaphosa.

Government is also working to ensure that more women can own land, especially in rural areas.

This is so that they can farm and have assets they can use to build and grow businesses.

Source : South African Government News Agency