Women's Month in South Africa

August has been set aside as Women's Month to celebrate and commemorate the contribution of women to the struggle for freedom in South Africa and the progress that has been made with regard to their empowerment.

South African women will hold a special march to commemorate their freedom from and contribution to the apartheid struggle on August 9, 2004 - National Women's Day. The day also marks the 48th anniversary of the historic march of women to the Union buildings in 1956 in protest against pass laws that required Africans to carry a document on them to "prove" that they were allowed to enter areas reserved for white people under apartheid.

Numerous local, national and provincial events have also been organised to celebrate the month, culminating with a Women's March at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 31 August. The Office of the Status of Women in the Presidency and the Department of Arts and Culture have put together a Women's Concert and a Women's Caravan (a mobile information and service delivery truck) as part of the celebration.

The caravan will exhibit the achievements of South African women since 1994, and provide services such as verification of marital status, registration of customary marriages, social grants services, polio vaccination, and services related to micro-credit and small business development.

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