A wave of women’s rights advocacy that emerged in the 1950s challenged the gendered impact of a wide range of social, political and economic issues for the lives of women. The adoption of the Women’s Charter in 1954 and the historic Women’s March to Pretoria in 1956 provided renewed impetus for advancing women’s rights and gender equality.
Building on this legacy, contemporary platforms such as the Women’s Parliament and the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus have provided women with an influential forum through which to engage in legislative and policy processes. These institutions have strengthened women’s voices in addressing the persistent gap between the principles of gender equality and their practical implementation.
The theme of this year’s Women’s Parliament – Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ Imbokodo: 70 Years of Resistance, 72 Years of Vision – Advancing Gender Justice, Equality and Resilient Economies for All – will reflect on the gains achieved, examine the remaining challenges, and identify the barriers that continue to impede the aspirations articulated in the Women’s Charter and the Women’s March. The march, which brought together more than 20,000 women, remains one of the defining acts of mass resistance in South Africa’s history, while the Women’s Charter laid the foundation for many of the equality principles later entrenched in South Africa’s democratic Constitution.
The enduring objectives of these two historic milestones will shape discussions at this year’s Women’s Parliament, which will take place in Kimberley from 13 to 14 August. The event will honour the courage and vision of those women whose political activism transformed the struggle for equality and whose legacy continues to inspire efforts to advance women’s rights.
The values championed by these pioneers also found expression internationally through the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. The resulting Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action provided further impetus for South Africa’s commitment to gender equality and contributed to the establishment of the Commission for Gender Equality in 1996.
The Commission for Gender Equality, together with the institutions, legislative instruments and policy frameworks established to promote gender equality, protect women’s rights and advance gender mainstreaming across government and society, will be subject to critical examination. Discussions will assess the extent to which these mechanisms have achieved their intended objectives, explore the reasons why gender equality remains unevenly realised, and consider how their transformative potential can be strengthened.
Such reflection is essential. Despite decades of advocacy and collaboration among women from diverse backgrounds and experiences, substantive gender equality remains elusive. Although South Africa has emerged from the injustices of colonialism and apartheid, gender inequality continues to undermine the country’s democratic aspirations. Its persistence stands in contrast to the values of equality, dignity and human rights enshrined in the Constitution and explicitly protected in the Bill of Rights.
The voices represented at this year’s Women’s Parliament are expected to demonstrate how gender inequality remains a significant democratic challenge. They will also call for the full implementation of existing legislation and policy frameworks to eliminate gender-based inequalities and ensure equitable representation of women in leadership and decision-making across all sectors of society.
Contemporary debates have also expanded beyond gender equality to include gender equity, with particular emphasis on women’s economic empowerment. Central to these discussions is the question of how to remove the structural barriers that continue to prevent women from advancing in the workplace, accessing finance, benefiting from procurement opportunities, growing sustainable businesses and achieving economic independence, despite policies designed to support these objectives.
The economic inequalities experienced by many women continue to affect their wellbeing, social standing and participation in the economy. Economic exclusion also contributes to women’s vulnerability to gender-based violence and femicide. As a result, government increasingly recognises gender-based violence as both a social and policy challenge that must be addressed alongside broader efforts to achieve gender equity.
These issues will be robustly debated during the Women’s Parliament, highlighting how unequal power relations continue to sustain toxic masculinity, structural discrimination and gender injustice. Participants will also examine how inequality is often perpetuated under the guise of meritocracy, cultural practices or religious beliefs.
It is anticipated that the insights generated during the Women’s Parliament will strengthen the implementation of legislation and policy frameworks aimed at advancing gender equality and gender equity. The discussions are also expected to identify practical measures for holding accountable those who, despite existing legislative and policy commitments, continue to delay or undermine the realisation of women’s rights and equal opportunities.
Ultimately, these discussions will situate gender equality and gender equity within South Africa’s broader democratic and human rights agenda. It is hoped that the analyses, recommendations and policy proposals emerging from this year’s Women’s Parliament will not only inform future legislative and policy reforms, but also translate into meaningful action that accelerates the realisation of gender justice, equality and inclusive economic empowerment for all.
Abel Mputing
7 August 2026
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