The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) marks International Women's Day, a day commemorating the struggles and sacrifices of women around the world.
This day has its roots in the early 20th century, when women in the textile industry in New York City staged a protest against poor working conditions, long hours, and low wages.
In 1910, the International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, declared March 8 as International Women's Day. Since then, this day has become a rallying point for women's rights, labour rights, and social justice movements globally.
Today, as we celebrate International Women's Day, we honour the contributions and resilience of working-class and poor women who continue to bear the brunt of exploitation, oppression, and inequality. We recognise that women are disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education, healthcare, and social services.
In South Africa, women workers face numerous challenges, including:
High levels of unemployment and underemployment;
Low wages and poor working conditions;
Limited access to education, training, and promotion opportunities; and
High levels of gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace.
We are proud of our many hard won victories, including:
Paid maternity and parental leave;
Legally required equal pay for equal work;
Criminalisation of sexual harassment at the workplace;
A national minimum wage raising the wages of over 6 million workers, the majority of whom are women; and
Women asserting their leadership across key institutions of society, in particular the Federation itself as well as Parliament and key positions in government.
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As COSATU, we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for the rights and interests of working-class women. We demand:
Equal pay for equal work;
Safe and healthy working conditions;
Access to education, training, and promotion opportunities; and
An end to gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace.
We call on all workers to unite and mobilise against exploitation and oppression. We must build a stronger, more militant, and more feminist labour movement that fights for the rights and interests of all workers.
Let us honour the legacy of International Women's Day by intensifying our struggles for a better world - a world where workers are treated with dignity and respect, and where women workers are free from exploitation and oppression.
Viva International Women's Day! Viva workers' unity!
Issued by COSATU
