This year marks the 70th anniversary commemoration of the 1956 Women’s March, which will be celebrated as part of the Milestones of Freedom Campaign under the theme: “Empowered Women Empower Nations” during the 30 Years of the Constitution tribute. On 9 August 1956, women took a stand for human rights, gender equality and social justice, a historic moment that continues to inspire the nation’s commitment to advancing the rights and dignity of women and girls on National Women’s Day.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) remains committed to protecting, promoting and advancing the rights of women, girls and persons with disabilities and to eradicate the challenges that continue to hinder their empowerment through safe, dignified education.
The DBE and the Ministry will be commemorating this important milestone through various Departmental events and programmes during the month of August 2026, including the education of youth to meaningfully participate in electoral processes, which is a critical mechanism to sustain democracy.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Ms Joy Maimela, in officially opening the Third Term of the Committee Programme on 4 August 2026, acknowledged Women’s Month and the 70th anniversary commemoration of the 1956 Women’s March. She honoured the bravery and resilience portrayed by these legendary women in pursuit of justice, equality and dignity: “As we undertake the work of this term whilst reflecting on this milestone, the painful reality is that far too many women and girls continue to experience Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). This national crisis affects our schools, learners, educators and communities who are unable to thrive in environments where fear, discrimination and violence persist. It is essential to promote learner safety in secure, nurturing and inclusive spaces and to build a society that is founded on equality, human rights and respect for all”.
She added that “this will remain part of our Constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight over the sector to ensure that our schools are safe and inclusive nurturing spaces to promote learner safety and support survivors of GBVF. Our focus for this term following oversight visits, will commence with updates from Provincial Education Departments such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape Provinces, as well as a follow-up joint Portfolio Committee briefing on Statutory Rape; the Children’s Amendment Act; and the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act regulations to ensure the rights and dignity of every learner and educator within the basic education sector.