National Women’s Day: a day for change

Every August 9, the International Day of Solidarity with the Struggle of Women is celebrated in South Africa and Namibia. These geographical locations were particularly chosen because of the horrific crimes committed by Afrikaner Apartheid in South Africa against black women and girls from the late 1940s to the 1990s.

Why this date is celebrated

Although it has been a long time since Apartheid was eliminated from South Africa, racial discrimination by white supremacist advocates still exists today throughout the world.

The idea of the United Nations is to use this date to raise awareness of how harmful it is to be prejudiced or denigrate others just because they are physically different.

What's more, in 1973 Apartheid was declared by the United Nations as a crime against humanity, yet it continued to be practiced until the 1990s. Not to mention that crimes of racial intolerance continue to make headlines and cause terrible attacks in many countries around the world.

This date is fundamental for women because it contributes to movements that seek to help African women and girls who have been displaced from their country of origin by wars, natural disasters or political problems.

But it is also an ideal date to participate in any talk or event that seeks to raise the voice against racism or any other act of intolerance that endangers the lives and free development of women and girls of all nations.

History since 1956

August honors women for their contribution to society and commemorates the protests that took place in 1956, when they demonstrated against Apartheid.

In 1950, the South African government instituted the Urban Areas Act, also known informally as the "pass law". The law provided that blacks had to display a special pass to enter urban areas reserved for whites. This restriction initially protected only men, who were often forced to move to find work.

In 1956, Prime Minister Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom of the National Party proposed extending the pass requirement to women.

On August 9, 1956, 20,000 South African women marched to the South African government headquarters in Pretoria. The demonstration was organized by the Federation of South African Women (a political organization close to the African National Congress) and was led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Albertina Sisulu and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn.

Prime Minister Strijdom refused to meet with them. The demonstrators submitted a petition to the government offices stating that the pass law had caused suffering to families and that its extension to women would in fact leave many children alone and unprotected.

The petition was accompanied by 100,000 signatures. After the document was handed over, the demonstrators remained silent for 30 minutes and then concluded the demonstration with a song.

Flyers 365 not only brings you all the discount catalogs of your favorite stores in South Africa, but also takes a look at the history of the country and its major milestones. It’s essential to know the history in order not to repeat the past.