Moruti [Reverend], I come from a party which respects nonracialism and nonsexism - principles that we have always lived with. That is nothing new; it's policy. Reverend, Ms Madonsela was schooled in the ANC. That is why she behaves the way she does. She was not schooled in church or elsewhere.
As I said, the decade is for the mobilisation of women, Ms Ditshetelo, not for moans and complaints. The call is for action from all of us. Re tlo etsa eng ... [What are we going to do ...]
... with other women in the world? It is an international day. It calls upon us as women of this country to ask how we can participate in this global phenomenon of women oppression, and not only complain and come up with nothing. We need a plan. So, in the Women's League we continue to organise ourselves as women because we are very mindful of the negative effects of patriarchy on women's progress.
For once, as women and patriots, let's remember that women's struggles are international struggles. Women oppression respects neither age nor race, and it has no borders. Therefore, as global citizens, we are all called upon to join hands against this evil patriarchy. Let's not mention poor Manyi's name opportunistically where it does not belong. And don't blame the people where it does not belong. Deal with the one out of 10 - and don't raise things - because one to 10 is a crisis.
It is a distinct honour for me to address this House on the occasion of International Women's Day, which this year is celebrated under the fitting theme of "Equal access to education, training and science and technology".
Moving on from what the preceding speakers have said, one thing that is very clear, at home and abroad, is that the question of gender equality and the emancipation of women remains unresolved and therefore begs serious attention; not 1:10, or Manyi.
Patriarchal power, which is evil, has dominantly kept many of the world's women outside the mainstream of economic life, while relegating others to minor and junior roles in the economy. It is this untenable state of affairs that prompted former Chilean President and the inaugural Executive Director of the United Nations' UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, to say during a luncheon they held in February that:
The neglect of women's rights means the social and economic potential of half the population is underused. In order to tap this potential, we must open up spaces for women in political ...
... 50:50, not 1:10 -
... leadership, in science and technology.
It is in this context, as we celebrate the heroic struggles of women of the world, that we also reflect on the global pathway we seek in building a new African and global agenda in which decent work for women can become a reality. Tapping into the untapped resources of women is, therefore, not only the right thing to do - and taking them off the gallery and bringing them here - but a political and economic imperative. Over the years, unequal power relations of male-dominated societies have relegated women to this hidden economy, thus preventing women from fully making a meaningful and vital contribution to human development and economic growth. It is this that gave rise to the decision to launch International Women's Day 100 years ago to expose the conditions under which women live and work.
This debate on International Women's Day is very crucial for our women in Africa and the world. The evils of gender inequality and economic exclusion are alive and well, and are so stubborn that they require of all of us as women to be magnanimous. For once, let's work in unison to confront patriarchy as an evil that affects all of us across the political and even the racial divide, including your economic or class divide.
In an article celebrating International Women's Day, Kanya D'Almeida recalls a milestone on the global path for the attainment of gender equality. I quote:
In 1945, more than half a century ago, the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco wrote women's equality into its canon, creating an indisputable commitment to gender equity in the post-World War global order.
In June 1981, the people of this continent adopted the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, which called for the elimination of every form of discrimination against women and for the protection of the rights of the woman and the child, as stipulated in international declarations and conventions.
Kanya D'Almeida said, and I continue:
Women continue to struggle, far below the level of their male counterparts, in every single aspect of human society. Only 11 of the 192 heads of state are women ...
... no Manyi or anybody; it's just patriarchy -
... one in three women in the world will experience rape or sexual assault in her lifetime.
All these problems, as I have said, are the evils of patriarchy that requires magnanimity and unison.
The challenges facing women globally include occupational segregation, the gender wage gap, joblessness, abject poverty, gender-based violence, underrepresentation in political and economic decision-making processes and racism. Clearly, this state of affairs has necessitated, rightly so, the need for more concerted efforts to better advance the agenda of gender equity and women's empowerment. All is not lost. We have cause to celebrate the great strides that we have made so far in the battle for gender rights.
I have to say again that in South Africa we achieved equal access to education for boys and girls many years ago, as consistently reported in the Unesco - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - Education for All Global Monitoring reports. As we moan, let us also tell the truth that, as a country, we have made strides. Girl- children make up the majority of students at higher education institutions. This marks a very positive increase, especially noted last year, in female graduation rates in medicine and engineering in South Africa. More needs to be done, but there is also cause for great celebration as we commit ourselves and move in unison around the emancipation of women.
As South Africa, we pride ourselves that, indeed, we are one of those countries - as Minister Xingwana has said - that is leading in terms of women representation. Why? We don't keep women in galleries, but we bring them to the House. As women, as the ANC, we have brought about more women representation. As it stands now, we are targeting 50:50. Watch this space. [Applause.] I don't know what you'll say when you are still at 1:10. Watch this space; we are going for 50:50 now. We have an opportunity, in May 2011, to advance gender parity in the local sphere and to lay the ground for the creation of more decent jobs and more opportunities for the advancement of women. Women worth their salt will come here, knowing that this is where opportunities are and this is where opportunities exist for women to uplift other women.
We know that statistics on employment show that more men are employed than women and that men occupy more top management positions than women. As South Africa, we welcome the establishment of UN Women by the UN General Assembly - done this year under the leadership of Michelle - which must serve as the penultimate body on women's empowerment and gender equality. We believe that this new agency, UN Women, with the necessary support and co-operation of member states, will raise the profile of gender and women issues on a global scale. UN members, including South Africa, have a duty to ensure that this UN entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women works effectively and takes to greater heights the global agenda of gender equity.
In this way in the long run, through focused and strong leadership, we can and must turn the creation of decent work for women into a reality, and thus improve the lives of millions of women and girls throughout the world. In this way, we can transform "the unpaid care economy" and "the informal and hidden economy". The creation of UN Women, which began its work in January 2011, shows a global commitment to a central focus on the goal of gender equality and the emancipation of women.
Lastly, what we really need is gender mainstreaming in every single aspect of human society, coupled with accountability and a proven commitment we only see in people-centred and nonsexist organisations, such as the ANC, which have undertaken, as a starting point, to work tirelessly for 50:50 gender parity. That is why I am saying one out of 10 is going to leave you far behind. It is a fact, and a first for South Africa, that the ANC-led government has affirmed the political and human rights of women.
For South Africa, the centenary of International Women's Day could not have come at a better time. It comes two months before the local government elections and less than a year from the centenary celebration of this great and noble organisation.
Expanding equal access to education, training, science and technology, as part of the international theme, is one way of securing decent work for women. We need to probe what has been achieved at the recent 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, at which our country was represented.
Lastly, as we celebrate International Women's Day, we must not lose sight of the need to accelerate progress in our goals of gender equality and the emancipation of women. Men shall not be free until we have secured a better life for women - all of them, not sitting in the gallery, but here making decisions on behalf of the nation. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR PERMISSION IN TERMS OF RULE 249(3)(b) TO