Chairperson, Madam Deputy Speaker, hon members, International Women's Day, formalised by the United Nations in 1997, not only reminds us of the victories of women, but also invites us to reflect upon the role and status of women in the world at large.
In one century, women have achieved legal and legislative equality in most countries of the world. However, real equality in actual fact remains a goal that is yet to be achieved. International Women's Day is indeed an occasion to examine the progress that has been made in the promotion of gender equality and to identify the challenges that are still to be overcome.
Of course, we must remember that this day came about because of the struggles of working women from across the globe, and it was only formalised by the United Nations in 1997, whereas the working women had already started their struggles that led to this day at the turn of the century.
The women who led the event of 8 March mainly came from the working class, but I would like to point out that, while there has been an increase in the involvement of women in the global economy - we have seen large numbers of women joining trade unions - the growth in the rank and file has not, however, been met with corresponding growth in women's participation in decision-making positions in trade unions in the world.
In general, little attention is paid in international laws to the socioeconomic rights of working women. Socioeconomic rights are usually addressed in national laws, including labour legislation and pertinent social policies. However, in many countries, laws and policies regarding working women's rights are being revised or constrained in various ways.
Could the socioeconomic rights of working women be protected, promoted and enhanced by increasing the number of activist women in trade union leadership roles? Is there a need for a bill of working women's social rights?
A round-table meeting in France, held on 12 July 2006, brought together participants in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation project on Enhancing Women's Social Rights and Trade Union Leadership, and provided opportunities to discuss research findings and policy implications around this issue. The progress we have made towards the attainment of a democratic society can only have full meaning if it is accompanied by significant progress in the struggle for the emancipation of women. Further, it should also talk about measuring the progress towards democratic transformation by the progress we make in the struggle for gender equality.
The people of South Africa have already placed the issue of women's rights firmly in the Constitution and on our political agenda. South African women have played an indispensable role in this regard and in the struggle, and will continue to play this role in the future.
For many decades now, our movement has recognised and acknowledged the fact that the emancipation of women and gender equality is one of the defining features of the struggle for liberation, thanks to our forebears and our heroines such as Charlotte Maxeke, Lilian Ngoyi, Ida Mtwana, Florence Mkhize, Dorothy Nyembe and many others. We are happy that, both in the private sector and civil society, this important matter of gender equality has at least begun to form part of their programmes.
The international struggle for the emancipation of women has been the defining development of the 21st century. In 1995, the women of South Africa, together with the women of the world, as well as government representatives, descended on Beijing for the Fourth World Conference on Women. For two weeks they looked at the world from a woman's perspective.
At the conclusion of that conference the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the then Secretary-General of the United Nations, had this to say at the time:
As we set out on the road from Beijing, the platform is a call for concrete action to make a difference:
. Action to protect and promote the human rights of women and the girl child as an integral part of universal human rights; . Action to eradicate the persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women; . Action to promote the obstacles to women's full participation in public life and decision-making at all levels including the family;
. Action to eliminate all forms of violence against women; . Action to ensure equal access for girl children and women to education and health services; . Action to promote economic autonomy for women, and ensure their access to productive resources; and . Action to encourage an equitable sharing of family responsibilities.
The platform must be our compass that guides us in the struggle for the total emancipation of women, which is the total emancipation of humanity. One cannot have humanity emancipated without women being emancipated. The African Union has declared 2010 to 2020 the Decade of Women. It would have been great to celebrate the total emancipation of women during this decade but, unfortunately, hon members, the truth is that the world is nowhere near achieving true equality.
It is true that, on our continent, while they tend to be peacemakers, women find themselves being victims of wars they do not start. Women have to be given the opportunity to take part not only in conflict resolution but, more importantly, in conflict prevention and peace building. They can only make this contribution if they are indeed in decision-making positions.
In many countries women have not moved far from the type of exploitation summarised by the late President Samora Machel of Mozambique at a conference of Mozambican women in 1973, when he said:
To possess women is to possess workers, unpaid workers, workers whose entire labour power can be appropriated without resistance by the husband, who is lord and master. In an agrarian economy, marrying many women is a sure way of accumulating a great deal of wealth. The husband is assured of free labour which neither complains nor rebels against exploitation.
Women are still treated as though they are a possession. [Applause.] On 8 January 1987, when the ANC celebrated its 95th anniversary, its then president, Comrade O R Tambo, described South African women in general, but specifically mothers, as the titans of the struggle. [Applause.] Indeed, women of this country and the world have been the titans of their struggles.
But, according to him, the apartheid state saw women as nothing but mere objects of labour: washerwomen, cleaners, and agricultural and factory workers. In Comrade O R Tambo's view, even white women were domesticated possessions for reproductive purposes. Because women are still seen as possessions in many communities - rich or poor - they are still victims of violence and abuse. These days, they are subjected to a modern form of slavery, human trafficking.
It is also true that women in South Africa and elsewhere have made advances in many areas. Today, women are in Parliament; we have female scientists; and we have woman presidents and prime ministers. Women are able to work and also to raise families. Women today have choices, thanks to the struggles of women across the world and our women in South Africa.
These advances have made some women think that there is no longer the need for a struggle for equality. The struggle is not about some women making it in a man's world; it is about changing the world so that men and women are equal in private and in public. [Applause.]
The women of the world must also guard against the clawing back of the gains that women have made. These gains are not permanent unless we are vigilant and defend them at all times - patriarchy is very complex and very enduring.
Women in the world must struggle within their own political parties, especially those on my left ... [Laughter.] ... for gender equality - not only for quotas in decision-making structures, but also for policy and attitude change, which is very difficult to achieve. We must not be afraid to challenge gender stereotypes, and sexist attitudes and pronouncements, even if it means rocking the boat. Never in the history of humankind has there been a situation where the dominant force has voluntarily given up its position. Inkululeko yabesifazane iyasetshenzelwa. [Women's freedom is hard-earned.]
Are we doing enough as parliamentarians and public representatives to advance women's emancipation? Parliament must express itself clearly and unequivocally against the persistence of sexism, patriarchal attitudes and sexist practices in all our institutions, including this very one.