Mandela says gender equality marks progress

Unless Trinidad and Tobago and many other countries ensure there is gender equality within their societies, they will never be able to progress. This was the sagely advice offered by former South African president Nelson Mandela, when he addressed a luncheon held in his honour at the Hilton Trinidad yesterday. Mandela told his audience that prior to becoming president on May 10, 1994, no women were members of the government or cabinet of South Africa. The former South African president said he changed that stereotype by appointing eight women to important posts within the Cabinet.

“I went around South Africa when I introduced the idea. I said we have now taken a decision to treat men and women on the same basis and I made other statements,” Mandela said. He recalled that during his discussions on the subject, there was a particular gentleman who said while he agreed with gender equality, he did not want to be “ruled down by women.” Mandela had his audience in stitches as he related the measures he had to take to prevent the man from being beaten by women who were present at the time. “That is the problem when you start something new. People say they agree with it and when it comes to implementation, they differ with you,” Mandela stated. The former South African president expressed satisfaction that some developing countries “which are not so progressive as far as raising the level of women, are now following the example that has been set by progressive countries in promoting women to positions of authority.

“Unless we accept equality between all sexes, all genders, we will never be able to progress properly. That lesson is now sinking in and being accepted by decision-makers in many parts of the world,” Mandela said. In moving a toast to Mandela, Prime Minister Patrick Manning told him that the outpouring of love which he experienced at the Queen’s Park Oval earlier in the day was symbolic of the feelings of people worldwide towards him.  Manning noted that like South Africa, TT was also a very ethnically diverse society and there were great similarities between efforts in both nations to  promote equality for all their citizens. The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to Mandela for agreeing to visit TT. The luncheon was attended by a virtual who’s who in Government, business, religion and sport.