In answer to the question “What would it take to turn the tide of the negation of women’s rights”, a webinar commemorating Women’s Month identified two main responses: the need for mobilisation at grass root street level, and the need for building closer partnerships between men and women to achieve the full dignity and equality of women and men.
The webinar, which took place on Wednesday 5 August 2020, was organised to recalled the protest march of 9 August 1956, the day South Africa pays tribute to the more than 20 000, iconic women leaders the likes of Ma Albertina Sisulu, Sophie Williams-De Bruyn, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Lillian Ngoyi and Amina Cachalia; women Nelson Mandela hailed as “courageous, persistent, enthusiastic, indefatigable”, women who marched to the seat of the apartheid government to uphold their rights and in protest against the discriminatory pass law imposed upon women.
This webinar, the second in a series of online “Mandela Talks” hosted jointly by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, the Leading Like Mandela Institute, Thembekile Mandela Foundation and the United Nations, honours these legacies, celebrates the power of women to rise above adversity in creating a better world and remembers the indomitable spirit of Zindzi Mandela, a great daughter of the nation. The Webinar was chaired by Patience Mungwari Mpani, Manager, Women’s Rights Unit, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. Nelson Mandela dedicated his entire life to champion the cause for equality, dignity and human rights. The Constitution, which forms part of his legacy and governs our nation, so unequivocally embraces gender equality and proudly affirms the dignity of all as it continues to remind us of his vision. It was Nelson Mandela, himself, who said in 1996: “As long as women are bound by poverty and as long as they are looked down upon, human rights will lack substance… as long as outmoded ways of thinking prevent women from making a meaningful contribution to society, progress will be slow…!”
This talk came at a time when the world is undergoing a major transformation as we face the COVID-19 pandemic; the plight of women in dealing with this pandemic and the effects thereof has highlighted the dire need to address the inequalities and indignity women suffer, gender based violence, poverty and the lack of access to the basic human rights. While drawing upon the legacies of these great leaders and the wisdom derived from their own life experience, panelists explored the leading role of women in striving to address these inequalities and to give birth to a world with human dignity, human fulfilment, peace, freedom and equality.
Theme: What would it take to turn the tide? Celebrating the power of women to transform the world
During the webinar, welcome remarks were given by Prof Frans Viljoen, Director, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria and Dr Liaqat Azam Director of the Leading Like Mandela Institute introduced the “Mandela Talks”. Message of support were also given by Ms Ndileka Mandela, CEO of Thembekile Mandela Foundation and Ms Nardos Bekele Thomas who is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in South Africa
In contemplation of what it would take to turn the tide, Ms Anne Githuku-Shongwe, a global Leader and Representative for UN Women’s South Africa Multi-Country Office, identified negative social norms and stereotypes about the roles of women as one of the major issues continuing to impact on gender equality despite several advances in the situation of women, such as increased enrolment of women and girls at tertiary levels and the removals of a numerous discriminatory laws. She emphasised that these advances occurred because of women’s mobilisation through the work of the feminist movement and called for reinvigoration of social mobilisation at grassroot level. She aslo called on street committees to be set up again to ensure that other women’s rights are not violated on ‘my’ street; and on men to be mobilised for their active involvement, emphasising the need to end bystanderisim and to ‘stand up and be counted in significant ways.’
Ms Esther Maluleke, Chief Director for Governance, Transformation, Justice and Security in the Department of Women in the Office of the Presidency pointed out that the human rights paradigm sometimes had a detrimental influence on the struggle for women’s equality because it diluted the language of struggle into neo colonial rhetoric. While noting some pivotal strides made by government towards gender equality, she also reflected on the weaknesses of the national women’s rights machinery pointing to an unclear mandate; lack of human and material resources; lack trained bureaucrats; and inadequate data on pertinent issues relating to women, for example gender based violence. Ms Maluleke also highlighted the need for collaborative effort of civil society and government to push for change, of which the National Strategic Plan on Gender Based Violence is a good example.
Commissioner Tamara Mathebula, Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality, reflected on the legislative environment and its impact on turning the tide on gender inequality. She highlighted the need to review existing laws in line with international human rights treaties, repealing discriminatory laws and enacting new laws to ensure that gaps in legislation are addressed.
Mr Gregory Nott, Director, Norton Rose Fulbright, Former Vice-President National Association of Democratic Lawyers, focused on the story of Caster Semenya’s courageous fight for women and human rights as she battles the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), whose regulations now require female athletes whose bodies produce high levels of testosterone medicate to lower those levels. He discussed the indignity faced by isolated and marginalised groups of women the need for greater collaboration among women to ensure justice for all.
Ms Nontsikelelo Sisulu, a Clinical Psychologist and Gender Activist, emphasised the importance of collective movements mobilising around a common vision of economic justice to ensure gender equality. To Ms Sisulu, the time for economic justice for women is now. She argued that we need to move from the rhetoric of economic empowerment and recognize that a great injustice is being committed against women through wage gaps, gendered barriers in access to financial resources and exclusion from higher levels of leadership.
The Mandela Talks honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy, celebrates the power of women to rise above adversity in creating a better world and remembers the indomitable spirit of Zindzi Mandela, a great daughter of the nation.
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