The non-profit organisation, Masimanyane Women’s Rights International, believes women in the country have little to celebrate on Women’s Day due the continued rise of incidents of gender based violence.
The organisation says gender equality still remains a challenge for many South African women.
Masimanyane director, Dr Lesley Ann-Foster, says women continue to be discriminated on multiple levels taking away their dignity and humans rights.
“These women have little to celebrate on this auspicious day women’s day has become a commemoration rather than a celebration of women. We commemorate the thousands of women who have lost their lives to femicide those women who are commodified whose bodies were objectified by men they loved and some don’t even know the men who took their lives their lives meant nothing to those who killed them.”
President Ramaphosa to deliver keynote address at National Women’s Day commemorative event
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the National Women’s Day address today at Richmond in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands amid continuing protests on Gauteng’s West Rand following the brutal gang rapes of eight women.
The rapes took place at a mine dump at Kagiso where they were shooting a music video two weeks ago.
August ninth was declared National Women’s Day in South Africa in 1994 to commemorate womens’ struggle against oppression.
It was on this day in 1956 that 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings, to protest against pass laws. It was one of the biggest protests in the country’s history.
In recent years, gender based violence has been emerging as one of the biggest challenges facing women in South Africa.
Commemoration of National Women’s Day: Minister Nathi Mthethwa
