As typified by the 20 000 women who marched against pass laws in August 1956, we have made great and unimaginable strides as South Africa women. However, an entirely new set of problems lays ahead for us to tackle.

As the descendants of women that fought alongside the men of the struggle, the same women that took a stand for the freedoms that we enjoy today, there shouldn’t be any doubt that we have it in us to face the problems that lay ahead. Thanks to those same women, we no longer have to worry about the restrictions on freedom attached to pass laws as well as other atrocities of apartheid. Thanks to those women, we are free. Free to move on and write the next phase of history, and we will.

Often referred to with a disdainful undertone, the “modern woman” faces the challenge of navigating the murky waters of tradition/culture, the complexities that inform her interaction with the opposite sex like chivalry and feminism, and the pressures of having to be everything that the world expects of her AND everything that she wants to be in career, industry and lifestyle. Add to this the burden of having to standing up against sexual harassment, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, superficial judgements and inequality and the bigger picture starts to come into focus.

We (women) are only just beginning to scratch the surface of our potential to be great. This is evident in the fact that women are beginning to outnumber men in male dominated fields of study. This also includes the number of women that actually go on to graduate as well. South Africa also boasts amazing levels of female involvement in government. Here’s hoping that this all spills over into the upper echelons of the corporate world and the governments of other countries.

With all this in mind, Live SA plans to bring you an array of content from the insightful, youth-oriented perspective of our talented team.

From the first in a series of “Women’s Month for Men” pieces conceptualized by Rofhiwa Maneta to a number of Young People to Watch articles focusing on the achievements of and impact made by young women, this Women’s Month Live SA strives to maintain the link between the achievements of women past, present and future.

With the toughest past being working toward a promising future, we say  to the ladies of Live SA (wherever you are): go forth and #Flourish.