Socio-economic opportunities for women under spotlight

The acceleration of socio-economic programmes for women will take centre stage as the country commemorates Women’s Month.
  
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and various government entities will today officially launch the 2023 Women’s Month in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Observed under the theme, ‘Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment’, this year’s Women’s Month programme will focus on acceleration of socio-economic programmes and activities that are undertaken across different economic sectors to fast-track gender mainstreaming across these initiatives.

The month will focus on creating more opportunities for women’s inclusion and empowerment; and enable women to either take up employment in these sectors or develop their entrepreneurship or businesses. 

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said Women’s Month is a time to highlight the plight of women and equally reflect on the strides that have been made as the country in the advancement of women’s socio-economic emancipation. 

“To launch the 2023 Women’s Month in KwaZulu-Natal, at a time when we are hosting various BRICS women events, is major boost not only for the women of the province and the country but the whole of the Global South,” Dube-Ncube said.

Opportunities that exist in the oceans/blue economy for women will also take centre stage. 

Dube-Ncube said the sector has several areas with existing value chains that the empowerment programmes for women, young women and women with disabilities can leverage on for their socio-economic advancement.  

However, the Premier said, the month will not only focus on initiatives within the oceans economy, but will include initiatives within the agricultural sector, green economy; waste sector, manufacturing sector, technology and innovation sector, among others in the country.

The launch of Women’s Month will take the form of a BRICS Business Breakfast, where the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will deliver the keynote address.  

August 9 marks the commemoration of National Women’s Day annually in South Africa. 

The day was declared a National Day in 1994 to commemorate the historic achievements of women stalwarts in the struggle against oppression, subjugation and disenfranchisement; as well as the pursuit of women’s empowerment, advancement and the achievement of gender equality.