Source: Coast Week
The launch of the Women's Month in South Africa is one of the most progressive policies that are aimed at advancing women empowerment and gender equality, a government official said here on Wednesday.

The Women's Month starts from the 1st of August to the 31st, the government and people of South Africa will be commemorating it under the theme of "56 years of women united against poverty, inequality and unemployment", South Africa's Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana said.

The month of August was declared Women's Month by the democratically-elected government of South Africa as a tribute to the thousands of women who marched on Aug. 9, 1956 to protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women.

Xingwana said South Africa has registered significant progress in the promotion of women empowerment and gender equality through a number of measures implemented since the country became independent in 1994.

"Women occupy influential positions in government, and play an important role in decision-making processes," she said.

"The living conditions of the majority of ordinary women have undergone significant qualitative change. Women now have access to housing, water, electricity, education, social services, healthcare and other services," added she.

The minister also alluded to the progress made by the government in addressing the primary health care needs of women and girls, saying, "This was reflected in the decline of child and maternal mortality as well as mother-to-child transmission of HIV rates."

She also expressed pleasure that government departments and other partners are facilitating opportunities for women in rural, peri-urban and informal settlements to participate in green economy projects, such as solar energy, water purification, agriculture, waste management and tourism.

"The department will also monitor the extent to which women and people with disabilities benefit through the preferential procurement system in government," she said.

Xingwana also noted that the facilitation of financial support and training for women farmers and women's cooperatives was a great step in making women independent.

"We are painfully aware that financial dependency on husbands, partners and family members has increased women's vulnerability to domestic violence, rape, abuse and murder. We remain convinced that empowering women will help us win the war against poverty, inequality and unemployment,"the minister said.

While stressing significant strides have been made to empower women and promote gender equality, the minister said that women still bear a disproportionate burden of the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

She said, "Women continue to be marginalized and discriminated against in terms of economic opportunities, the labor market as well as access to land, credit, and finance. In addition, a life of abuse, discrimination and violation of human rights remain the harsh reality for the majority of the women in our country."

She vowed that the government has taken the war against gender- based violence to a higher level.

She revealed that the government was embarking on empowerment programs targeting rural women.

"Working together with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, we want to facilitate women's access to land. We are determined to ensure that women, including women with disabilities, become the main beneficiaries of the land reform processes," the minister said.

The Women's Month commemorations will include a memorial lecture in honor of women who participated in the liberation of the country.

The main celebrations will be held on Aug. 9 at the Union Buildings, where the president's office is housed. 

• South Africa