International Women’s day calls for equality for a sustainable future

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities joins the rest of the world in observing International Women’s Day 2022 (IWD).

IWD which falls on 08 March is observed under the United Nations theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” in recognition and celebration of the women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation and to honour their leadership and contribution towards a sustainable future.

International Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate the progress made towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment but also to critically reflect on those accomplishments and strive for a greater momentum towards gender equality worldwide. It is a day to recognize the extraordinary acts of women and to stand together, as a united force, to advance gender equality around the world.

As part of leading activities of this day the Minister will be in Polokwane, Limpopo leading consultations on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW66) where she will engage with women farmers in the province. CSCW66 takes place from the 14th to the 25th of March 2022.

The United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) serves as a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) as the custodian of Government’s women empowerment and gender equality mandate, is charged with coordinating South Africa’s participation at the UNCSW session.

International Women’s Day is an important day for South Africa, as we remain a gender unequal society. Most often seen in the media is violent expression of this inequality in the form of gender-based violence, assault, abuse, harassment, and femicide, however, gender inequality persists in all spaces, and permeates even the most progressive sectors of society.

Women face discrimination and abuse in the world of work, in places of worship, in places of education, as well as in their own homes.

Inequality is unsustainable, therefore this year’s theme looking at building social compacts that can eradicate backward thinking, all forms of prejudice, and norms that seek to subjugate women in any way or form.

Equally, to achieve transformation, we must address the different structural, social and economic barriers women, youth and persons with disabilities experience. The low levels of financial and technical skills affect access to funding and how projects are managed.

We must enhance access to information, capability development, mentorship, training and networks that support women.

Source: Government of South Africa