The African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday acknowledged the government for its efforts to emancipate women.
The party would continue to advocate for the empowerment of women, particularly those who remained vulnerable to poverty, disease and violence, it said in a statement ahead of Thursday’s 51st anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March.
”The ANC-led government has put in place policies to ensure that women are recognised in the economy and throughout society as equal partners in all areas of human endeavour.”
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille, however, said the ”men of Tuynhuys” were failing to lead the country to economic freedom and sustainable development.
In a speech delivered at the University of the Witwatersrand on Wednesday, she appealed for an end to gender stereotyping.
”Teach the boys to cook and clean so they don’t treat their wives as child-bearing domestic servants … Treat them equally in the household so they can appreciate gender equality.”
She called on women to stand up for themselves and follow her example, calling herself the ”epitome of a liberated woman”.
”I taught my husband that I am not programmed to cater for him and our marriage is based on mutual respect and understanding.”
The Young Communist Party for its part called on the government to provide free sanitary pads for women.
”[This] will ease the burden and the suffering endured by the majority of poor women who cannot afford sanitary pads as a result of their socio-economic standing.
”This will also assist in minimising the bacterial infections that might be encountered by women through the non-usage of the sanitary pads,” wrote the league’s spokesperson, Castro Ngobese, in a statement.
He said ”un-transformed racial, class and gender realities” meant women continued to suffer due to unemployment, HIV/Aids, rape and domestic abuse. — Sapa