Honouring women: 1st Naruna and Constantia Scouts lead tribute for equality

Parkscape, representatives of the Tokai Forestry Village, and members of the 1st Naruna and Constantia Scout Troop gathered with their leaders to celebrate and honour women.

The event, held against the backdrop of Women’s Month, carried a strong symbolic element: colourful ribbons were tied to the outskirts fencing of the forest, echoing a similar tribute nearly a decade ago when women and children commemorated the life of 16-year-old Franziska Blöchliger, who was murdered there.

The gathering was more than a symbolic gesture. It served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing global struggle for women’s rights and gender equality, with the names of loved ones, and messages written on colourful rocks. 

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and therefore half of its potential, yet, every day women face violence, discrimination and misogyny. They are too often denied the right to contribute fully to society and to improve their communities.

Speakers highlighted the persistent inequalities that remain entrenched worldwide, from unequal pay and limited access to education and career opportunities, to barriers in political participation and control over their own bodies.

“There is no country in the world where all women can expect to enjoy their rights in full,” the message continued. “Women are not less than men, even if societies have long sought to portray them as the weaker sex. Equality is the catalyst for progress, the key to building peaceful, prosperous societies.”

The gathering stressed that empowering women benefits entire communities, fuelling productivity, driving economic growth, and strengthening social cohesion.

“Equality is essential to achieving peaceful societies. Empowering women spurs productivity and economic growth. Women's rights, women's equality and empowerment is the game-changer for all our communities and our planet. 

“It is in functioning together, equally, men and women, that we are able to find the very best that we can be. 

“The is no inferior or superior. No stronger or weaker. No better or worse. There can and must only be the equality, empowerment and collective human rights of one people, men and women equal together, for us to be able to thrive as people to do our best for each other and our planet.,” Parkscape said.

tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus