Celebrating the strength of women
It's International Women's Day. Read up on the inspirational women the Northglen News has spoken to over the years.
TODAY is International Women’s Day, a day reserved to commemorate the mothers, sisters and daughters who have shown either incredible courage, acts of activism or determination in shaping the history of their countries.
The day was first celebrated on 19 March, 1911. More than a million men and women in Europe took to the streets, marching and protesting in support of women’s rights to vote, work and hold public office.
It was only in 1917 that 8 March was universally accepted as a national holiday.
However, International Women’s Day is not officially celebrated in South Africa. In 1994, the country began celebrating Women’s Day with a public holiday on 9 August.
On this day, South Africa remembers the role played by women in the political struggle against apartheid as well as the historic 1956 anti-pass march by thousands of South African women.
Celebrations of International Women’s Day were born out of activism and international women’s movements fighting for women’s rights and gender equality in the political and economic arenas.
Inspirational women
Read up on some of the inspirational women the Northglen News has covered over the years:
Durban North resident and KZN Beach Clean-up founder, Natalie Gorven.
Mount Edgecombe resident and Beach Clean-Up KwaZulu-Natal founder, Jacqui Le Roux.
Durban North resident, Claire de Sylva, who runs to raise funds for CANSA.
La Lucia resident, Tiziana (aka Tizi) le Roux. She collects SPCA food donations through yoga lessons.
Durban North resident, Alison Chadwick, who serves disadvantaged communities.
Lisa Smart-Campos, founder of People Investing in Needs of Communities (PINC).
Local wildlife activist, Carla Geyser.
Carol van Tonder of the Durban North/Umhlanga Crisis Team (DNUCT).
Glenashley resident, Aldytha da Silva, who aims to restore the confidence of cancer survivors.
La Lucia resident, Pippa Coote, who raised awareness for the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) last year.
The women of the The South African Women’s Forte (SAWF).
