Minister to launch women’s dialogues
THE SOUTH African Minister for Women in the Presidency, Susan Shabangu, will kick-off Women’s Month Dialogues in Kimberley today.
The Women’s Month Dialogues will this year be celebrated under the theme, “The Year of OR Tambo: Women United in Moving South Africa Forward”.
Every August, South Africa commemorates Women’s Month as a tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on August 9 1956 in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.
Shabangu said yesterday that tribute will be paid to women’s contributions to the liberation struggle, while also observing the centenary of Struggle icon OR Tambo and his contributions to the fight to end gender inequalities.
“This year’s Women’s Month also takes place against a backdrop of increased levels of violence and brutality against women and children in our society. Since the start of this year, a number of incidents of violence and abuse on women have made headlines.
“Government continues with its ongoing National Dialogues on Violence against Women in the Northern Cape, as a means to continue the national discourse on the root causes and possible remedies to end violence.
“The dialogues are a platform for deepening democracy whilst ensuring safer and crime-free communities – especially for women and children,” Shabangu said.
The dialogues will take place at the Mayibuye Centre in Galeshewe from 9am today.