Gwendoline Mahlangu-Nkabinde, Deputy Speaker of the House of Parliament, South Africa, gives the keynote address at Wednesday night's South African Women's Day 2006 seminar at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Several members of the South African Government, both women and men, as well as Jamaicans, turned out on Wednesday night to celebrate South African Women's Day.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Parliament in South Africa, Gwendoline Mahlangu-Nkabinde, said the day was not only a day for black women, but for white women as well, as they, too, played an important role in the liberation of South Africa's women.
Defending south africa
In addressing statements that there is still violence in South Africa, Mrs. Mahlangu-Nkabinde pointed out that violence exists all over the world.
"The challenge that we are putting to the women of South Africa is, let us break the culture of violence," she said, addressing an audience at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
Mrs. Mahlangu-Nkabinde noted that, despite good legislation, there are still circumstances in South Africa that the Government is not proud of. As such, she implored the women of Jamaica to assist their fellow African sisters, by looking at legislation that can stem violence against women in that country.
Women prospering
One solution to address the situation. Mrs. Mahlangu-Nkabinde pointed out, was a change in the way boys are socialised.
"We need to start changing how we socialise our boy children. We only teach boys as big men ... you don't see that you are building a monster ... there is nothing wrong with a boy washing dishes at home, nothing wrong with them being clean, nothing wrong with looking after younger sisters, and so on. By doing this you are saving a woman who would have been abused," she said.
Mrs. Mahlangu-Nkabinde pointed out that South Africa is doing well with women as the deputy president of that country is now a woman (Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka), who the president, Thabo Mbeki, has given his blessing. Rwanda, she noted, now has 48 per cent of women in politics, the highest number in Africa.
