Good morning

I want to start off by saying that the issues of women should not just be under the spotlight today, or this month?

But everyday, while inequalities exist and redress is needed, we in government must be at the forefront of ensuring that change is not only called for, but also actioned?

And I would like to believe that government is leading the way for general society - including big business, small business, civil society at large, to rethink old gender barriers and prejudices?

This government has put policy in place to ensure the empowerment of women - but policy is nothing if it is not acted on constructively, and I believe this is also happening.

We still need more female legal professionals, building professionals, medical professionals and definitely more senior managers should be female.

We have not yet arrived at an inclusive human rights culture; some of our most marginalized citizens are still women.

And I am pleased that government and community have made and are still making spaces in which they can discuss and debate and find ways to take forward the issues of communities and those most at risk within communities, like the girl child, like rural women and women dealing with poverty.

These kinds of platforms must be encouraged and grown, as they will ultimately be the biggest asset in policy formulation and putting policy into practice.

They will also assist in ensuring the voices of the powerless grow to be audible to the ears of power, to make change real.

So I want to ask all gathered here today - which means me too - to engage with yourself and ask, what more could I be doing towards creating a more empowering social space for women?

What can I do as a woman, mother, daughter, sister, wife to create a more empowering social space for myself?

What can I do as a woman to create a more empowering social space and be an empowerment partner, for my mother, sister, grandmother, daughter and sister female?

As a man, what can I do to empower all the women who touch my life?

On that note, please enjoy women's day and do not forget to pay your respects to all the important women in your life.