This year’s International Women’s Day theme was a “call to move beyond commitments and fast-track real change for gender equality”. This was according to Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, deputy minister of the South African Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with disabilities (SADWYP), in a recorded media statement released on 7 March.
Letsike said that while progress in this regard has been made, women still remain “underrepresented in leadership, the economy, and decision-making spaces”, and “financial inclusion, equal pay, and economic freedom cannot be delayed any longer”.
Equal representation in government
In a media statement released simultaneously by the SADWYP, the department said that while the South African government continues to make strides in women’s representation, with 46% of parliament and 43% of the cabinet being female, more work should be done to accelerate equal representation.
Prioritising women’s rights in the economy
The Government of National Unity has identified priorities in line with the World Economic Forum’s agenda for women’s rights, focusing on closing gender gaps in economic participation, pay, and leadership, according to the statement.
“Today, I will join the South African Women Lawyers Association to discuss transformation in the legal profession,” said Letsike in the statement that was released on 7 March. “We must act now to close these gaps in all economic sectors.”
Meanwhile, Stellenbosch University (SU) political science professor Amanda Gouws, who is also the chairperson in Gender Politics of the South African Research Chairs Initiative, said she thinks that ‘accelerate action’ is “a good theme for International Women’s Day this year”.
“There has to be activism around gender issues, especially in the light of the digression of women’s rights under the Trump administration,” she said.
SMF News spoke to a number of SU employees about gender equality in their respective fields:
Support for women at work
Professor Sophie Marques, from the SU mathematical sciences division, said that universities must implement “better parental leave policies, on-campus childcare support, and flexible work arrangements” to prevent talented researchers from being forced out of the field.
Professor Sophie Marques, from the mathematical and sciences division at Stellenbosch University, said Women’s Day is about “taking action”. PHOTO: Rentia Weber
Improving gender equality is “a collective effort, involving both women and men”, said Donita Africander, SU professor of biochemistry. “I would like to launch an event where women in biochemistry can share their research and lived experiences.”
Professor Donita Africander from the department of biochemistry at Stellenbosch University, wants to launch an event where women in biochemistry can share their “research” and “lived experiences”. PHOTO: Rentia Weber
Gender equality can be acquired “first and foremost by education”, as well as by creating more employment opportunities for women who are in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) fields particularly, said Professor Soraya Seedat at the SU department of psychiatry.
Professor Soraya Seedat, from the department of psychiatry, said that gender equality can be attained “first and foremost by education”. PHOTO: Supplied/Soraya Seedat
“It’s about uplifting women, knowing the roles they play in the sports industry, and how much more we need to do to close the gender gap,” said Kimara Singh, media and communications manager at Maties Sport.
For Kimara Singh, media and communications manager at Maties Sport’s reception, Women’s Day is about “uplifting women”. PHOTO: Rentia Weber
Stellenbosch University employees speak about accelerating action for Women’s Day. VIDEO: Rentia Weber
Audio: Supplied/Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, deputy minister of the South African Department of Women, Youth and Persons with disabilities