Women are often the last to benefit from institutional support and economic opportunities and the City of Johannesburg is committing to reversing this skewed and troubling trend.
The City’s Health and Social Development Department seeks to address this imbalance and has declared war against bender-based violence and femicide.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the City has lined-up a series of women empowerment initiatives, programmes and activities to empower women and address their economic and social needs as part of celebrating Women’s Month.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development Councillor Eunice Mgcina says women still face patriarchal attitudes, discriminatory cultural practices, gender-based violence (GBV), femicide, sexual harassment in the workplace, unequal pay and a host of other unfair practices. These discriminatory practices have over the decades disadvantaged women socially and economically.
The Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Geoffrey Makhubo, will unveil the City’s Women’s Month programme on 12 August 2020 at Metro Centre, New Council Chamber Braamfontein.
Women’s Month will be celebrated and commemorated using these weekly themes:
- Gender-Based Violence (Week 1) 10 -14 August 2020
- Women Empowerment (Week 2) 17- 22 August 2020
- Women in Leadership (Week 3) 24-29 August 2020
The City’ strategic orientation in response to challenges faced by women finds expression form the GDS 2040 outcome 1: Improved quality of life and development-driven resilience for all. The City envisages a future that presents significantly improved human and social development realities, through targeted focus on poverty reduction, food security, development initiatives that enable self-sustainability, improved health and life expectancy, and real social inclusivity
“It’s my fervent hope that this Programme will respond to the challenges women still face in their daily lives and actually benefit from the gains of incredible and brave women of 1956 for fighting injustice against the apartheid government through the protest,” says MMC Mgcina.
In the efforts to address the scourge of Gender Based Violence and Substance abuse, the City will launch the Ithemba Substance Abuse and Gender Based Violence Crisis Line on 14 August 2020.
ENDS
Issued by the City of Joburg
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