As part of Women’s Month celebrations the Region C Women’s Month programme in the City of Joburg got underway at the Roodepoort Theatre in Florida Park on Thursday, August 25.
The event, organised by the GBV Region C Forum and supported by the Department of Social Development, saw the theatre filled with courageous women from different wards under Region C in the City of Joburg.
According to the organisers, the purpose of the programme was to commemorate National Women’s Month, highlighting women’s multifaceted challenges as well as their diverse achievements in the discourse of women’s empowerment.
Furthermore, the programme aimed to facilitate multilateral dialogues focused on continuing and emerging gender-equality issues, concerns, challenges as well commitments.
Programme directors Nomsa Papale and Tabetha Malinga kept the attendees on their feet with their informative and ongoing motivating style of managing the event.
Dorah Mashita who is the Regional Manager of Social Development in Region C shared her words of wisdom and explained the purpose of the programme.
Mashita also divulged about the importance of men within the community taking part in women’s events in order to show their support.
She also spoke about the powerful women of 1956 and how they shaped the confidence and strength of women in the country.
“Colleagues, let’s enjoy ourselves and let’s continue to be the strong women we are,” said Mashita.
One of the many presentations on the day was done by Re/Max one hundred’s Dalrae Ali Mohamed who spoke about women empowerment and the importance to showcase strong women.
“It does not matter where one comes from but the important factor is that we are all women. All that women want is a little bit of recognition as women have to fight for their rights to be in different spaces,” said Mohamed.
Other presentations done on the day were from Rodney Mudzuli (CoJ Social Development), Amanda Phyffer (Rooibos) and Bongiwe Nkosi (Gauteng Enterprise Propeller) to name just a few.
Martha Langa from the Dobsonville Human Rights Advice Centre who is also on the Region C GBV Forum consisting of NGOs and government departments spoke to the Record and outlined the importance of the event.
“As you know in 2020/21 a pandemic was declared in South Africa, so we decided to come and collaborate as a forum so that we can help to eliminate GBV in the area of Region C. The purpose of today is to celebrate women who are empowering and consistently supporting other women who are going through GBV femicide. We support their families, and we support them as survivors of domestic violence and GBV,” said Langa.
