_: South Africa has every reason to be proud as a country with regard to improving the status of women in Society. That’s according to North West Premier Thandi Modise who was speaking at the opening service of the three-day Remarkable Women’s Conference hosted by the Crystal Ministries International in Johannesburg on Friday morning.
Premier Modise said despite numerous challenges South Africa has been able to make a remarkable achievement in improving the lives of women.
“We are very proud that as a country South Africa has registered significant progress in the promotion of women empowerment and gender equality. Women occupy influential positions in government and play an important role in decision-making processes. The living conditions of the majority of ordinary women have improved significantly. Women now have access to housing, water, electricity, education, social services, health-care and other services,” said Premier Modise.
In her sermon titled “A love beyond comprehension”, renowned International speaker and American Pastor Dr Gina Stewart who shared the stage with Premier Modise also paid tribute to the role played by women in the liberation struggle and encouraged women to love and support one another.
Modise urged the church to join hands with government and intensify efforts to create a better society free of crime, drugs and other social ills.
“The church must stand up and speak against the abuse of women and children, care for the elderly, pray for the sick and be the epitome of our communities. We salute women across the world for solidarity accorded to women of our country who stood side-by-side, black and white, demanding a non-racist, non-sexist and democratic South Africa. We celebrate because we know that when women stand up against crime, abuse and other social ills, nothing will stop them,” added the Premier.
Modise also echoed the words of Nelson Mandela who said that freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression, she said that women were a powerful force to be reckon with as envisioned by the slogan “Wathintha bafazi, Wathinthu umbokodo, you strike a woman you strike a rock.”
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