Former MP Phumzile Van Damme says the work for the freedom of all women across the globe is not done.
“Let me be clear: we are in crisis. The work that our predecessors did is being eroded. Women’s rights across the world are in regression. The number of women running for public office is decreasing. We cannot ignore the role online violence against women has played in this,” she said.
Van Damme was speaking at the Vital Voices Global Partnership’s 21st annual Global Leadership Awards in Washington DC in the US on Wednesday, where she was honoured as one of the “women leaders who are stepping into their power and challenging the status quo, defying norms and disrupting systems”.
Vital Voices Global Partnership, a non-profit organisation that works with women leaders in the areas of economic empowerment, women's political participation and human rights, said these honorees have not waited for permission to act and instead “have pulled their own seat up to the table, or created their own”.
Van Damme was honoured for “risking it all by going up against the establishment and social media giants to fight against disinformation”.
Phumzile Van Damme honoured at Global Leadership Awards
Image: ESA ALEXANDER
Former MP Phumzile Van Damme says the work for the freedom of all women across the globe is not done.
“Let me be clear: we are in crisis. The work that our predecessors did is being eroded. Women’s rights across the world are in regression. The number of women running for public office is decreasing. We cannot ignore the role online violence against women has played in this,” she said.
Van Damme was speaking at the Vital Voices Global Partnership’s 21st annual Global Leadership Awards in Washington DC in the US on Wednesday, where she was honoured as one of the “women leaders who are stepping into their power and challenging the status quo, defying norms and disrupting systems”.
Vital Voices Global Partnership, a non-profit organisation that works with women leaders in the areas of economic empowerment, women's political participation and human rights, said these honorees have not waited for permission to act and instead “have pulled their own seat up to the table, or created their own”.
Van Damme was honoured for “risking it all by going up against the establishment and social media giants to fight against disinformation”.
'The DA whines more about its coalition partners than it does the ANC': Phumzile Van Damme
Other Global Leadership Awards honorees are:
In her speech, Van Damme mentioned struggle stalwarts Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Lilian Ngoyi and Ruth First as women who sacrificed so much so that her generation of women could have it easier than they did.
“I am because of them. I am able today to stand here — a young, black African woman sharing my voice with the world — because of their hard toil for freedom,” she said.
Van Damme said women see online the threats of rape, cyberbullying and disinformation and think, “I do not want or need this.” Women deserve to share their voices online freely and easily, she said.
“I ask you today to join me in the fight for social media platforms to implement robust systems to reduce and eradicate online violence against women. Laws must be put in place clearly defining what online violence against women is with sanctions for those social media platforms that fail to act on it.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
Andrea Dondolo reveals how she was almost scammed by fake 'Mfundi Vundla'
Free State speaker Zanele Sifuba opens civil case over online sex tape
I don’t want to be a part of your stupid narrative: Ntuli slams 'liar' Zille
EUSEBIUS MCKAISER | Let’s be frank, we hate women
MAKHUDU SEFARA | Former DA leaders lambaste ‘weak’ and visionless Steenhuisen
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos