Written by Pontsho Manzi
As South Africa
commemorates two decades of democracy, we can count amongst our greatest
achievements that women now have the opportunity to transcend the barriers of
their race, gender and class to become anything and anyone they choose.
This is enabled by
amongst others, government's policy of equal education for all for our young; a
policy of gender parity in the public sector; and equity targets in the
corporate sector.
But have the lives of
women truly improved in the past 20 years? We may have the opportunity to
access opportunities but do we have the ability to do so? Are we adequately
equipped to take advantage of these opportunities?
SOURCE - playyourpart.co.za
BUSINESS
The recent Brand South
Africa Sowetan Dialogues in Bloemfontein focused on the role women have and can
play in the country's democracy; speakers such as the Honourable Sisi Mabe -
Speaker of the Free State Legislature; Mbuyiselo Botha from Sonke Gender
Justice; Kenosi Machepa from the Ministry of Women; and dairy farmer Nompi Zim
discussed how women's rights were, in fact, human rights, and that men needed
to support women to achieve a society free from sex and gender discrimination.
A report compiled by
Statistics South Africa in 2013 observes that "South Africa ranks fourth
among the 87 countries covered by the 2012 Social Institutions and Gender Index
of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is the highest
ranked country in Africa in this index."
South Africa's high
ranking reflects the country's strong legal framework in respect of gender
equality and women’s rights.
South Africa also
performs well against the indicators specified for Goal 3 of the Millennium
Development Goals, the goal that focuses on gender equality and women's
empowerment.
Our legislative and
policy environment suggests that we should be well on our way to redressing the
historic gender imbalances in our country. However the reality with which we
are faced contradicts this. Why?
First and foremost, we
need to socialise our boy and girl children differently; boys need to
understand that men and women are different, but equal. A healthy, productive
and well-functioning society requires both men and women to be skilled and
empowered.
Girl children must be
empowered to realise that, while South Africa remains a patriarchal society,
they are as valuable and necessary to a successful nation as men.
We need to pay special
attention to building the self-confidence and self-esteem of our girl children.
This requires the
concerted effort of each and every one of us - parents, caregivers, relatives,
sisters, uncles, aunts - everyone.
There is a line in the
Hollywood movie Pretty Woman that has great resonance for me - "the bad
stuff is easier to believe". That is, it is easier to believe it when
people say we are inferior, subordinate, weak, and so on.
BOLD WOMEN MOVE THE
COUNTRY FORWARD
If we want girl children
to grow into young women who can take their rightful places in building another
generation of strong, bold women who can make a meaningful contribution to our
country and its development, we need to be conscious of this.
Secondly, we need to pay
attention - and encourage women to do the same - to the health of our girl
children.
This ranges from good
nutrition to the necessary media interventions. It is easy to say that we
cannot afford to have good nutrition, and I agree; good quality food does cost
money.
Those who have a garden,
start a home vegetable garden - like our grandmothers and mothers did; it will
soon be fruitful enough to provide for the entire family.
Research shows that
domestic responsibilities are still borne mainly by girls and women. This
includes fetching of water and fetching of fuel to heat the home and prepare
food. This means that the time of girl children is taken up with chores.
Chores should be shared
equally among boys and girls. Girls must have equal opportunities to benefit
from the education to which they are legally and rightly entitled.
With the increasing
levels of gender-based violence, and the fact that despite the best policies,
the lives of the women of our country are not progressing as fast as they
should, we need to do things differently. This generation of women must not be
found wanting by those that will follow! We must all play our part!
Pontsho Manzi
is a business woman, a professional and motivational speaker, facilitator,
coach, image consultant and author of Diary for Fabulous You. She is a mentor
to the youth of South Africa, especially girls through her non-profit
organisation, FabGalz®.
BUSINESS
