Someone once said, “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.”
On 9 August 1956, mothers, daughters, sisters and friends raised their voices and did something to initiate change.
Women’s Day marks the anniversary of the great women’s march of 1956, where women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against legislation aimed at tightening the apartheid government’s control over the movement of black women in urban areas.
When women’s rights were under attack, women of all racial and ethnic groups in South Africa united and fought back.
Throughout history women have been mistreated – and to this day, women face challenges of inequality, unemployment, poverty and gender-based violence.
Last year’s crime statistics revealed that a woman is murdered every three hours. Over 52 000 sexual offenses and nearly 42 000 rapes were reported to the police. A large number of cases go unreported because the crimes were committed by husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, lovers and friends.
The threat of contempt or humiliation, sense of shame and the burden of a “spoiled reputation” well as an enormous burden not to spoil their reputation is a hard cross to carry.
And in many cases when something goes wrong, women turn to self-blame.
For a housewife and a working woman, even a public holiday is not a day off. She still has to work hard, prepare food and clean the house. Children, husbands and other family members prosper where women sacrifice.
Women’s Day is vital in recognising and celebrating women’s achievements.
Even though there is still a long way to go, it brings awareness to the obstacles and issues that still stand in their way.
The following phrase has come to represent women’s courage and strength: “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo” (when you strike a woman, you strike a rock).
