Every year, in August, our country marks Women’s Month, when we pay tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women.
This year marks 65 years since the watershed 1956 women’s march to the Union Buildings. Ensuring and protecting rights for all has been a constant struggle for government and our social partners, as we battle the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our nation and her people in countless ways. What was initially a health crisis has impacted the economy, health, education, food security and gender equality.
Women also face the second pandemic of gender-based violence, as well as the economic impacts of COVID-19. Women’s Month allows us to gauge how far we have come in transforming society, particularly the transformation of unequal power relations between women and men. While also focusing on and addressing gender oppression, patriarchy, sexism, racism, ageism, structural oppression, and creating a conducive environment which enables women to take control of their lives.
As part of addressing of the challenges faced by women in the Northern Cape, the Provincial Government will be embarking on women based programs that will positively impact the lives of many women. The Northern Cape Provincial Administration will as part of a month long Women’s Month programme, conduct a virtual lecture on the 09 August 2021 in honour of a living legend Ouma Katriena Esau and Charlotte Maxeke in Upington in the David Kruiper Municipality. The virtual lecture and dialogue will be conducted by the Premier of the Northern Cape , Dr Zamani Saul.
Working together with Office of the Premier, the department will also roll out a series of weekly policy roundtable or webinar discussions with the main focus on South Africa’s gender policy priorities and proposed interventions.
Added to this key activities will be the distribution of sanitary towels, adult nappies and winter relief parcels to the community of Nababeep , Port Nolloth and Steinkopf on the 10 August 2021. It will be commemorated under the theme “: “The year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Realising Women’s Rights”.
The Department of Sport , Arts and Culture will also be coordinating self defensive classes for women in all districts , starting in Springbok on the 11 August 2021 and then in Keimoes on the 12 August 2021. Thereafter self defence classes for women will be held in Ritchie (Frances Baard) , Douglas (Pixley Ka Seme) and Bathlaros( JTG)
The two stakeholders will host interactive Premier’s dialogue to be followed by Provincial Women’s Assembly, which will bring together all inputs made during policy and programming discussions.
McGregor Museum will showcase a virtual exhibition portraying 150th anniversary of the birth of liberation struggle, heroine and human rights campaigner, Charlotte Maxeke which can viewed on the facebook of the McGregor Museum from the 09 August 2021.
A cancer screening programme will also be extended to all female Provincial Government officials.
Source: Government of South Africa