Minister Shabangu to launch Women's Month

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Women, Susan Shabangu, will on Tuesday officially launch the 2017 Women’s Month at the Union Buildings in Tshwane.

This year’s Women’s Day, which will be held in Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberley, Northern Cape, will be celebrated under the theme: “The Year of OR Tambo: Women united in moving South Africa forward”. 

South Africa commemorates Women’s Month in August as a tribute to more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956, in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.

“The 2017 commemoration takes place against a backdrop of heinous murders of women and children, we call on all faith based organisations, civil society formations, media and every South African to join hands with government in the fight against the scourge of gender based violence,” said Minister Shabangu.

Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier David Makhura will also on Tuesday launch the Gauteng Provincial Government’s ‘Invest in a Girl Child and Empower a Young Woman’ campaign to respond to challenges facing girl children and young women in the province.

The campaign is in particular necessitated by the sudden spate of killings against women and children in South Africa, a phenomenon known as femicide.

Gauteng Social Development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza said the Premier is concerned that Gauteng has experienced violence and brutal attacks against women and children where in most cases, young women were burnt beyond recognition.

“Many of these young women died at the hands of their boyfriends or men they knew,” said MEC Mayathula-Khoza.

The launch would be held at Aurora Girls High School in Zola, Soweto. – SAnews.gov.za