Teryl @ Work

Women and Property Ownership – is it really 1%? As Women’s Month drew to a close in South Africa yesterday, I thought the topic of property ownership was worth further investigation. Over the past month, I have participated in a number of women’s events, both as a speaker and as a member of the audience. Some of the speakers have cited a statistic that puts 1 or 2% of property in the hands of women, globally. According to Philip Cohen, (link below ), this is a feminist myth that won’t die. All the reading I have done, subsequently, has indicated that the basis for this stat is not readily available although Philip Cohen’s article does offer an answer to the source. Cheryl Doss (link below) does give some interesting statistics around African property ownership and also says that the 2% is not based on documented statistical research. All this preamble is to get to the point that while the actual % is obviously important, it is also a reality that less women...

While we celebrate the whole month as Woman's Month in South Africa, with numerous events and celebrations, it really is about August 9th, 1956 when approximately 20 000 women marched on Pretoria to deliver a petition to JG Strydom, the Prime Minister. Led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, some carrying the children of their employers on their backs, they stood in silence for 30 minutes, in a powerful objection to the "pass" that black South Africans had to carry at all times. A frequent question is why do we still need a woman's day and woman's organisations.   And I guess it is because much has changed since 1956, but there is still a long way to go. There is a view out there that successful women don't help other women grow.   Sure, not every successful woman is a natural mentor or sponsor, but a lot are.   In South Africa, women are being offered many opportunities to meet, and build relationships with, to...