Cape Town's social and early childhood development departments (SDECD) held a Women's Month event on Saturday that included health awareness talks, art therapy, entrepreneurial opportunities and pampering sessions.
The event was the latest in an ongoing series of gender-based interventions to empower women, and strengthen families.
‘While we applaud the great strides made in capacitating women and putting them on an equal footing, this month shines a spotlight on the continued social issues women face. I want to encourage our women to take up the opportunities offered by the city such, as the Women for Change programme, which gives them the opportunity to play a more active role in their communities,’ said mayoral committee member for community services and health Patricia Van der Ross.
In June, 784 women graduated from the programme.
The majority of those who participate in it are tenants in the city’s rental stock who are trained, then deployed throughout the city to help uplift areas where this stock is situated.
The women are drawn from across the city and placed in schools, clinics, libraries, early childhood development centres and NGOs, where they are trained to deal with substance abuse and gender-based violence issues and also trained in entrepreneurship, conflict resolution and first aid.
In the past year, the SDECD has distributed R3m in grand-in-aid funding to gender-based programmes run by women’s shelters.
‘There are a number of opportunities available to our residents throughout the year and I want to encourage women to fully exploit these. I also want to remind them of the many free services offered by our clinics, including screening for cervical and breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, sexually-transmitted infections, as well as TB and HIV testing and treatment. Women are the backbone of our communities and at times they need to be reminded to take time and care of themselves,” said Van der Ross.
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How Cape Town is opening doors for women
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Cape Town's social and early childhood development departments (SDECD) held a Women's Month event on Saturday that included health awareness talks, art therapy, entrepreneurial opportunities and pampering sessions.
The event was the latest in an ongoing series of gender-based interventions to empower women, and strengthen families.
‘While we applaud the great strides made in capacitating women and putting them on an equal footing, this month shines a spotlight on the continued social issues women face. I want to encourage our women to take up the opportunities offered by the city such, as the Women for Change programme, which gives them the opportunity to play a more active role in their communities,’ said mayoral committee member for community services and health Patricia Van der Ross.
In June, 784 women graduated from the programme.
The majority of those who participate in it are tenants in the city’s rental stock who are trained, then deployed throughout the city to help uplift areas where this stock is situated.
The women are drawn from across the city and placed in schools, clinics, libraries, early childhood development centres and NGOs, where they are trained to deal with substance abuse and gender-based violence issues and also trained in entrepreneurship, conflict resolution and first aid.
In the past year, the SDECD has distributed R3m in grand-in-aid funding to gender-based programmes run by women’s shelters.
‘There are a number of opportunities available to our residents throughout the year and I want to encourage women to fully exploit these. I also want to remind them of the many free services offered by our clinics, including screening for cervical and breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, sexually-transmitted infections, as well as TB and HIV testing and treatment. Women are the backbone of our communities and at times they need to be reminded to take time and care of themselves,” said Van der Ross.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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