Ramaphosa says GBV means South African women are not free

President Cyril Ramaphosa said although South Africa has made progress with women’s rights, the “struggles of women are far from over”. He said women lead institutions that are vital to South Africa. “Today, women serve as chief justice, speaker of the National Assembly, chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, public protector and auditor-general.

“Women are ministers, mayors, judges, traditional leaders, diplomats, police officers, soldiers, entrepreneurs, farmers, scientists, engineers, academics, artists and athletes. Obstacles faced by women in South Africa Speaking at the Union Buildings on Sunday, Ramaphosa said although he is proud of the rights women have in South Africa, there is still progress to be made. “The struggles of women for equality and emancipation do not know boundaries of geography, language, religion, race, colour or class.

And the struggles of women are far from over,” he said. He said women still face obstacles in South Africa. “Women are more than half of our population, but they do not yet hold an equal share of our country’s wealth, its land or its enterprises.

Too many earn less than men for doing the same work. Too many carry the burden of caring for families and households, labour that goes unrecognised and uncounted,” he said. Equal opportunities Ramaphosa said government is trying to create equal opportunities for women in the country.

“We are opening public procurement to women-owned businesses, so that what government spends helps to build women entrepreneurs,” he said. “Through the Women Economic Assembly we have been drawing women-owned enterprises into the value chains of our major industries. “We are widening access to finance, to credit and to markets.” Education The president said education is vital for women’s empowerment.

“Today, more women than men are enrolled in our universities and colleges. “But too few of them enter engineering, science, technology and the artisanal trades, where so many of the opportunities of tomorrow will lie.” Gender-based violence Ramaphosa said though women have many rights in South Africa, the high level of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country means they will never be truly free. “In 1956, women lived in fear of being arrested for…