South Africans are urged to champion gender equality during the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, which is honoured from Monday, 25 November, to Tuesday, 10 December.
Various stakeholders, government and advocacy groups are partnering to continue the fight to address the plight during this period.
The theme for this year is “30 Years of Advancing Collective Action to End Violence Against Women and Children.”
Men are, in the majority of incidents, portrayed as the perpetrators of the crime due to various factors. Socio-economic aspects are found to form the core of the violence.
Given women’s economic situation, Fairtrade Africa is advocating for the empowerment of more women in agriculture as part of the solution. This falls under the Be Fair Right Now initiative, urging South Africans to harness their consumer power in support of ethical, fair practices. The initiative ties in with gender equality and human rights.
Sandra Ndlovu, spokesperson for the Southern Africa Network at Fairtrade Africa, said this advocacy was inspired by the fact that women form the backbone of food production and are the guardians of environmental sustainability.
“Women make up 60% of the global agricultural labour force and are responsible for half of the world’s food production,” said Ndlovu.
“Women bring invaluable expertise to agriculture, managing natural resources, adapting to climate challenges, and ensuring food security for their communities.
“Yet, despite these contributions, they face systemic barriers like limited land ownership, restricted access to financing, and entrenched social discrimination. Women in farming often work significantly more hours than men, yet face far greater obstacles.
“Fairness in agriculture is about more than fair wages; it is about empowering the women who are essential to our food systems, climate solutions, and communities.”
Ndlovu has urged the public to act positively for women in agriculture, for human rights, and a more sustainable world.
