The View

By Sphe Masondo and Nicole Hodnett

Nabeelah Shiek

I have always been shot down for realising thoughts I felt strongly about from the brain my mother so carefully formed. If there were subjects I felt strongly about I was often taught to speak out, open my mouth.

Back in high school I was always branded as the quiet person who preferred keeping thoughts to herself. This is the main reason two teachers often tried getting the best of me since grade 7 till matric.

In journalism we are entitled to explore avenues that make us comfortable with Freedom of expression.

As a woman I always feel our entitlement to speak out when we feel dissatisfaction about a specific topic that affects society.

Women in society contribute to humanity and the increase of humankind, without women as bearers to humanity; we will not have leaders, presidents or teachers.

Nomvelo Bhengu

Art for Humanity gives platforms to matters necessary to society, art is life, and without art in the world life is lifeless.

We celebrate international women’s day that has been observed since the early 1900s.A time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

A woman has given birth to leaders, presidents and C.E.Os.

 “Nowadays women and black women in particular are still economically disadvantaged and make up a disproportionate section of the unemployed and tend to occupy more of the lower paid jobs as domestic and farm labourers”.

Chelsea Pietrse

Nasiphi and Sasa

The written scenario may have changed a bit lately and recently we celebrated women’s day her in South Africa and we can be proud of women such as Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who chairs the African Union a true symbol of change but is what being written in section 9 of the constitution really taking place everywhere in our society.

 Section 9 on equality reads “The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth." The prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of gender, sex, pregnancy and marital status is clearly intended to protect women.

 The grounds "sex", which is a biological feature, and "gender", a social artefact, is both included - perhaps unnecessarily. But the result is that this section leaves no doubt that no unfair discrimination based on any feature of being a woman will be tolerated.

I spoke to a women who is an inspiration to hear her view on women’s day and its importance today on which she highlight a few  important facts such as that “women’s day is “incredibly important” besides being just a national day where we look at the achievements of the past but it’s should also and is a day of reflection “reflect on millions of other women  who’s realities are unchanged due to abuse, sexual assault and still remain victims of hate crimes”, so the day should really be a day for a reality check on the social issues facing women.

Her name is Rene Smith who works as Head of Department in journalism at Durban University of Technology. She gave her view on what the values of womanhood mean to her.

“We ought to reflect on other women and realities that are unchanged in the world. We shouldn’t only focus on 1 day, the 9th of August is commemorated of what women achieved”, she said.

This view is supported by the many other people interviewed who had this to say about women’s day.

A first year student, Chelsea Pietrse gave her view on what the value of women means to her.

“It shows appreciation of women and I’m glad it’s being taken seriously then previously and it helps us as young ladies to appreciate the role of those who suffered for our freedom as women, she said.

Rene Smith

 "It should be celebrated as it helps us especially young black girls feel that as we grow we are also appreciated because we are seeing our mothers and other women being appreciated", said Nomvelo bhengu

Nasiphi and Sasa, Durban University of Technology students stated” it’s good that women are celebrated, it shows that we haven’t forgotten about the sacrifices of women of the past to name some, Helen Joseph and Lillian Ngoyi”

“Women play a significant role in society and the presence of women’s month and women’s day promotes the role that women play in society”, says Nabeelah Shiek, a second year journalism student.