For generations, women were expected to remain at home, confined to domestic roles with little opportunity to create something for themselves. This lack of independence left many women vulnerable, forcing them to stay in abusive relationships because they had no financial means to leave. Gender-based violence (GBV) thrives where inequality persists, and too often, women’s economic dependence has been used as a weapon against them.
Economic empowerment is more than a tool; it is a lifeline. When women have skills, opportunities, and financial independence, they gain the power to make choices that protect their dignity, their children, and their futures. It is about moving women beyond survival and giving them the freedom to build stable, independent lives.
As a Women of the South Speak Out (WOSSO) fellow, I have seen firsthand the power of equipping women with skills. In my work across Plessislaer and Vulindlela, I personally provided women with sewing skills, enabling them to create products they can sell and use to generate income. Alongside this, I have supported other programs that provide skills to women. These are not just skills, they are pathways to independence. Each workshop brings women one step closer to breaking the cycle of poverty and violence that has trapped so many for too long.
But our fight is not only about teaching skills; it is about changing mindsets and dismantling harmful norms. For too long, women have faced the backlash of being treated as slaves in their own homes, abused and silenced while being told their place was only in the kitchen. This injustice has cost countless women their freedom and dignity. Today, we stand against that. We refuse to accept a society where women are seen as powerless or where abuse is tolerated. We will fight this backlash with strength, solidarity, and action because women are not slaves. Women will thrive.
My advocacy is rooted in a simple truth: women should not have to choose between safety and survival. No woman should stay in an abusive relationship because she cannot afford to leave. That is why I fight for gender economic justice, because when women earn, they gain power, and when women are empowered, communities thrive.
The change we seek is bigger than individual women gaining income. It is about rewriting the future. A future where young girls grow up knowing they can achieve anything they dream of. A future where survivors of violence are not defined by their pain but by the opportunities they seize to rebuild their lives. A future where women are leaders, providers, innovators, and builders of their own destinies.
Of course, this work is not easy. It requires breaking down cultural barriers, challenging deeply ingrained gender roles, and creating opportunities for women in economies that often overlook them. It requires policymakers and organisations to invest in women’s growth, ensuring that resources, funding, and opportunities reach those at the grassroots level. It requires men and communities to stand alongside women in demanding justice, equality, and dignity.
This work is not just about skills; it is about hope. It is about creating a future where women in South Africa, and everywhere, are free from violence and full of possibilities. And as long as inequality persists, I will continue to speak out and push forward until every woman has the tools she needs to live with dignity, independence, and strength.
“Together we are not just surviving, we are rising. And when women rise, nations rise with them”.
#PushForward4Equality
(Written by Nokwethemba Mnomiya, a WOSSO Fellow)