SALGA celebrates the 61st Anniversary of the 1956 Women’s march to the Union Buildings

Posted: 08 August 2017

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Women’s Month is an opportune time to reflect on progress made and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of our country.
This year’s celebration coincides with the centenary of struggle icon OR Tambo and also takes place against a backdrop of an increase in the levels of violence and brutality against women and children in our society. Inevitable, women will be most affected by the economic decline and bear the brunt of its resultant negative economic and social effects.

The 2017 celebrations will build on the announcement made by honourable President Zuma with regards to women economic emancipation, addressing issues of gender based violence including national dialogues to help combat the continued scourge of violence and abuse against women. The dialogues are a platform for deepening democracy whilst ensuring safer and crime-free communities especially for women and children.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) also make it clear that the vital role of women in gender issues and women empowerment must be recognised and their full participation must be promoted. These include involving women actively in decision making at all levels, integrating their concerns and perspectives in policies & programmes, and establishing ways to assess the impact of developing empowerment policies on women. 

The significance of Women’s Day to SALGA

As the country joins forces in celebrating Women’s day on the 9th August 2017, SALGA will not only remember the selfless and courageous women of 1956 who made their mark in the liberation struggle but will utilise this opportunity to take stock of the successes recorded in bringing change on gender issues in Local Government. We will further reflect on the challenges we still experience and carve a way forward in gender mainstreaming and the inclusion of women in key decision making processes.

The launch of the SALGA Women’s Commission in 2010 was a major milestone, the beginning of strengthening the role and increasing the representation and participation of women in Local Government 50/50 parity.

2017 Women’s Month Activities

• As part of the Women’s Month, SWC will be partnering and collaborating with various stakeholders to work together in shared areas of interest for advancement of gender equality and women empowerment.
• Following the National SWC Summit which was held in May this year, Induction Workshops have been planned focusing on various topics relating to Gender Mainstreaming, Gender Responsive Budgeting, Gender Analysis in Local Government, Legislations and Policies, SDG’s etc.
• Build-up activities towards the SWC National Lekgotla are underway. Lekgotla aims to bring together all the provincial chapters of the SWC and other women structures to offer a structured opportunity to address transformation challenges faced by women in local government with a view to developing solutions.
• All the Provinces will be hosting their own Provincial Makgotla’s between August and September 2017.

Women are potent agents of positive changes in our society, thus “real change” can be only achieved when women and men work hand in hand to foster an environment that is empowering to both sexes. 
“Ke nako for women in Local Government to stand up and unite in moving the sector and indeed the country forward”