Theme: Providing a platform for women’s active engagement fort he 2011 municipal elections
Through the years, South African women have taken a lead in the fight against unjust laws and injustice. Correspondingly, struggles waged by women have made an immeasurable impact on the transition of the democratic rule. Today, women continue to shape our public space in terms of their leading roles in government institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector. In the same way women in South Africa constitute the majority of the voters roll and are possibly the most participants in the elections.
However, questions remain about the extent to which democratisation process has resulted in developmental policies and government programmes that are sensitive to and responsive to the needs of women. It is against this background that the Electoral Commission would like to cordially invite you to the seminar regarded as a build up to the 2011 municipal elections and beyond.
It is the intended outcome of the seminar that, we would emerge with clearer understanding of how electoral democracy and the participation of women in elections can influence the development discourse and there by impact on the policy choices. The participant at the seminar will be leadership and representatives of women groups, political parties, other chapter 9 institutions, elected public representative bodies as well as academics and representatives of civil society formations. The details of the seminar are as follows:
Date: 20 to 21 August 2009
Time: 13h00
Venue: riverside Hotel, Vanderbijlpark, Emfuleni
Contact:
Solly Kganyago
Cell: 082 5686 112
Tel: 011 644 7422
E-mail: kganagos@elections.org.za
Programme
Day one: 20 August 2009
* Opening address: Ms Matshidiso Masutha Independent Electoral Commission
(IEC) deputy Chief Executive Officer
* Dinokeng scenarios: Raenette Taljaard an independent analyst and consultant and a former DA MP
* Road to local government elections 2011
* The role of Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) towards 2011
* Local government elections: Mr Hillary Monare CEO: Demarcation Board
* Participation of women in elections 1999 to 2009: Mr Mashego Sheburi IEC Gauteng
* Strategies and avenues available to women and women groups to influence policy in order to articulate gender sensitive budget: MPL Lindiwe Yandiswa GEYODI
Close of day 1: 17h00
Day two 21 August 2009
*Practical response to berries to women benefiting from the fruits of democracy:
Advocate Khutsoane Commission of Gender Equality
* Intra party mobilisation for women participation: Mr Joram Rukambe
Programme Manager: African Programme International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
Closing remarks: 13h00
Issued by: Independent Electoral Commission
18 August 2009
Source: Independent Electoral Commission (http://www.elections.org.za/)
