The year was 1956, and on 9 August, more than 20 000-strong women matched to the union buildings, resisting pass laws which were being enforced by the then apartheid government. The march was an illustration of unity, with women from different races, classes, backgrounds, and cultures, marching against pass laws enforced against women of colour. The peaceful march, and the subsequent chant of “wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokodo/you strike a woman, you strike a rock”, was a strong call by women, for women, towards gender equality, women emancipation and women’s rights, a contribution to building a more equal South Africa

Seventy years later, that contribution can be seen every day in South Africa’s early childhood development sector. These women represented daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, wives, aunts, caregivers, nurturers, providers, community builders and home makers.

Women make up the vast majority of the ECD workforce and are the practitioners, programme managers, educators, cooks, support staff and community leaders who keep early learning programmes operating across the country. The 2021 ECD Census identified 42,420 early learning programmes, serving more than 1.66 million enrolled children and employing approximately 198,000 people¹.

Behind these numbers are thousands of women who open ECD programmes every morning and create spaces where young children can learn, play, eat, develop and feel safe, They do so despite considerable challenges. Many ECD programmes operate with limited resources.

Yet, across communities, ECD practitioners and programme managers continue to find ways to provide children with opportunities to learn and develop, often stretching limited resources, mobilising support from families and communities, improving their own skills and qualifications, and creating stimulating learning environments with what is available to them.

Their contribution is therefore much more than one of care. These women are helping South Africa advance its commitment to expand access to quality early learning and ensure that every young child has the opportunity to develop and thrive.

Government’s efforts to strengthen ECD, including registration, increased access, improved quality, workforce development and better support to programmes, ultimately depend on the people who translate these ambitions into children’s everyday experiences. Women across the ECD sector are at the centre of making that happen.

Therefore, in line with the adage, it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a country to raise ECD, we would like to thank all women, for their role in caring for all children and making sure that come the next 70 years, we have a strong group of men and women, who can stand and fight for the liberation of future generations! Happy Women’s Month!