Every year on 9 August, South Africa celebrates Women’s Day. Social media fills with photographs of mothers, sisters, friends and women who inspire us. Flowers are given, messages are sent and women are celebrated. But behind all the posts, gifts and celebrations there is a much deeper meaning. Women’s Day is not simply about saying “Happy Women’s Day”. It is about remembering the women who stood up for change and recognising how far women have come.
In South Africa, Women’s Day has a particularly powerful history. On 9 August 1956, approximately 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against apartheid pass laws. These women came from different backgrounds but stood together with one message, they would not accept laws that restricted their freedom and dignity. Their courage became an important moment in South African history, and their actions continue to remind us of the power of standing together.
More than 70 years later, the world looks very different. Women have greater opportunities to receive an education, pursue careers and take on leadership positions. Young girls today can dream of becoming doctors, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, athletes or anything else they choose which at a point in time felt nearly impossible. These opportunities are worth celebrating, but progress does not mean there is no room for more progress.
For young women especially, Women’s Day can be a reminder that their voices matter. It is about being encouraged to have ambitions, to speak confidently and to challenge the idea that there are certain things women “should” or “should not” do. It is also about supporting other women rather than feeling that we have to compete with one another.
Young minds get to continue this legacy and continue empowering the ideology that woman can do it too. This day is about commemorating the bravery of the woman who took part in this march but is also a reminder of how much further we as a nation can go and how much there is to still explore and achieve.