SADTU Teachers at Work, History Lesson Lesson for August 9th: National Women’s Day South African Democratic Teachers’ Union Part 2 The Founding of the Women’s Federation On 17 April 1954, fourteen months before the Congress of the People, the founding conference of FEDSAW adopted The Women’s Charter. Here is the Preamble: “We, the women of South Africa, wives and mothers, working women and housewives, African, Indians, European and Coloured, hereby declare our aim of striving for the removal of all laws, regulations, conventions and customs that discriminate against us as women, and that deprive us in any way of our inherent right to the advantages, responsibilities and opportunities that society offers to any one section of the population.” Among other things, it says: “We women do not form a society separate from the men. There is only one society, and it is made up of both women and men. As women we share the problems and anxieties of our men, and join hands with them to remove social evils and obstacles to progress.” The Women’s Charter placed the question of women in the mainstream. It went on to say: “It is our intention to carry out a nation-wide programme of education that will bring home to the men and women of all national groups the realisation that freedom cannot be won for any one section or for the people as a whole as long as we women are kept in bondage.” The Freedom Charter was adopted on 26 June 1955. On women, it said: · that only a democratic state, based on the will of all the people, can secure to all their birthright without distinction of colour, race, sex or belief; · Every man and woman shall have the right to vote for and to stand as a candidate for all bodies which make laws; · The rights of the people shall be the same, regardless of race, colour or sex; · Men and women of all races shall receive equal pay for equal work; Admission of women into the ranks of the ANC happened only 12 years prior to the adoption of the Freedom Charter. If that had not happened, and if the Women’s Charter had not preceded the Freedom Charter, then the Freedom Charter would not have achieved the status that it did achieve. The Aims of the Women’s Federation: In 1954, FEDSAW declared: This organisation is formed for the purpose of uniting women in common action for the removal of all political, legal, economic and social disabilities. We shall strive for women to obtain: 1. The right to vote and to be elected to all State bodies, without restriction or discrimination. 2. The right to full opportunities for employment with equal pay and possibilities of promotion in all spheres of work. 3. Equal rights with men in relation to property, marriage and children, and for the removal of all laws and customs that deny women such equal rights. 4. For the development of every child through free compulsory education for all; for the protection of mother and child through maternity homes, welfare clinics, crèches and nursery schools, in countryside and towns; through proper homes for all, and through the provision of water, light, transport, sanitation, and other amenities of modern civilisation. 5. For the removal of all laws that restrict free movement, that prevent or hinder the right of free association and activity in democratic organisations, and the right to participate in the work of these organisations. 6. To build and strengthen women's sections in the National Liberatory movements, the organisation of women in trade unions, and through the peoples' varied organisation. 7. To cooperate with all other organisations that have similar aims in South Africa as well as throughout the world. 8. To strive for permanent peace throughout the world. Florence Matomela addresses the FEDSAW Conference, 1954 The other women on the platform are Hettie September, Ray Alexander, and Dora Tamana __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 13915 (20160805) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . 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