The summit sought to take stock of the progress made by South Africa towards gender equality and the socio-economic inclusion of women.
It also sought to map the way forward in positioning South African women at the center of the African Union’s (AU) agenda.
This comes as South Africa commemorates National Women’s Month.
Women have made great strides, but they still face many challenges. They continue to find themselves facing intersecting challenges of patriarchy, economic exploitation and oppression.
Africa for Africa Women President, Bea Hackula says, “We host this conference annually, but this one is different because it’s a 30-year celebration in South Africa and we deemed it necessary that we take a review of what has happened in the past 30 years, but not just a review looking at what is possible.”
“We know that we are into a Government of National Unity (GNU) for the first time in our country and we are looking forward to ensuring that our government is accountable in terms of driving the transformation because we’ve got very good policies, so this is a foundation that is very good. And therefore, once we’re doing that, we also want to celebrate women who have made strides during this past 30 years and in various aspects.”
Former Water Affairs and Forestry Minister and Ambassador-designate to Tunisia, Lindiwe Hendricks, delivered the keynote address, focusing on a global perspective on the significance of the 30-year democratic milestone for South Africa .
Hendricks says, “I did articulate in my speech the advances around the issues of education, of small girls attending school, more women in higher education, our universities, and institutions of higher learning, having more women in leadership.”
“We can look at the policies and legislation that we championed over the past 30 years that have enabled women and young girls to take their rightful places. The numbers are not as impressive as you’d want them to be, but I think there is a lot that can be said in terms of our entrepreneurship spirit.”
Women in media
SABC Group Executive for Radio, Nada Wotshela, spoke on women in the media, highlighting some of the challenges and the need for creating safe spaces for women.
“If we’re not providing safe spaces and supported programs, that will help women to thrive in the corporate world, then we’re creating fertile ground for the gains of our democracy to be undone. The technology space is still a very tricky one and especially the broadcasting technology space is still very old, white and male-dominated, and despite the wonderful things that we have done to assist and to transform this space. But you know it, it still remains a problem for the broadcasting industry.”
She says, “We are really not making a significant dent in that area. Maybe it’s because it’s not sexy enough for our girls because it requires a lot of heavy lifting. But given the levels of unemployment in our country, you know we can’t rest on our laurels and say it’s male-dominated space and just, be happy with that. I think we still need to push our goals to look towards, you know, these careers in technology engineering, you know, electrical stuff.”
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town (UCT), Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng, highlighted achievements in higher education.
She says, “Let me just say there’s been a number of achievements in higher education in the last 30 years. I mean, and I thought I should put those together because it’s often easy to forget because South Africans by our very nature we have people who are so critical. They criticize everything, even if we are the only people in this continent and in the global South we are among the 10 who are doing it, South Africans don’t say it, but if the survey comes, and it says we are the worst. That’s what trends.”
The summit ended with an awards ceremony, which covered categories such as corporate and business leadership, academic, public entities and political leadership.
--Channel Africa/ Nhlanhla Mahlangu--
