Media Statement

Today marks the beginning of Women’s Month. The ANC sees Women’s Month as a moment of reflection on how far we have come as a nation on our journey towards women empowerment and gender equality. It is also a moment for all sections of society to redouble our collective efforts towards building a truly equal and non-sexist society.

Women’s month memorialises and recognises the valiant contribution of women to the cause of humanity through the enduring interventions of women in resisting oppression and cultivating a progressive politics of emancipation that is in the interest of humanity at large.

While significant strides have been made to empower women and promote gender equality, the ANC is the first to concede that the struggle for women emancipation is far from over. We must concede that women still bear a disproportionate burden of the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. It must trouble the collective conscience that thirty years since the 1994 democratic breakthrough, the scourge of poverty, unemployment and inequality still bear a largely black, rural and woman face.

We commend the efforts of the ANC government since 1994 to respond practically to the aspirations of women. The economic empowerment of women is critical for sustainable development and economic

transformation of South Africa. Empowering women economically will help eliminate inequality and enhance economic inclusion.

During this month, we must make a solemn pledge to continue fighting gender-based violence wherever it may rear its ugly head. While the ANC has enacted progressive legislation as well as introduced measures to deal with the scourge of gender-based violence, it remains stubbornly persistent in our communities. Gender-based violence robs women of the opportunity to become productive citizens in their own country. It denies them their constitutional rights and condemns them to a life of perpetual fear. It prevents them from enjoying the fruits of our freedom and democracy. The ANC calls on government, civil society, business, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to join forces in order to defeat this scourge.