South Africa commemorates 70 years of Women's Day amid ongoing gender inequality

The 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March, when more than 20,000 South African women gathered in Pretoria to protest the apartheid government’s pass‑law system, was marked by a series of commemorative events and scholarly reflections across the country. Historians and activists credit the march with catalysing a shift in women’s rights, leading to the inclusion of gender‑focused provisions in the post‑apartheid constitution, the expansion of women’s representation in parliament, and the establishment of legal frameworks aimed at protecting women from discrimination and violence.

Despite these advances, recent data indicate that millions of South African women continue to face barriers to fully enjoying the gains of 1956. The Gender Gap Index 2024 shows the nation lagging behind regional peers in economic participation, with women’s unemployment rates remaining roughly double those of men and a persistent wage gap of 23 percent. Moreover, gender‑based violence reports have risen by 12 percent over the past year, and only 31 percent of municipal council seats are held by women, underscoring the gap between formal rights and lived reality. Government officials and civil‑society groups say that addressing structural inequality, improving service delivery, and enforcing existing legislation are essential steps to translate the historic legacy of the 1956 march into tangible benefits for all women.