KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, says Women’s Month is a time to highlight the plight of women and equally reflect on the strides made as a country in the advancement of women’s socio-economic emancipation.
Dube-Ncube made the remarks as the country kick starts the 2023 Women's Month commemoration under the theme, 'Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment'.
“The 2023 Women’s Month programme gives us an opportunity to shine the spotlight on the role that women can play in the revival of our economy by creating business and job opportunities in all sectors of our economy,” Dube-Ncube said.
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and various government entities, this week launched the 2023 Women’s Month in Durban.
Dube-Ncube said this year’s Women’s Month programme will focus on acceleration of socio-economic programmes and activities that are undertaken across the different sectors to fast-track gender mainstreaming.
Dube-Ncube called on women to grab the opportunities that are available, as South Africa has unique products that can be sold to global markets.
She also urged them to speak out about the various forms of abuse experienced by women, both at home and in the workplace.
“August is a significant milestone in our history, as it marks the commemoration of Women Day in South Africa and we celebrate the historic achievements of women in the fight for justice, equality, sexual and gender discrimination, and human rights abuse,” Dube-Ncube said.
BRICS roadshow
The Women’s Month launch culminated in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) roadshow, where Dube-Ncube met with BRICS Women Business Alliance (WBA) members and discussed the logistics of the upcoming BRICS Africa Trade Conference, which is scheduled to take place from 20 - 21 August 2023.
“We are not just merely launching the Women’s Month programme. We have brought in business and representatives of BRICS countries to come and have a conversation with us about opportunities that exist for women.
“We are discussing the energy sector and the role that women must play there. We are discussing access to the job market, finance and how we can now aggressively push that envelope to ensure that these things are realised,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said in the last few weeks right up to October 2023, KwaZulu-Natal has positioned itself as the theatre of BRICS conversations.
“On 21 June, we hosted the BRICS Sport Ministers, and on 14 July, it was the BRICS Gender Dividend Dialogue. The BRICS Urbanisation Forum took place on 26 and 27 July and on 20 - 21 August, we are hosting the BRICS Africa Women's Business Alliance Trade Conference and in October, it will be BRICS games,” Dube-Ncube said. – SAnews.gov.za
