Johannesburg - Political parties on Friday called on government to do more to protect women and children.
“The hosting of festivals and gatherings is important, but more important is the assurance of the safety of not only women, but young girls as well,” Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said in a speech prepared for delivery.
“In this regard, the government of South Africa is failing women from all communities.'
Mulder was speaking at a Women's Day event in Henneman in the Free State.
The United Democratic Movement Women's Organisation said even though there was more to celebrate in terms of achievements in improving the lives of women, more still needed to be done.
“'Women in black rural communities are still far from overcoming problems and obstacles to gender equality and sustainable empowerment ,” UDMWO chairwoman Kholofelo Mokgawa said in a speech prepared for delivery in Cape Town.
Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said issues such as rape, abuse, poverty and violence still clouded women's futures.
“As South Africa's women took a stand against injustice as they did in 1956, let us all rise, and stand united,” he said at a Women's Day event in Bushbuckridge, Limpopo.
“This is the hope of our future.”
The Gauteng provincial government called on men to lead the fight against gender-based violence.
Acting premier and agriculture, social development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza said women still faced the scourge of violence and poverty.
“Sexual violence against women and rape remains a huge challenge in our society,” she said in a statement.
“Poverty and poor living conditions have added to women's vulnerability to violence and increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.”
Economic Freedom Fighters spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement that 20 years into democracy the liberation of women was far from being realised.
“Representation in parliament and other areas of society has not translated to benefit or upliftment of all women.”
Gender-based violence was a direct result of colonialism and apartheid.
“In order for the revolution to triumph, it must liquidate the totality of the exploitative and oppressive system, it must liberate all the exploited and oppressed people, and thus it must liquidate women’s exploitation and oppression,” Ndlozi said. - Sapa