Madam Speaker, as we commemorate International Women's Day, South African women have much to be proud of and to celebrate. We have a Constitution that provides that we are all equal before the law, and we have promulgated many laws that have ensured the emancipation of our women. To top it all, we now even have a Ministry dedicated to women's issues. Our Parliament is the envy of many other countries, as women's representation is profound.
Martin Luther King Jr once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Today, as we take part in a debate on International Women's Day, the UCDP feels that we cannot even begin to discuss the concept of equal opportunities for all, when injustice and discrimination against women continue to be a scourge that befalls every society.
We still hear the statistic that 70% of women will experience violence in their lifetime, and in the majority of such cases it will be from an intimate partner. As a society, as government, we have consistently failed to protect women and girls by denying them equal rights and equal opportunities, thereby making them vulnerable to many forms of abuse and diseases.
Nearly half the people living with HIV/Aids in the world are women. Worldwide, Aids is the leading cause of death in women of reproductive age. Gender inequities, violence, and lack of access to education, health and economic opportunities are making women vulnerable to HIV. How often do we in this Chamber hear gender stereotyping ideas and fail to challenge them?
Millions of adolescent girls live in poverty, experience gender discrimination and inequality, and are subject to violence, abuse and exploitation. The result is not only the suffering of the girls themselves, but a continuing cycle of oppression and abuse. Investment in education and health is essential, but so too are much tougher laws and penalties against, and prosecution of, abusers.
We feel we can only start to engage meaningfully on concepts of equal opportunities for all if our girls start on an equal footing with our boys. This government has a responsibility to work more aggressively to ensure that every girl has the right to a childhood that provides her with the opportunity to reach her full potential. The battle for gender equality is far from won.
Of the world's one billion poorest people, three fifths are girls and women. Girls still account for more than half the world's children who are not attending school. Two thirds of the 759 million illiterate adults are female. In many countries worldwide women are under-represented in political decision-making. They are often trapped in insecure ... [Time expired.] Thank you. [Applause.]