South Africa’s Foreign Minister Hails Women’s Centre Programme

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Her Excellency Dr. Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, has commended the Government’s support for teenage mothers through the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF).

“The centre and the Government of Jamaica must be congratulated for having such an initiative in place,” she said, noting that similar facilities in South African tend to be non-governmental organisations that are supported through private financing and some public funding.

Dr. Pandor, who is on an official visit to Jamaica, was speaking at a brief ceremony on Thursday (March 21) at the WCJF in Kingston, on the occasion of South Africa’s Human Right’s Day, which is observed annually on March 21.

She was accompanied by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; and High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa, Her Excellency Lumka Yengeni.

The ceremony was followed by a tour of the WCJF, where Dr. Pandor got a firsthand look of the facility and its programme offerings.

Also on the tour were WCJF board chair, Debby-Ann Brown Salmon, and Executive Director of the entity, Novlette Howell.

Dr. Pandor said there is a larger issue that must be addressed to confront the problem of teenage pregnancy.

“We must teach our young men and old men to leave our girls alone and to allow our girls to be children first, because both in our countries and other developing countries men do not understand their responsibility towards girl children,” she pointed out.

“So, we need to change the way that men perceive us and the fact that they do not recognise that we are human beings in society, and we are not their property,” she said, adding that women must also be empowered to resist abusive approaches from men, who often use money to get girls involved in sexual behaviours.

Senator Johnson Smith, in her remarks, said that the visit by the South African Minister to Jamaica at this time is fitting, since the countries are celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations this year.

“We are proud and honoured to have you here at this critical time, which is Human Right’s Day for the Republic of South Africa,” she added.

Noting the long friendship between the countries, she said that Jamaica and South Africa were together in the fight against apartheid.

“This has been something Jamaica has been very proud of, that together, we overcame one of the worst manifestations of inequality and injustice in apartheid,” she said.

Other engagements for Dr. Pandor on Thursday included a visit to the Peter Tosh Museum dedicated to the iconic Jamaican musician, whose work resonated with themes of African unity and strong opposition to apartheid.

She also delivered a lecture at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus.

On Friday, Dr. Pandor will call on Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, hold bilateral talks with Senator Johnson Smith and participate in a South Africa-CARICOM Ministerial meeting.