Siya Kolisi on gender equality: ‘Women don’t want better treatment, they want equal treatment’

29 March 2021 - 07:14 By unathi nkanjeni
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Siya Kolisi said he is raising his children to see him and his wife Rachel as equals in their household
Siya Kolisi said he is raising his children to see him and his wife Rachel as equals in their household
Image: Supplied to Arena Holdings

“Unity is so important because we all have a role to play. Take pride and ego aside and remember how we can make it better for everyone.”

These are the words of Siya Kolisi when he spoke at the SDG Global Festival of Action 2021 on what he has learnt about gender equality and unity.

Kolisi said “A lot of the decisions made by men don’t involve women.” 

“Women are not asking to be treated better than anyone, they want equal treatment and it is the most important thing.”

Kolisi said he is raising his children to see him and his wife Rachel as equals in their household.

“I make sure my children see me and my wife as equals. They see I can cook and clean whenever my wife is busy. All the things we fear as men actually make us better human beings,” said Kolisi.

The Springbok captain said for unity to be powerful, every person, despite their gender or race, should be represented when people make decisions affecting everyone.

Watch the full video below (skip to 4:03:17)

Kolisi has been vocal about equality, using his social media platform to call on men to play a role in eradicating inequality.

During the Covid-19 lockdown last year, he challenged men to pull their weight around the house instead of sitting back and relaxing while their partners do all the cooking and cleaning.

He has also been vocal about the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV), saying men were responsible for it and it is up to them to stop it.

“I was affected by it, not me personally, but some people I care about in my family were affected by gender-based violence. If I keep quiet I am not doing them justice,” Kolisi told Radio 702 last year.

“Every day there are new cases of GBV and I want to encourage men to start speaking about it. We have to call each other out.”


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