20 000 women march to the Union Buildings in protest of Pass Laws
Date: 9 August, 1956
Location: back to this day in history search archive
In one of the largest demonstrations staged in this country's history, 20 000 women of all races marched to Pretoria's Union Buildings on 9 August 1956, to present a petition against the carrying of passes by women to the prime minister, J G Strijdom.
This was the famous Women's march celebrated as Women's Day on 9 August each year. The march against the pass laws was organised by the Federation of South African Women (FSAW or FEDSAW). The Federation famously challenged the idea that 'a woman's place is in the kitchen', declaring it instead to be 'everywhere'. Although Prime Minister J.G. Strijdom was not at the Union Buildings to accept the petition, the women of South Africa sent a public message that they would not be intimidated and silenced by unjust laws. After the petition was handed over to the secretary of the prime minister, the women sang a freedom song: Wathint` abafazi, Strijdom!
Since then, the phrase 'wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo' (You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock) has come to represent the courage and strength of South African women. As a group that has been marginalised, they rose to question the barrier and fought for their emancipation and that of their families. The first National Women's Day was celebrated in 1995 and since then annual celebrations take place throughout the country.
Source: http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/20-000-women-march-union-buildings-protest-pass-laws
References:
- 'The Women's Struggle in South Africa' from South African History Online [online], available atwww.sahistory.org.za [accessed on 3 August 2010]
- Unknown (2005). 'Pretoria 1855-2005: Chronologie 1798-1935', Bylaag tot Rekord.
The Women's Charter
Adopted at the Founding Conference of the Federation of South African Women
Johannesburg, 17 April 1954 (The Charter expressed the philosophy and aims of the newly established Federation of South African Women (FSAW).
It was adopted at the inaugural conference and included in the final report of the conference.)
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.
