KZN Legislature holds Women’s Parliament to commemorate Women’s Month
On 7 and 8 August 2018, at Vulindlela Stadium in the upper Edendale under Umsunduzi Municipality, women from all political parties represented in the KZN Legislature will converge for their annual women’s parliament. KZN Women, will again this year, commemorate the Women’s March of 1956 in which women demonstrated their solidarity across racial lines in a bid to end the carrying of permits which they were forced by the apartheid regime.
The commemoration will be combined with the celebration of the centenary of Mama Albertina Sisulu and Nelson Mandela. There are a number of activities planned to mark the centenary of the two struggle icons.
In a period where abuse of women is rife, this year’s parliament will amongst other issues discuss and resolve on 1. eradicating the scourge of gender-based violence, 2. reflect on the efficacy of current policies and interventions to combat femicide and abuse in general, 3. focus on the child marriages and assess South Africa’s international obligations, national laws and cultural practices to protect young girls and deliberate on the effects these marriages have on human rights of young girls. 4. Patriarchy within the South African Police Service – fact or fiction? This is the question they hope to unpack against the background of challenges faced by women when reporting cases of rape or other forms of physical abuse at police stations throughout South Africa.
The Women have also resolved that their economic exclusion in various spheres of society remains a challenge to economic emancipation of women, and they have resolved to include discussion on Radical Socio-Economic Transformation (RSET), a discussion which they hope will explore ideas for women to expand access to, and control over economic resources, including land.
The Women’s Parliament remains one of many Legislature’s strategies to broaden public participation of the women’s sectors in order to achieve the legislature’s constitutional mandate, namely, involving various sectors of society in the legislative processes. Women will also use this opportunity to engage the executive arm of government, and articulate issues that concern them as women in society. These issues are forwarded to government in the form of resolutions which may ultimately lead to new legislation passed by the Legislature.
Media representatives are invited to this event.
For more information contact:
W Canham
Snr Practitioner: Media Liaison & Public Relations
KZN Legislature
Tel. 033-3557 559
Cell. 0833767299
Email: Canhamw@kznleg.gov.za
