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Today is Women’s Day in South Africa. (It’s on a different day in other countries).  Traditionally, this celebrates the famous women’s march that took place in August 1956, against the restrictive and cruel passes that the government of the day determined people of colour should carry.  The march was a huge success, and much has been achieved since then, including the fall of apartheid.

Lack of law implementation

This day always gives me pause. In South Africa we’re very good about various days, and various months. For example we also have Human Rights Day and the Day of Reconciliation.  We’re not so good on the ground. There is a lot of great legislation around these matters, and our Constitution is solid, but the implementation of the laws is severely lacking.

Yes it’s Women’s Day but:

• We still have gross misogyny.
• We are one of the countries most affected by Gender Based Violence
• Femicide is five times higher here than in the rest of the world
• Patriarchy is entrenched here (just one example – many people, both male and female support Donald Trump which means innately they admire the man and what he stands for, even with his infamous quote “grab her by the p**y”
• In general women earn less than men (this study shows that women earn 73c to every rand a man earns Gender pay gaps on the rise in South Africa | SA-TIED)

How do we as men and women address this in our individual capacity?

• Start by ensuring the existing laws are fully implemented
• Work on changing cultural structure
• Raise women who know how a man should treat her. Give her an example by, (if you are female) giving her a father or father figure who shows you respect and (if you are male) treating her and her mother with kindness and respect).
• Raise sons who respect women: Give him an example by, (if you are female) giving him a father or father figure who shows you respect and (if you are male) treating your wife and daughters (his sisters) with kindness and respect).
• Protest
• Men – be allies – please. Treat all the women in your life right. Don’t only wake up to what women face when you have a daughter or a wife of your own. All men, of every age, can be an ally. It will be a nicer world for all of us when all men are allies. And if all women are empowered, men will be too.

Our business is female run. We subcontract to women (and men) and are supported by innumerable women (and men). Every day we will do what we can to empower women – and men.

I hope all the women out there get spoiled on women’s day – men, spoil your women. And if there is no man to spoil you, treat yourself.

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