Every year in August, right on cue, women and their challenges as well as achievements are thrust into the spotlight. During the month, media houses receive countless press releases from the government and corporate about the initiatives they are pursuing in this period to place women at the centre of discussion.
Then September comes and women’s issues are pushed into the background to be discussed a year later.
Granted, the national discourse cannot be focused on women only throughout the year, but these issues do not disappear in September and re-emerge the following year.
Here are the facts about the plight of women: they are abused, raped and killed every day, usually by their partners, spouses or other family members.
Over a 10-day period, 11 women were killed in the Eastern Cape, women earn 30% less than men in the same jobs and top management positions in organisations — about 70% — are predominantly held by men.
These are sobering statistics that deserve discussion every month of the year, not only in the month that is meant to celebrate women.
Delivering his Women’s Day message on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted there was a long way to go to ensure a safe and equal society for women.
The government allocated R21bn over the next three years to support the six pillars of its national strategic plan, of which one of the critical pillars was to ensure women’s economic and financial inclusion.
Ramaphosa said 3,500 family violence, child protection and sexual offences investigating officers had received specialised training to do their work.
Thirty-two regional courts had been designated as sexual offences courts in SA and 12 public buildings were renovated to be used as shelters, he said.
The onus cannot only be on the government to provide the solutions — though it should pass laws that make it uncomfortable for patriarchy to flourish.
The change must be seen in the boardrooms, in homes, in the workplace where women are given equal opportunity and equal pay.
But they can only do that when they feel safe and secure. This is where we all have a role to play.
HeraldLIVE