More Than a Body: Honouring Women’s Mental and Reproductive Health this Women’s Month
Every year on the 9th of August, South Africa commemorates Women’s Day — a moment to honour the courage and strength of the women who marched in 1956 against the apartheid government’s pass laws, and to celebrate the power and resilience of women today.
It’s a time to reflect on how far we’ve come, but also to recognise the quiet battles still being fought — often in doctors’ rooms, in homes, and behind closed doors.
Two of those ongoing battles dear to my heart are around mental and reproductive health — deeply personal, deeply important, and too often left out of the mainstream conversation.
The Silent Weight: Mental Health in Women
Mental health struggles don’t always look dramatic. Sometimes, they show up as quiet exhaustion, the mental load of caregiving, or the constant pressure to “keep it together.” In South Africa, studies have shown that women are more likely than men to experience anxiety and depression, especially in the context of poverty, gender-based violence, and caregiving responsibilities. And yet, many women feel they can’t slow down, let alone speak up leading to an endless cycle of emotional damage.
Part of the challenge is stigma. Even in 2025, mental health is still misunderstood or brushed aside. For women, it’s compounded by social expectations to be strong, nurturing, and self-sacrificing. Seeking help can feel like failure — when in fact, it’s a profound act of courage.
Reproductive Health Is Whole Health
Too often, reproductive health is reduced to just fertility or just pregnancy. But it encompasses a wide range of experiences — from menstrual health to menopause, from contraception to conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or fibroids.
Many women live with pain, fatigue, or irregular cycles for years before receiving a diagnosis — if they receive one at all. These issues are frequently minimised, normalised, or dismissed as “just part of being a woman.” But they are not. Reproductive health isn’t a side issue — it is central to overall well-being, including mental health.
Hormonal changes and imbalances can have a powerful effect on mood, sleep, energy levels, and even self-esteem. Addressing reproductive health holistically means acknowledging this mind-body connection — and advocating for care that treats women as whole people, not just symptom by symptom.
Access, Advocacy, and Self-Permission
Access to quality healthcare in South Africa remains unequal. While some women are empowered to ask questions, seek second opinions, and choose from a range of services, many others face long queues, stigma, and limited options.
This Women’s Month, we are reminded that empowerment also means access — to knowledge, to care, to have your voice heard and believed. As women, we are often each other’s first line of support. Talking about our experiences, sharing resources, listening without judgment — these are quiet, revolutionary acts echoing the bravery of the 20 000 women marching in 1956.
In Closing
Women are more than what we do for others. We are more than our career titles, our caregiving roles, our resilience. We are whole people, deserving of rest, support, and care that honours the full complexity of our lives.
So this Women’s Month, let us give ourselves permission: to ask the hard questions, to seek help, to rest, to heal. Our health is not a luxury — it is part of our power.
