Our scholars share their views
In celebration of Women’s Month, this year we’ve asked our girls to add their voice, as the next generation of women who will lead this country.
At SPARK Schools, we encourage our scholars to be critical thinkers and think about how they can make a difference in their communities and their country.
Tshegofatso Sedibe penned down an emotional letter about the change she would like to see and the society she would like to grow up in. Tshegofatso is a Grade 7 scholar at SPARK Maboneng.
The society I would like to grow up in
As a young black woman, living in this country is not easy, as you have to live with what the world has in store for you.
Every morning we wake up to media reports that a woman has been murdered and dumped, raped or kidnapped. It is my dream that I live in a much more different society.
Every woman, including myself, would like to live in a society where women are treated the same as men. Even after 26 years of democracy, women are treated differently from men. According to a PWC report, 45% of women’s ideas are used in companies. In its 2018 gender pay gap, South Africa was ranked 19th overall in terms of the gender gap, with a slight decline in the gender equality gap where it ranked at 117th.
As a young woman growing up in South Africa, I would like to see more women work in higher positions and create more opportunities for other women.
Gender-based violence is a widespread problem in South Africa.
Gender-based violence, which affects women and children, is systematic and is deeply entrenched in institutions, cultures and traditions in South Africa. On the 17th of June 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the rise of gender-based violence cases and asked us to take gender-based violence as a second pandemic. One of the cases the president mentioned was that of Tshegofatso Pule, which left me wondering if the Pule family will ever get justice, as the case has been postponed twice.
As a young black woman, it is my dream to live in a society where men don’t rape and murder women and children. It is my dream that I grow up in a society where women have a voice, a society where women can wear whatever they want. I wish women can own more businesses and be judged based on their intellect than their looks. I dream that women’s voices are heard in boardrooms and be seen as leaders.
I dream that patriarchy becomes a thing of the past. This is the kind of society; I would like to grow up in.
