Empowerment of women

8 March is International Women’s Day, an opportunity to remind ourselves that we must work towards this cause every other day of the year…

South Africa, nearly a quarter of a century after apartheid, still suffers from social and racial inequalities. And as if that were not enough, the country has a record number of femicides: a woman is murdered every three hours… In a country where, despite Nelson Mandela’s 1996 declaration on gender equality, it is difficult to change attitudes, oppression and the mistreatment of women, combined with racial discrimination, remain rife. Long unacknowledged, but since last year brought to light and publicised on social media and in the press following the rape and murder of a young woman in a post office last August… people have finally found their voice.

And yet, some people did not wait for the campaign – and what has recently become a national cause in South Africa – to take action before it was too late:

‘Empowerment of women’ is the name of the initiative launched several years ago by our rooibos producer in South Africa. The emancipation, empowerment and autonomy of women, regardless of the country concerned, are key to eradicating poverty and recognising the status of women. Aimed at all women working for rooibos producers, this support programme – delivered through a four-day human capital development programme – focuses on self-awareness, healthcare, family planning, the fight against drugs and sexually transmitted infections. Sometimes supplemented by training on how to communicate effectively with their families or members of the community, the women learn to manage conflict situations and how to engage in more constructive dialogue.

The aim of this training programme is to help women realise their potential and build their self-confidence by improving their understanding of themselves and those close to them. The programme is delivered in English or Afrikaans, and women do not need to be able to read or write to benefit from it!

‘Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression,’ said Nelson Mandela.

Because Terre d’Oc is always committed to supporting suppliers who adopt an ethical and people-centred approach, during our journeys in search of exceptional teas, we come across producers who possess more than just technical skills and expertise in organic tea. The leaders of the cooperatives we meet also demonstrate a certain ethos – the distinctive quality of producing tea whilst respecting both men and women. Beyond simply creating wealth, there is a whole ethical approach centred on the tea pickers, involving an analysis of the women’s needs and the implementation of measures to improve their daily lives.