As a South African woman if you get through this day without being raped or abused in some way; if you can buy your own bread and milk; if you are HIV-; if you can read; if you have children that can read and write; if you getting paid for work that you have created for yourself or getting paid the same as your male counterpart, you have had a good day, an unusual day for a South African woman. You have not only survived , but also may have had a happy productive day. A right of every human being.

100 years ago women across the globe marched for the right to vote, equal pay, and to draw attention to their dangerous and unacceptable working conditions (see Cape Times, 8 March, page 9 article). What has changed for women over the 100 years? A lot, indeed much has been done to improve the lives of women. SA I write this I wonder whay we never talk about improving the lives of men...

10 days ago I sat in  CSW (Commission on the Status of Women)sessions at theUnited Nations. I joined hundreds of women who travelled from all over the globe, to present their programs on the status of women, to learn how to educate and empower women. It was a privilege, daunting, heartbreaking. I came home more determined to continue the struggle of women - the struggle that needs to take us out into the streets, and once again 100 years later, march for the  rights that reflect the needs of South African women.

I have chosen a picture that symbolises where I see women's vulnerabilites  lie today. It is a photo taken from a story printed in the Mail and Guardian, this past weekend. Story is entitled : "Alarm over demand for designer vaginas". I am alarmed by Vaginas and the women who wear them- cut or uncut. Of course I am more than distressed about the medical practitionrs who choose to cut healthy vaginas of women .. and I take them on in academic spaces.

But what about the vaginas of every day women- the vaginasa that get penetrated without permission, by their intimate partners and by men who want to "convert" them to real women once they learn they are lesbians. I am concerned about the women who are becomign redundant as lovers as their men choose porn and masturbation instead of loving them. I am concerned about the girl children and their vaginas which are abused by their fathers, uncles, brothers and priests. I am concerned about the transwomen who get beaten up, the women who have no equal pay, deprived of education - soemtimes drop out of school as they cannot afford tampons or sanitary towels and so avoid embarrassment, stay home monthly and finally drop out of school.

I have ideas on what we as a society can do, I will be bringing you ideas on how we as a democtratic liberal society can fight this war so that in 100 years time, we have children who will remmeber what we did to make their vaginas healthy, healing places of self pleasure rather than places of butchery for men. And that we will have   a nation of women who are educated and empowered.

Have a memorable International Women's Day - even if you remember to do somethign for yourself that provides you with pride, proection and mostly education.

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