Every year, in August, South Africa marks Women’s Month. On the 9th of August we pay tribute to the 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 theme for 2021 and beyond is “Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future”. The concept of Generation Equality is a global campaign, driven through the United Nations, and links South Africa to global efforts to achieve gender equality by 2030.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995—endorsed by 189 governments at the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China, and powered by the 21st century women’s movement—is the most visionary agenda for the human rights of women and girls, everywhere. Governments committed to take strategic, bold action in 12 critical areas of concern: poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economy, power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, media, environment, and the girl child.
On the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Women’s “Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights for an equal future” campaign demands equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to sexual harassment and violence against women and girls, health care services that respond to their needs, and their equal participation in political life and in decision-making in all areas of life.
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