Watch: Advocate encourages women to fly like eagles
The Ekurhuleni metro recently hosted a breakfast session for female "wellness champions" at the Boksburg Banquet Hall.
These wellness champions are women who work for various departments in Ekurhuleni and help with the metro’s well-being programmes.
On the day, they were informed of their legal rights by Adv Henk Strydom, senior prosecutor at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
His message focused on the role of women in society and domestic abuse.
Strydom said that in the past women were treated as inferior to men and even the law stated that.
“Women’s marriages were not acknowledged in the past. Women were regarded as ‘belongings’ by their husbands or other men,” Strydom said.
“Women could not draw up wills and couldn’t own or inherit anything because of their gender.
“They had to stay at home to have babies and cook.
“A negative mindset and lack of self-esteem can do more harm to a person than anyone else.
“I believe that nothing can destroy iron except rust – and rust comes from within; rust doesn’t come from outside.
“In reality, most of the time women are obstacles to themselves,” he said.
Strydom said women regard themselves as hens whereas they are actually born eagles.
Because of the challenges they face along the way, women no longer believe they are capable of achieving.
He warned against gossiping and lying about another person.
Furthermore, he encouraged women to support one another and to seek help if they see that their neighbours are abused or children are being treated harshly.
“Stand up and report a crime. Some other people see that their neighbours are abused and they opt to shut their eyes because they believe that getting involved comes with responsibility. Do something and assist – don’t just turn a blind eye.
“Appreciate yourself and believe you can make it. Look up to strong independent women who have walked this way but managed to conquer,” he said.
