Zille: Education is key to empowering SA women

This according to DA leader Helen Zille, who said that South Africa needed to build a generation of empowered women as the basis for challenging the idea that men can abuse women.

“If there is one thing that will transform the whole of society, it is educating women to change social relations and challenge the patriarchy… I would like every girl to get through school,” Zille said.

However, she said that intermediary institutions dedicated to protecting and supporting women’s rights were needed.

In most societies where women were highly educated and able to challenge patriarchy, the rate of femicide, violence against women and rape was not as high as it was in South Africa, she said.

Zille noted that South Africa had made significant progress regarding women’s equality, but conceded that women continued to face challenges.

“As a society I think we have made progress… South Africa now has a very broad consciousness of the importance of giving every woman opportunities and a real chance to live a free life according to her own objectives.”

However, she said the biggest challenge facing women today was girls falling pregnant at a young age, which robbed them of education and resulted in them being trapped in poverty and becoming the “possessions” of men.

“The thing that traps women so early is intergenerational sex, falling pregnant early, [and] being very vulnerable to HIV and AIDS,” Zille said.

She said her greatest wish for South African women was for them to educate themselves and become qualified before deciding to have children, and that when they decided to have children it was a conscious choice.

Speaking ahead of Women’s Day at the Power FM offices, where she presented a radio show dedicated to women in positions of power, Zille reflected on her roles as a woman, wife, mother and politician.

“I think what I’ve learnt in my life is to make good judgments in complex situations, my default is to confront and that’s why I can be in politics and survive in politics because it’s a very tough space.”

Zille said she had never interpreted any encounters with other politicians as sexist challenges, but explained that there were sexist undertones towards assertive women in power, particularly in politics.

However, of Zille’s many roles, being a mother was at the top of her list. “My greatest two moments was when my babies were born,” she said.