CONTENTS In This Issue 2 Letter from the Editor 6 Contributors to this Edition The Longest Revolution 10 Angie Motshekga Sex for sale: The State as Pimp – Decriminalising Prostitution 14 Zukiswa Mqolomba The Century of the Woman 18 Amanda Mbali Dlamini Celebrating Umkhonto we Sizwe On the Cover: 22 Ayanda Dlodlo The journey is long, but Why forsake Muslim women? there is no turning back... 26 Waheeda Amien © GreatStock / Masterfile The power of thinking women: Transformative action for a kinder 30 world Marthe Muller Young African Women who envision the African future 36 Siki Dlanga Entrepreneurship and innovation to address job creation 30 40 South African Breweries Promoting 21st century South African women from an economic 42 perspective Yazini April Investing in astronomy as a priority platform for research and 46 innovation Naledi Pandor Why is equality between women and men so important? 48 Lynn Carneson McGregor 40 Women in Engineering: What holds us back? 52 Mamosa Motjope South Africa’s women: The Untold Story 56 Jennifer Lindsey-Renton Making rights real for women: Changing conversations about 58 empowerment Ronel Rensburg and Estelle de Beer Adopt-a-River 46 62 Department of Water Affairs Community Health Workers: Changing roles, shifting thinking 64 Melanie Roberts and Nicola Stuart-Thompson South African Foreign Policy: A practitioner’s perspective 68 Petunia Mpoza Creative Lens 70 Poetry by Bridget Pitt Readers' Forum © SAWID, SAB, Department of 72 Woman of the 21st Century by Nozibele Qutu Science and Technology Volume 42 / 2012 1 LETTER FROM THE MaNagiNg EDiTOR am writing the editorial this month looks forward, with a deeply inspiring because we decided that this belief that future generations of black I issue would be written entirely South African women will continue to by women. So let me start by giving change the world for the better. a heartfelt thank you to all of you Recent discussions in many forums who responded at short notice to our have, however, highlighted the sad appeal for contributions for our fact that there is still an overwhelming magazine in celebration of August, our amount of work to be done. These women’s month. include the ANC policy conference, The election of Nkosazana Dlamini and the Conference of the Progressive Zuma as the first Southern African and Women Movement of South Africa the first woman to chair the African (PWMSA). As Angie Motshekga, Union Commission is a very significant President of the ANC Women’s League, event. It shows that African leaders records in her article, some of the can solve their differences and act in participants felt that change has not yet unison, and gives tangible expression impacted on women within the working to the resolution which declared the class and the poorest of the poor. decade between 2010 and 2020 as the Decade of Women. "My election Women’s power in decision-making should not be seen as a personal victory processes but it should be seen as a victory for the The ANC Women’s League has African continent in general," she told been pushing for more real power deputies to their male counterparts. reporters before flying back to South for women in politics. In May, Angie The ANC Women’s League wants Africa. "We will continue to work in a Motshekga appealed to members to gender parity in the top leadership of way that tries to build consensus." fight patriarchy. She said that there the ANC. It also wants a 50/50 gender In her acceptance speech, Dlamini had been a regression in government split in the party conference delegations Zuma said she was humbled by the and within the ANC on women’s issues in a bid to empower women in the honour bestowed on her by the with valuable gains being lost. Very few governing party. Mkhize added that leadership of the AU. She undertook of the leadership roles, even at branch women were saying the party should to work towards the unity of the AU, level, were held by women (News 24, “move beyond numbers’ games and as well as towards peace, stability, 7.05.12). The strength of patriarchy begin to talk to power-sharing between development and the upliftment of in this country crosses racial, ethnic men and women in the organisation” women and children. and religious boundaries, with deep (City Press, 29.06.12). The Thinker congratulates Dr roots everywhere. She also reported that the Dlamini Zuma on this appointment Motshekga also deplored the commission has discussed the possibility and is confident that she will serve the behaviour of Cosatu members in their of a summit to ‘unpack’ women's AU with distinction. attacks on DA marchers in Pretoria rights – “a gender summit that will We have much to be proud of in and the insults shouted against Helen look at power relations in all respects, South Africa, in terms of promoting Zille and Lindiwe Mazibuko. “What so that it is not only women who are gender equality, particularly in worries me… is the sexism and racism talking about these issues”. ANC NEC relation to adopting and defending that emerged. As an advocate of member Paul Mashatile also said there a Constitution which outlaws women’s rights, this upsets me… It’s was a proposal that there should be an discrimination on the grounds of “race, the same reprimand we’ve always audit of the country’s cultural practices gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, given Julius Malema and the Youth to assess whether or not they were in ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual League concerning Zille – focus on line with the Constitution. orientation, age, disability, religion, her politics, not on her as a woman. conscience, belief, culture, language Leave her sex and race out of it” (News Constitutional human rights and birth”. We have also achieved 24, 16.05.12). “The nation needs to Upholding the human rights an extraordinary improvement in the move on and work towards healing the guaranteed in our Constitution is a level of representation for women wounds of the past instead of rubbing complex process, mainly because in decision-making positions in salt in them.” attitudes and established behaviour government - and now in the AU - in Hlengiwe Mkhize (ANC NEC patterns do not change as the result a remarkably short period – outshining Member and ANCWL Treasurer of decrees and laws - although these other countries in this respect. General) explained after discussions in provide an essential foundation for the In this month’s edition, Ayanda the commission on gender at the recent changes required. Dlodlo’s moving article looks back ANC policy conference that, in spite of South Africa committed to the eight and celebrates the courage and the ANC’s gender parity policy, most UN Millennium Development Goals, commitment of the women of women were still put in leadership of which number 3 is “Promote gender Umkhonto we Siswe; whilst Siki Dlanga positions as additional members or as equality and empower women.” South 2 THE THINKER LETTER FROM THE MaNagiNg EDiTOR Africa’s Country Report on progress in on the lives of women of some long- trafficking. Zukiswa Mqolomba has relation to these goals in 2010 made standing cultural and religious practices. made a valuable contribution to this comments - which are still relevant The fact that nearly all societies have debate by clearly presenting the issues today - on the difficulty of: been in the past highly patriarchal and from different viewpoints. • “Aligning constitutional protection of accepted without questioning various An area where there needs to be religious and culture practices with levels of servitude for the majority of a co-ordinated coherent offensive in the secular rights held by women people, usually including most women, the context of women’s rights in South and girls under the constitution and but are changing (at different rates and Africa is, of course, that of rape: rape related legislation”; and in different directions) is conveniently and abuse of women and children, • “Working with a broad range of forgotten. Change, in one direction or considered by some of our citizens community and interest groups to another, is inevitable, and the relevant as normal behaviour; baby rape; the address social, religious and cultural question is: ‘In which direction do rape of lesbians; and constant sexual beliefs, assumptions and practices we move?’ harassment, threats and humiliation for that remain as barriers to women’s Amongst the issues discussed by all females and gay people. Rape and empowerment and gender at the ANC Policy Conference were sexual abuse at home and at school equality.” ‘ukuthwala’ (abducted marriages) and also seem to be spiralling out of control. It further stated that ‘ukungenwa’ (inheriting a wife). ‘In Some members of South African • “In the context of this patriarchal some parts of the Eastern Cape very society, many of them unemployed, society, there is a history of violence young girls still run the risk of being disempowered and disillusioned and gender inequality, as women abducted and forced into marriages young men, vent their fury on the are perceived to be subordinate and with much older men. ANC national most vulnerable in their communities inferior to men.” executive committee (NEC) member or try to convince themselves of It made several recommendations Bathabile Dlamini said the Eastern their personal power by degrading about practical steps which could be Cape pushed for the adoption of the and hurting those chosen as hate taken to assist in the empowerment proposal. “There was agreement that objects to fulfil their need to identify of women, and almost all of these are this is a violation of women’s rights an elusive enemy: these victims are being addressed by the organisation … and that South Africa has dealt women and children, people with South African Women In Dialogue with issues that have to do with the disabilities, foreigners, people with (SAWID).