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This year marks 64 years since the historical march by more than 20 000 courageous women who descended upon the Union buildings to challenge the Apartheid regime right in the citadel of power. The peaceful and resolute protesters who (women) converged on the seat of government travelled from all corners of South Africa at a great personal cost to themselves to deliver an uncompromising message on pass laws and intolerable restrictions on the freedom of movement under racist laws.
This also coincides with 25 years of the Beijing Platform of Action and International Conference on Population Development which are also very important milestones in the struggle for gender justice. Over the years, this country has produced incredible women leaders of integrity who championed the vision for a better South Africa. Many joined different facets of the struggle in exile and internally, within the political structures of the mass democratic movement, as well as in the trade union movement. They were to pay the ultimate price to help advance the liberation struggle.
The year 2020 sadly marks a blot in this illustrious history as we contend with the challenge of the COVID 19 global pandemic and its huge impact on human development as well as the failure of credible leadership to confidently lead the nation out of this quagmire.
Gender-based violence and femicide, perpetrated through toxic masculinity and instances of sexual harassment in faith institutions, have taken root to threaten the very fabric of our diverse communities. We also have to contend with human failure by our leaders.
For example, a few weeks ago, the country witnessed the tragic story of Rev June Dolley-Major an Anglican priest who is a survivor of multiple incidents of sexual abuse by various actors in the church. A survivor of multiple incidents of sexual abuse by various actors in the church. She obtained justice for her first sexual abuse by a fellow student in seminary, when he was expelled from ministry by the church.
But when she had the misfortune of experiencing a second attack, by a senior clergyman, she was re-victimised over 18 years and denied justice. She lost trust in a church that sends mixed messages to survivors of abuse, and had to camp outside the residence of the Archbishop in Cape Town to finally be heard. What has happened to the sense of empathy by a faith institution? Why the inconsistency? How can women feel safe to report under such conditions? Such is the challenge faced by many women in SA today. It is not yet uhuru indeed.
Despite the advent of democracy in 1994, women remain largely excluded from the mainstream economy, under-represented in top positions at the JSE, as CEOs of influential companies and earn less than their male counterparts with the same educational background and professional experience. They are disproportionately impacted by poverty, social exclusion and precariousness.
Experts tell us it will take 200 years before equality/parity between women and men is achieved, despite the indisputable evidence that including women in our formal economies would more than double the GDP of any country. Not yet uhuru!
We look to the theme, ‘Generation Equality, realising women’s rights for an equal future’, to redouble our efforts to work tirelessly for the realisation of this goal. So as a nation, we have to commit to justice and gender transformation in all sectors of society need to review our policies and practices to ensure that they create an enabling environment for meaningful engagement for women in all structures and spheres of socio-economic and political life. Faith institutions need to consolidate all efforts to advance gender transformation.
This time of transition due to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that we cannot continue ‘as normal’, because normal will not give us hope for healing in our land. Let us seize this day to build a new society, where we can together celebrate uhuru for all our people, regardless of their gender. But to do that, we need political will, economic inclusiveness and robust institutions that refuse to mete out structural violence on women in order to protect the status quo. We remain committed to advance this agenda for the good of all in our society. A gender-equal society is possible. We draw strength from the spirit of the gallant generation that marched on Pretoria and many that followed in their footsteps.
For more information please contact:
- Moagisi Sibanda, SACC - [email protected] , +27 82 295 1581
- Reverend Bafana Khumalo, Sonke Gender Justice - [email protected], +27 82 578 4479
- Ms Daniela Gennrich, We Will Speak Out - South Africa, [email protected], +27 84 581 0622
- Bishop Victor Phalana, SACBC Justice and Peace Commission – [email protected], +27 82 470 7151
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