OPINION | Irene Charnley: Women empowerment organisations benefit us all | News24

A single woman cannot change all the socio-economic, political or environmental issues we face, but as a collective and as a broader constituency, we can make a difference, writes Irene Charnley.

Why do we need women’s empowerment organisations? Why do women need to be empowered? How does female empowerment benefit everyone in society? Well, what about men?

The truth is, now more than ever, women’s empowerment organisations are needed to play different roles in society, such as fighting for gender equality, women’s financial inclusion and fighting against gender-based violence and femicide.

Just over twenty years ago, former First Lady, Zanele Mbeki and a group of women founded the local chapter of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), a global organisation of over 7 500 pre-eminent women of significant and diverse achievements from across 36 nations and 6 continents.

IWF South Africa (IWFSA), with members drawn from business, government, sciences, arts and numerous other areas, is a platform for women leaders to inspire and invigorate each other on critical issues ­positively impacting a changing world. It is inspired to be the voice of women leaders who bring change and be a catalyst for ethical leadership. 

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This is done through collaborative initiatives locally and globally by delivering specific leadership development programmes to educate, empower, and mentor and coach the next generation of women leaders in South Africa.

We lift as we rise, we cultivate leaders. We inspire, elevate and enable the next generation to carry on the work of positively transforming the world. These are the future leaders, and the responsibility to equip and empower them is more urgent now than ever.

Having worked tirelessly to address socio-economic, political and environmental issues affecting women in our country by contributing in numerous ways to initiatives that address the systemic oppression that perpetuates an environment where women’s safety, financial security and rights are undermined, we celebrate the more than 20 years cognisant of the road travelled by those who came before us and the road ahead.

The truth is, a single woman cannot change all the socio-economic, political or environmental issues we face, but as a collective and as a broader constituency, we can make a difference. Our clarion call is for every woman to get off the sidelines, get in the game, and help our sisterhood and each other conquer social inequities.

GBVF

That is why last year the IWFSA was at the forefront of the launch of the Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund 1, a collaborative financial initiative by the private sector, philantropists and various stakeholders to combat gender-based violence and femicide in the country.

The GBVF fund honours and recognises women and girls whose lives and voices mattered but who were silenced by the GBVF pandemic, and our inability to put enough resources behind ending it. This is a response to the plight of women and children in large and small cities across all 44 districts of our country, who live in fear, and die every day, due the GBV pandemic. 

The GBVF Response Fund 1, managed by an independent Board of Directors is structured with the highest governance and due-diligence protocols grounded on principles of fairness, integrity, empowerment, social consciousness and measurable impact and is a vehicle through which the private sector can make financial and non-financial contributions.

There are hundreds of women organisations in South Africa. They play important and different roles and responsibilities. For example, the People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA). POWA, established in 1979, was the first organisation in South Africa to establish a shelter for abused women in 1981, undertakes campaigns, projects and research related to violence against women in Africa.

Holding governments accountable 

As IWFSA celebrate its 20th anniversary, there is no doubt that women’s empowerment organisations play a crucial role in holding governments accountable for the full implementation of and compliance with international norms and standards on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

We realised that women’s empowerment would never be realised if we did not gather enough courage to spearhead initiatives like the GBVF Response Fund 1 ourselves.

We have a responsibility to forge ahead with the projects that can transform the lives of girls and women to contribute in transforming our society positively.

Our country relies on the symbiotic relationship with the women’s movement, and it manifests itself from the ground up—from working with local, grassroots associations to including civil society in intergovernmental forums and negotiations. 

Time and time again and throughout history like when Charlotte Maxeke co-founded the Bantu Women’s League in 1918 and became its first president, and today, when women see the needs in their communities, they organise to address those needs and they build their societies in the process.

Just think of the fight to end domestic and all forms of violence against women, women have been at the forefront and centre.

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The worldwide women’s movement is big. This is accompanied by public recognition, laws, policies, international conventions and finally GBVF becoming part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 5 to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” and the new 2030 Agenda, whose aim is to “bring peace and prosperity to all people by 2030.’

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits governments to “work to significantly increase investments to close the gender gap, to strengthen support for gender equality institutions at all levels, and to systematically mainstream gender perspectives in the implementation of the Agenda.” 

There is also Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality asks governments to “make national commitments to address the challenges that are holding women and girls back from reaching their full potential.”

It is a pity that no victory has ever been given to women, each one has been earned with blood, sweat and tears. 

A benefit to all 

It is really sad that we are often seen as passive victims and recipients, and left out of the forums where our lives are decided upon.

Women organisations are testimony that it is so crucial to take our needs into account and work with us to rebuild societies.

The truth is, female empowerment organisations benefit all of us. For example, in this day and age, in poverty-stricken areas, particularly far-flung areas, the education of boys is prioritised over girls, meaning a lot of young girls grow up without the opportunity to become educated. Teen pregnancy leads to even more drop-outs. 

Indeed, we all know that education is the key to breaking the chains of generational poverty for young girls everywhere. We know that when a girl is educated, her entire family rises in prosperity.

We know that when girls receive access to educational opportunities, they are rescued from poverty and a more sustainable life becomes more obtainable. 

The entire premise of female empowerment organisations is to remind our society that women are just as worthy of being listened to as men are. A sustainable future for this Rainbow Nation, continent and planet depends on women’s full participation, on women coming together for action, on the myriad women’s organisations that form the very fabric of communities and societies.

– Irene Charnley is President of the International Women’s Forum of South Africa. Founded 20 years, IWFSA is an international organisation of 7,500 accomplished women present in 33 nations on six continents. 

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