Member of Parliament – Nomsa Marchesi -Democratic Alliance

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament, Nomsa Marchesi from the Democratic Alliance. She serves on the portfolio committee of Higher Education, Science and Technology. We address the role of a country’s education systems, not just from the view of knowledge gain, the ability to access the job market and contribute to the nation’s economy, but also from the perspective of producing socially conscious citizens that understand their impact on society and the responsibilities they have towards their communities. Ms Marchesi reflects on her own education, as a student of the 80s, post the 1976 uprising, and the eventual subject choices she made, not from personal volition but from the influence of wise elders who prevented her from studying career limiting topics. We remark on women leading their families and directing subsequent generations to better themselves. We discuss some of the responsibilities of parliament members in terms of addressing their constituents’ needs and bringing female voices to platforms that are intended to drive change. Yet, although South Africa has an abundance of positive policies that are designed to improve the wellbeing of women and open equal opportunities, implementation of paper rhetoric still remains a challenge. Tune in for more…