From being able to legally vote and continuing to combat discrimination in the workplace, women have come a long way within the past century, making their voices heard and forging toward the future with independence, strength, compassion, and wisdom.
National Women’s Day in South Africa is all about appreciating and honouring all the women who have contributed to the progression towards gender equality from the past, present, and even the future, as we continue blazing a trail for the generations of women to come.
This National Women’s Day, Acorn Stairlifts celebrates all of the amazing South African women who have made a difference, not just from their multiple contributions throughout the course of history, but through the ways in which they touch peoples’ personal lives on a daily basis as well.
Read on to learn about the history behind South Africa’s National Women’s Day and all of the South African women who have played an instrumental role in women empowerment and the advancement of women's rights.
When is National Women’s Day?
National Women’s Day is on 9 August every year.
This year, in 2023, National Women’s Day falls on a Wednesday.
What is the Theme for National Women’s Day 2023?
The theme for National Women’s Day 2023 is “Women’s Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment: Building Back Better for Women’s Improved Resilience.”
South Africa’s theme is linked to the campaign of Generation Equality, a global effort to achieve gender equality by 2030.
How Did National Women’s Day Start in South Africa?
Each August, the nation of South Africa commemorates Women's Month, honouring the legacy of over 20,000 women who rallied at the Union Buildings on August 9, 1956.
Their protest opposed the expansion of Pass Laws to women, a restrictive system aimed at subjecting women to further control and relegating them to a passive existence, subservient to “the mercy of men.”
For this reason, every year on March 9, National Women’s Day is celebrated in South Africa, not only as a tribute to all of the brave women who marched in protest on that day but also to all of the women throughout the nation’s history who have contributed to the progression towards gender equality.
Some examples of women who have been monumental in the progression of women’s rights in South African history include Charlotte Maxeke, Ray Alexander Simons, Elizabeth Mafikeng, and Amina Pahad—just to name a few.
Get Inspired—Words of Wisdom from Women
If we’ve learned anything throughout history, it’s that when a woman talks, you should be listening.
Get inspired by the wise words of these strong, influential women that exemplify the beauty and empowerment of what it means to be a woman.
International Women’s Day Quotes
“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”
“Being a pioneering woman is [about] not waiting until you’re rich or famous or waiting for all of your stars to be aligned.”
“Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! You strike a woman, you strike a rock!”
“There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers.”
“For what is done or learned by one class of women becomes, by virtue of their common womanhood, the property of all women.”
“Women are the people who are going to relieve us from all this oppression and depression.”
“A woman’s guess is much more accurate than a man’s certainty.”
“We should be teaching young girls to take up space. Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself.”
"Women are the people who are going to relieve us from all this oppression and depression.”
“Regardless of how many years we have spent in this life, we must get up and shout.”
“I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.”
To read Maya Angelou’s full poem of “Phenomenal Woman,” click here.
To learn more about the history of South Africa’s women’s rights, the contributions that South African women have made throughout history, and more about the lives of these influential women themselves, check out these resources:
https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-womens-struggle-south-africa
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/women-leaders-south-africa-freedom-apartheid/
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/woman-s-rights-and-suffrage-in-africa
