Women hold up half the sky’: Chinese Embassy and Dirco officials celebrate Women’s Month in Pretoria. Image: (IOL)
(The Post News)- August marks Women’s Month in South Africa, a time that is dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women and addressing the ongoing challenges they face.Â
In recognition of this important occasion, the Chinese Embassy, alongside senior officials from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), recently came together in Pretoria to honour and celebrate the contributions of women.
In 1956, thousands of South African women marched to the Union Buildings to protest against apartheid pass laws.
This courageous act laid the foundation for future generations of women and their commitment to advancing a more equal society.
At the Paris Olympics, a heartwarming moment captured the spirit of women’s solidarity.
South African gold medallist Tatjana Smith and China’s silver medallist Tang Qianting embraced each other after their race.
This moment inspired Ambassador Wu Peng of China, who highlighted the importance of women’s friendship and support.
Ambassador Wu Peng highlighted China’s progress in safeguarding women’s rights, noting that over 100 laws and regulations have been enacted to protect women’s interests.
This has contributed to a significant increase in Chinese women’s life expectancy, which has risen from 37 to 80 years over the past 75 years.
In addition, China’s maternal and child health care has been recognised by the World Health Organisation for its excellence.
In China, gender disparity in education has almost disappeared, and women make up over 40% of the workforce.
The celebration held in Pretoria showed that women from different countries can come together to support each other.
As Ambassador Wu Peng said, “Women hold up half the sky. Let’s continue to work together towards a brighter future for all women.”
“According to the World Economic Forum, the country ranks among the top 20 nations globally for gender equality.
Notably, women occupy over 40% of positions in both the Cabinet and Parliament, surpassing the worldwide average of around 20%,” he said.
The Chief of State Protocol at Dirco, Ambassador Nonceba Losi, praised the courageous women of 1956 who held hands against the oppressive apartheid regime and the women of modern times who show resilience in current-day challenges.
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