KING Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for social services and special programmes, Councillor Zukisa Gana, has called for economic empowerment of women, especially those living with disabilities, saying this will unshackle women from the chains of gender-based violence (GBV).
Gana made the comments while addressing a gathering of women with disabilities, aimed at sharing with them economic opportunities that were on offer within the different spheres of government.
The gathering, held at the Mthatha Town Hall on August 25, was hosted by the KSD Municipality’s social services and special programmes unit, together with the KSD Disability Federal Council.
“Due to the marginalisation of women and their exclusion in the economy, you find that some stay in relationships where they are victims of gender-based violence simply because they depend on their abusive partners to provide for them,” Gana said.
“To realise our nation’s dream of a united, non-racial, non-sexist and truly democratic and prosperous society, women empowerment, especially empowerment of women with disabilities, must be placed at the centre of our strategies to achieve that,” Gana added.
He further said that the marginalisation and economic exclusion of women in general was far worse for those living with disabilities.
Gana donated a wheelchair to a woman with disability who had been needing a wheelchair for several years.
KSD Disability Federal Council vice-chairperson, Busi Duma, said the gathering was to celebrate the Women’s Month of August, to encourage economic participation, as well as to capacitate women with disabilities.
“We really need the government to come on board and assist in capacitating women with disabilities on things like production of personal protective equipment (PPE) as per the required standards, as well as ensuring their active participation in agriculture,” said Duma.
Women attending the gathering also heard presentations from government entities, such as the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and the Department of Social Development, as well as companies such as Vodacom and Coca-Cola, detailing their initiatives aimed at empowerment of women with disabilities.
