Women at the Centre

Pictured (l-r) Winny Lamola - IDSA Patron, Erika Álvarez Rodríguez - Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, María del Rosario Mina Rojas - Ambassador of Colombia, Karem Ruiz de Livieres - IDSA President and Egna de Sousa - Angolan career diplomat and poet

Women’s Month was celebrated through diplomacy, literature and women’s empowerment at an event hosted by the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in South Africa, in partnership with the Embassy of Colombia and the International Diplomatic Spouses Association (IDSA). The gathering featured the presentation of Women Rising: An International Anthology, a collection which sets out to gather the voices and experiences of women from more than one hundred countries, across five continents.

IDSA Patron Winny Lamola delivered an inspirational keynote address, urging women to recognise that rising is not defined only by public achievement, titles or positions.

She highlighted the many forms that women’s strength can take, including raising children, supporting families, pursuing education, building businesses, entering spaces previously closed to women and creating opportunities for others.

For Winny, one of the most important aspects of celebrating women is recognising the transformation that often takes place away from public view. She urged women to value their personal journeys and not mistake invisibility for insignificance.

Dr Sanji Monageng, High Commissioner of Botswana to South Africa (pictured left) interacting with learners (photo supplied)

The Delegation of Flanders in Southern Africa marked Women’s Month with a leadership event in Pretoria that brought together women leaders and Grade 11 and 12 learners from Hoërskool Silverton and Vlakfontein Secondary School. The event, held under the theme “Inspiring Change: Celebrating Female Leadership”, used dialogue and mentorship to connect young people with women who have built careers in government, diplomacy, media and literature.

Opening the programme, Thomas Castrel, General Representative of Flanders to South Africa, reflected on the significance of the Women’s March of 1956, when thousands of women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the apartheid government’s pass laws.

“South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the historic women’s march of 1956, a defining moment that continues to inspire generations of women and men,” Castrel said.

He noted that while South Africa had made progress in advancing the representation of women in public life, barriers to equality remained.

“Many women encounter barriers that are less visible than legislation or policy,” he said.

First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe

First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe has called for greater regional cooperation to expand access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD), highlighting that millions of young children in South Africa remain outside early learning programmes.

Motsepe was speaking at a spousal luncheon hosted for First Ladies from Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries on the margins of the 46th SADC Summit in Durban on Monday, where she emphasised the importance of investing in young children as a foundation for the region’s long-term social and economic development.

“Early Childhood Development is not simply a social investment; it is one of the most powerful foundations for human development, economic growth, and social cohesion,” she said.

Motsepe said South Africa had made progress in expanding access to early learning opportunities, but significant challenges remained.

“Today, approximately 3.5 million young children in our country are not accessing early learning programmes. Behind this number are children whose potential remains untapped and families who require greater support to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive,” she said.

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South Africa has reaffirmed the need to place women at the centre of its science, technology and innovation agenda, with the 23rd South African Women in Science Awards highlighting both the progress made and the barriers that still prevent women from reaching their full potential.

Opening the awards gala in Sandton, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande said South Africa could not achieve its national development goals while women and girls remained excluded from opportunities in science, technology and innovation.

The 2026 awards were held under the theme “Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation”, reflecting the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation's broader objective of placing science, technology and innovation at the centre of government, education, industry and society.

One of the significant developments at this year's awards was the renaming of the DSTI fellowships in honour of the late Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung.

The fellowships will now be known as the DSTI-Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung Fellowships, recognising the contribution of a pioneering Black woman scientist whose work included stem cells, regenerative medicine and indigenous knowledge systems.

The decision gives a lasting institutional recognition to Motaung's contribution to South African science while linking her legacy to the development of the next generation of women researchers.

While South Africa has made gains in advancing women in the aviation sector, Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has called for the under-representation of women in highly specialised professions or technical fields within the sector, to be addressed. 

“The latest licensing statistics compiled by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) show that South Africa now has more than 33 500 licensed aviation professionals, almost 6 800 of whom are women,” Creecy said at the 2026 National Aviation Gender Summit on Thursday, in Pretoria.

Two years ago, South Africa had just over 25 800 licensed aviation professionals, with approximately 5 000 women licence holders. 

“Women now account for just over 20% of all licensed aviation personnel in South Africa and that is progress we should acknowledge.

“However, these figures also remind us of where our greatest challenges remain, as they are still too low. We continue to see large under-representation of women in highly specialised professions or technical fields within the aviation sector. This needs to change,” Creecy stressed.

‍Pictured (l-r) Zainal Arif Mantaha - High Commissioner of Singapore, Ekapol Poolpipat - Ambassador of Thailand, Dato' Yubazlan bin Yusof - High Commissioner of Malaysia, Myla Grace Ragenia Macahilig - Ambassador of Philippines, Nguyen Trong Kien - Ambassador of Vietnam, Freddy Panggabean - CDA of Indonesia and Thein Min Htun - CDA of Myanmar (photo: Dorothy Viljoen)

The vibrant cultures of Southeast Asia were showcased in Pretoria as the ASEAN Pretoria Committee hosted a reception marking ASEAN Day, bringing together diplomacy, culture and cuisine in a colourful celebration of the region’s diversity.

Held at the National Library of South Africa, the event marked the 59th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the third anniversary of the ASEAN–South Africa Sectoral Dialogue Partnership.

Myla Grace Ragenia Macahilig, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Pretoria Committee in her welcoming remarks said that fifty-nine years ago, on 8 August 1967, ASEAN was founded on a simple yet powerful conviction that countries with different histories, cultures and political systems could build peace and prosperity by working together. 

“ASEAN was envisioned as a region united in purpose, bound by friendship and committed to peace, stability and growth. That conviction has stood the test of time. Today, ASEAN is home to more than 680 million people and is one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions. More importantly, ASEAN has helped transform Southeast Asia from a region once marked by conflict and division into one characterized by dialogue, cooperation and growing economic integration.”

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