Parliament heard submissions recently from concerned citizens on the disturbing “Women Empowerment & Gender Equality Bill” that seeks to impose radical feminism on SA society.
This draconian legislation will give government unfettered power to force private and public bodies including the Christian Church to comply with the godless agenda of radical feminism.
If this Bill becomes law, Churches and other private and public organisations will have to modify their leadership to include 50 percent female representation. This may require men being forced out of their positions and replaced by women (to fill quotas) – who may not want to be there.
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Enforcing the feminist agenda of 50 percent women representation in the workplace is disastrous for the family. This Bill comes at a time when many women choose to raise their families full-time.
I fully support the eradication of discrimination against women. However, experience shows government enforced quota systems are disastrous and never fulfil their intended objectives.
United Nations driven feminist and sexual rights agendas are steadily being imposed on South African society. Alarmingly, these agendas are contrary to the values of the majority of citizens.
Gender equality cannot be enforced by a government that gives a failing TV channel the green light to broadcast three hard.core pornographic channels on television. Women are always demeaned and portrayed as subservient in hard-core pornography including enjoying sexual abuse.
The ANC Women’s League also supports decriminalised prostitution. Women and young girls are mercilessly exploited and abused in the sex industry and are often bought and sold like cattle.
If the SA Government is serious about elevating the social status of women and girls in society they would immediately eradicate the sexual exploitation of women in the popular media.
They would ban pornography because of its proven harm to women and children and mercilessly prosecute and imprison criminal syndicates that prey on vulnerable women and girls.
If the SA government was serious about ending discrimination against women they would dramatically increase the prosecution rates of rapists and abusers of women and children.
Currently, only about 8 percent of the reported 65 000 annual rape cases of women and girls are successfully prosecuted. Most rapists in South Africa are free to repeat their heinous crimes.
The radical feminist agenda does not help women. It further enslaves them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has done the most to elevate the status and dignity of women. Preach the Gospel!
I am delighted to report the Institute for Public Justice (IPJ) is preparing to launch soon. This body – comprising Christian legal professionals – will vigorously defend religious freedoms in SA.
FPI will keep you informed and updated about proposed legislation that erodes Christian freedoms to believe and preach Biblical truth. The Gender Equality Bill must still be tabled in Parliament.
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You will be given an opportunity to make submissions on this and other Bills that advance godless agendas that weaken and undermine fundamental human rights like religious freedoms.
Please pray fervently that the Christian Church will rise up in 2014 and fulfill its role to be salt and light to society. This year, you and I must expect greater things from God for our nation!
You raise very valid points Errol. I can see where you are coming from in terms of female abuse and laws needing to be implemented to protect women in regardless to sexual violation. The points you make on pornography being screened on television is valid as well. I do however have to point out one thing none of your reasoning against this bill points to the business woman. Your statement saying most women want to stay at home and raise a family is a broad generalization. This bill changes a society in its developmental stages. In first world countries females are still not being paid similar wages to men and are still wanting to reach the positions of boardrooms. There are many bills that need to be implemented to see change come about but I do believe this bill will do a shift in the business environment where corporates still have a white male dominated board. Black owned companies on the JSE are not in anyway complaining about the bill because they have the quota. This is a bill that seems drastic but if implemented early could see a change in the business sector that is much needed. I have witnessed the hardships of two female executives resigning in a space of two years because of an all white male board. As much as woman need to be protected in their identity and value they also need room to grow in development. I believe this bill will affect more existing companies that have been around for a long time. I love your passion and everything you do for women and our rights but as a daughter who has a heart to see the business realm impacted this is something that could aid it. Companies have been given enough time to train and equip females. Empowering women to have freedom to enter the higher management levels is needed. We do not all want to raise family’s at home. I can speak for many females who are pursuing careers and wanting more. There is a different lens that this bill can be seen from. I don’t believe it should be labelled feministic at all. White females are needing this just as much as black females corporately. In regards to the church, we have to ask ourselves how often do we hear women preach. The attendance in most churches are filled with women but how many actually have a face that says there is a female represented in leadership and it’s not just frills and high teas but that you actually have a voice. The church does not liberate females as much as we would like to believe. Maybe this shift would see this affected. I’m not a feminist. I’m just a woman saying woman need other woman to look up too in all spheres. That includes business and the church.
Please note that I respect you as a woman I am thankful for what you are doing in our nation. I have even heard you preach before and have heard amazing stories about your work. My statement is about the lens which we see things through. My lens differ because of the realms of influence I desire to see women walk in and that is at the top. So from my lens in a corporate sphere it does promote gender equality and yes there are other causes that deserve the full attention of Government many that you have mentioned but empowering women at top levels shifts culture. Culture is transformed and sustained from the top. Decision making comes from the top. To not see a shift in leadership would not be a fair representation of transformation.
What does the Bible say about feminism? Should a Christian be a feminist?
This question is especially important to Christian women. Does the Word of God address feminism? The modern concept of feminism was not present during the time that the Bible was written, but that does that mean that the Bible has nothing to say on the basic issues of feminism. Even when the Scriptures seem to be silent on something that affects us today, there are eternal principles that speak to the underlying issue.
What are the issues of feminism? Feminism is a counterfeit solution to the real issue of the inequality of women in a sinful society. Feminism arrogates to itself the right to demand respect and equality in every aspect of life. Feminism is based in arrogance, and it is the opposite of the call to the born-again believer to be a servant. The actions of the modern, militant feminists are geared to cause women to rise up and rebel against the order that God has given to mankind. That brand of feminism seeks to impose humanistic solutions that are in direct opposition to the Word of God. Feminism was originally a positive movement, focused on giving women the basic rights God intends for every human being to have. Tragically, feminism has gone past those roots to focus on destroying any trace of a distinction in roles between men and women.
What then should be the view of a Christian about feminism? A believing woman, who is seeking to obey God and walk in peace and grace, should remember that she has equal access to all spiritual blessings in Christ. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). A believing woman should not allow herself to be a pawn in the worldly agenda of the feminist movement. Men and women have a God-given privilege to fulfill the plan He has set for us. Rebellion against that plan and the arrogance that seeks to put self above God’s Word result in very difficult consequences. We see those consequences in the destruction of the relationship between husbands and wives, the destruction of the family, and the loss of respect for human life.
“For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16). The principles of the fall are present in this verse. Eve believed the lie that eating the fruit would bring her wisdom. She lusted and she took or arrogated to herself something that was forbidden. This is the basis for the feminist movement. Women have bought into the lie that feminism will bring them what they want, what they think that they “deserve.” However, the promise is empty for the premise is based in pride and pride goes before a fall. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
In the last decades, there has been the rise of a society that is so concerned with political correctness and so sensitive to being “offended” that civility has lost its way. However, this is really nothing new for there has always been inequality in the world. There are male and female, different ethnicities, different colors, and different national origins. It is sin in the heart that causes inequality. It is sin in the heart that causes men to treat women in ways that are meant to demean. It is sin that sets one person above another. And it is sin that seeks to use counterfeit solutions to counteract these inequalities. The only true cure for inequality is obedience to God’s Word. If men and women would walk in obedience to God’s Word, feminism would be unmasked for what it is, and the harmony that God has ordained for the relationship between men and women would result.
Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/feminism-Christian feminist.html
I think part of this article articulates this best.
THE government is contemplating tough laws to enforce gender transformation compliance in the private and public sectors, which could be implemented as early as 2015.
Under the new legislation, government departments and companies will be required to fill a minimum of 50% of all senior and top management positions with women.
In addition, the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, which will soon be presented in Parliament, will allow the state to fine and/or imprison executive heads who contravene the act.
Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) deputy chairwoman Thoko Mpumlwana said last week that business had forced the government’s hand in this matter as it had not taken gender transformation seriously.
Speaking at public hearings on gender transformation in the workplace, at Constitutional Hill in Braamfontein, Ms Mpumlwana criticised company executives who claimed they were “unable” to find women with the appropriate skills.
“One of the things we have heard concerning the lack of female gender representation in the workspace is that there is a scarce skills pool to choose from. But companies should be looking to find ways, with government and other organisations, to address this issue.
“What we want to say is everyone in the private and public sectors must take gender seriously now. Don’t wait for the law to force you into compliance,” Ms Mpumlwana said.
In the CGE’s 2011 National Employment Equity Report, it noted that in the private sector women seldom held more than 12% of senior and top management positions. Coherent policies for addressing gender transformation and disability could also not be identified.
The CGE recommended to Parliament that the state should refuse to fund or have business dealings with any company or department that failed to address transformation. It also recommended that 50/50 representation of women on the boards of private entities be included as a requirement for companies to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Ahead of the curve
One company that is said to be ahead of the curve and the bill is Shanduka Holdings. Human capital director Yvonne Themba said the company had a 58% female representation, with most of the central leadership positions held by women. Shanduka’s CEO is Phuti Mahanyele.
“Shanduka deliberately seeks out young black women professionals and we monitor and fast-track their development. Since the company’s inception, more than 70% of young graduates in Shanduka’s internship programmes have been women.
“More than half of university graduates are women yet only 44% are employed in corporate South Africa. We start off being capable in university and clearly we should be leaders, but only 19% of us are top managers and only 9% of top managers are black women, why is that?” she asked.
Ms Themba said there was also a risk that women’s empowerment would be overshadowed by the broader black empowerment imperatives.
“The challenge is to understand the ways in which the disempowerment of women is related to the disempowerment of black people and the features that are specific to women. Women’s empowerment is a critical part of black economic empowerment, but it’s not inevitable,” she said.
Sam Deuchar, CEO at executive placement agency Rebmormax, said corporate South Africa had a way of edging out women, and there was a chance that legislating gender transformation could make women a target.
“There’s a possibility that companies might discriminate against women even more if they are forced to be flexible to cater to women’s other responsibilities. Currently what we find is that companies say they are looking for women to fill positions in their companies, but that intent is not followed by action.
“It’s hard for women to return to the corporate world after a leave of absence for, let’s say, children. What we find is that these women then go back to university and receive doctorates and MBAs and decide to find alternatives to the corporate environment that will allow them the flexibility they need and that’s usually found in entrepreneurship.
“There isn’t a dearth of skills in South Africa, we just haven’t tapped into the potential of women and once we do, we will easily fill all our skills gaps,” she said.
A World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report for 2013 noted that South African women earned up to 33% less than their male counterparts for the same work. The current international pay gap average is 13%.
The statistics speak for themselves. This cannot be labelled as feminism if corporates are not making room for females to come through. This is a bill affecting a sphere of influence where women are not being heard.
To deny women this right to top managenment would be sexist. The playing field is not equal not even on the monetary scale. I don’t have to be super spiritual. I can see the facts before me which point to a social injustice in the gender establishment in this country.
I agree with Shannon on the facts of social injustice but cannot agree that legislation is the answer to all these problems. Neither do I profess to have the answers. Legislation is far to broad and is a double edged sword. Governments that defer to legislation as an answer to ever problem are clearly governments that lack a moral code and do more harm than good with their reams and reams of legislation that they can never hope to enforce and that corporates and even churches will struggle to implement, will implement to the detriment of such organisations or even find ways to avoid implementation.
Errol, there are far more pressing issues than the drivel you have written here
Hi Errol, we are glad you have taken up this important issue. It is just another intrusion of the State in the private matters of citizens. Their social experiments will cost the country dearly.God created everyone as equals in His sight but he gave individuals special gifts and talents. No one can legislate this on a 50/50 or any other basis. Let the State stop playing God! jack.