National Women 's Day - Wikipedia National Women 's Day National Women 's Day Women in Lesotho at a National Women 's Day protest against violence against women at the National University of Lesotho Observed by Republic of South Africa Date 9 August Next time 9 August 2018 ( 2018 - 08 - 09 ) First time 9 August 1995 National Women 's Day is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August. The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country 's pass laws that required South Africans defined as `` black '' under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a pass, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manage migrant labour during the apartheid era. The first National Women 's Day was celebrated on 9 August 1994. In 2006, a reenactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with many of the 1956 march veterans. Contents 1 1956 Women 's March 2 Significance 3 See also 4 References 5 External links 1956 Women 's march Main article : Women 's March ( South Africa ) On 9 August 1956, more than 20,000 South African women of all races staged a march on the Union Buildings in protest against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act of 1950, commonly referred to as the `` pass laws ''. The march was led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams. Other participants included Frances Baard, a statue of whom was unveiled by Northern Cape Premier Hazel Jenkins in Kimberley ( Frances Baard District Municipality ) on National Women 's Day 2009. The women left 14,000 petitions at the office doors of prime minister J.G. Strijdom. The women stood silently for 30 minutes and then started singing a protest song that was composed in honour of the occasion : Wathint'Abafazi Wathint'imbokodo ! ( Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock. ). In the years since, the phrase ( or its latest incarnation : `` you strike a woman, you strike a rock '' ) has come to represent women 's courage and strength in South Africa. Significance National Women 's day draws attention to significant issues South African women still face, such as parenting, Domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace, unequal pay, and schooling for all girls. It can be used as a day to fight for or protest these ideas. Due to this public holiday, there have been many significant advances. Before 1994, women had low representation in the parliament, only at 2.7 %. Women in the national assembly were at 27.7 %. This number has nearly doubled, being at 48 % representation throughout the country 's government. National women 's day is based around much of the same principles as International Women 's Day, and strives for much of the same freedoms and rights. See also International Women 's Day Public holidays in South Africa References Jump up ^ `` 2016 Women 's Day South Africa South African Public Holidays Cape Town ''. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016. Jump up ^ kedibone ( 2 August 2012 ). `` South Africa celebrates the first National Women 's Day ''. Archived from the original on 13 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016. Jump up ^ Anonymous ( 31 March 2011 ). `` The 1956 Women 's March, Pretoria, 9 August ''. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` MaBaard gets a special place '', Diamond Fields Advertiser 11 August 2009 p 3 Jump up ^ Becker, Rayda ( 2000 ). `` The New Monument to the Women of South Africa ''. African Arts. 33 ( 4 ) : 1 -- 9. JSTOR 3337784. doi : 10.2307 / 3337784. ( Registration required ( help ) ). Jump up ^ `` Department of International Relations and Cooperation -- South Africa '' ( PDF ). Archived ( PDF ) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Why celebrate Women 's Day in South Africa ? -- Nikki Bush ''. nikkibush.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Women 's Month South African Government ''. www.gov.za. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 29. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Women 's Day. National Women 's Day Public holidays in South Africa New Year 's Day Human Rights Day Good Friday Family Day Freedom Day Workers ' Day Youth Day National Women 's Day Heritage Day Day of Reconciliation Christmas Day Day of Goodwill Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Women%27s_Day&oldid=800246623 '' Categories : August observances Women 's rights in South Africa Remembrance days South African culture South African society Hidden categories : Pages with login required references or sources Use dmy dates from May 2012 Use South African English from May 2012 All Wikipedia articles written in South African English Infobox holiday with missing field Infobox holiday fixed day ( 2 ) All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Deutsch Español IsiZulu Italiano Bahasa Melayu Edit links This page was last edited on 12 September 2017, at 09 : 39. 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Question: when was the first woman's day celebrated in south africa
Answer: 9 August 1994