The Nelson Mandela Library has honoured International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane with a National Women's Award.

The Library‚ which is based at the Protea Glen Secondary School in Soweto‚ said Nkoana-Mashabane was chosen for the Award in recognition of her dedication to the promotion of human rights‚ women’s empowerment and gender equality and as a leader and role model for young women.

Nkoana-Mashabane dedicated the award to the women who led the march to the Union Buildings in 1956 in protest against apartheid pass laws. The minister said those women who took part in the 1956 march made it possible for today's generation to live in a free and democratic South Africa.

She added that South Africa's foreign policy was guided by a commitment to human rights‚ the promotion of peace and stability and the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means.

"Our vision is an African Continent which is prosperous‚ peaceful‚ democratic‚ non-racial‚ non-sexist and united‚ and which contributes to a world that is just and equitable‚" said Nkoana-Mashabane.