20 Feb 2024

Women possess the power and capabilities needed to influence decision-making and policy direction, the Mayor of Jwaneng, Olga Ditsie, has said. Speaking at a Senior Girls beauty pageant for women above 60 years of age in Sese on Saturday, Ditsie said just like their male counterparts, women had what it takes to occupy leadership positions.

Ditsie said their capabilities could assist in speaking against social ills such as gender-based violence, which mostly had them on the receiving end. Ditsie urged women to unearth their talents and use them to empower themselves and their communities. She called for introspection of cultural norms which subjected women to abuse.

“It is high time we look at those parts of our culture that disempower women and to some extent fuel gender-based violence especially on women. As elderly women who have the responsibility to guide and counsel newly-weds, let us re-look into how some part of our culture actually contributes towards perpetuating violence on women,” she said.

She said the beauty pageant was intended to appreciate women and the role they played in their families and communities.

A philanthropist, Kolobetso Mfa, emphasised the importance of positive affirmations as instruments which could drive visions and goals. She said many women could not achieve their goals due to low confidence, while others stayed in abusive relationships for fear of the unknown.

“Many women are in abusive marriages and relationships because they fear how the society would react, and others are failing to achieve their goals because they undermine themselves,” she said. “I want to encourage you to trust God in any situation that you are facing, because through Him you have the power to overcome.”

However, she said, as the cornerstone of society’s moral fibre, women had a responsibility to have good characters. She noted that a good character could go a long way in unlocking opportunities for growth and empowerment.

Thembi Maphorisa of Ku Tshime Healing Sanctuary said women should take advantage of empowerment programmes to sustain their families and develop the communities.

Ms Maphorisa encouraged women to explore the use of natural resources and indigenous knowledge in their areas for income generating enterprises, by deploying sustainable methods to ensure the natural resources were not depleted.

Meanwhile, 62-year-old Molly Lesedi was crowned Miss Sese Senior Girls 2024 and walked home with two goats, followed by Ketlhophegile Siane and Gabotoka Kaisara who won a goat and five chickens each.

Lesedi said she won because she upheld her confidence over her disability. She said even though she walked with crutches, she still believed she had what it took to compete against able-bodied women. She encouraged fellow women to believe in themselves despite their shortcomings. ENDS