Christina Laurenzi is an Associate Professor based at the Institute for Life Course HealthResearch in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University.
Women’s Day in South Africa on August 9 was borne out of a movement of collective action and expression, led and powered by women.
The goal of Women’s Day each year, as it is recognised both nationally and internationally (8 March), is to advance more equitable societies in which women can live, lead, and thrive as equals.
At times, the discourse around Women’s Day can feel tokenistic, or otherwise sombre.
Many reflections that we see each year tend to zero in on the challenges that women and girls in South Africa continue to face—such as intimate partner violence and gender-based violence, harassment and workplace discrimination, and barriers to educational and employment opportunities.
