When one speaks of women in SA who paved the way for others, it is impossible to do so without mentioning the names Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophia Williams-de Bruyn and Lillian Diedericks.  Every year on Women’s Day on August 9, we remember them, talk about the march they led of more than 20,000 women to the Union Buildings to protest against the pass laws, and we celebrate them.

But how often do we sit back and truly reflect on the significance of that day?  Those women were the epitome of courage and strength. They paved the way for the  recognition that women were deserving of the same rights and freedoms as men...