Women Celebrated

August 9th is National Women's Day in South Africa. This, National Women's Month, will be marked by many activities to celebrate women. Grandmothers, Mothers, daughters, granddaughters. All celebrated. There will be national events, local activities punctuated with seminars, papers, concerts, tea parties and many more activities. For me, and many more it is a bittersweet celebration. Despite the battles, pain, losses and all the gains, women are vulnerable in their homes and communities. We are still considered as property... slaves and .... At the same time I want to celebrate all our victories! I want to celebrate all the good women who are making major sacrifices to make a difference for all the women following.

Women’s Freedom – Keeping Score
Seventeen
Winters’ of freedom
Celebrated
Another
National Women’s Day
Commemorated
More women in high places
Poverty
Still
Spilling from the usual
Spaces

Seventeen
Spring’s of freedom
Observed
Another
Sixteen Days of Activism
Pending
More women victims in hazardous alleys
Insecurity
Still
Lurking inside supposedly
Safe places

Seventeen
Summer’s of freedom
Anticipated
More girl mothers
Expecting
Fewer fair job opportunities going
Volatility
Still
Courting escalating
Inequality

Simone Beatrice Naik Noemdoe, 2011-08-08

Pain
Thousand’s still have to shit in plastic bags
Others sell the bodies for bread and shelter
Our freedom
Was supposed to wipe away the hardship
National Women’s’ Day we have earned
Bread and butter battles less recognized
Our victories by too many unsolved rape cases
Overshadowed
Freedom on paper
Still to be translated to total emancipation

Celebration
I celebrate
National Women’s Day
On behalf of every girl child
All young women
Intelligent
Kind
Caring
Diligent
Every fallen Shero
Your sacrifice
Made me free
Let us Reclaim
Our country
Our legacy!

Simone Beatrice Naik Noemdoe, 2011-08-08