Master of Ceremonies
Honourable MEC of Social Development, Ms Nonkosi Mvana
Honourable Speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Distinguished members of the Community Chest of the Nelson Mandela Metropole
Partners and friends in the development sector
Distinguished guests
Comrades and friends
Good morning. Let me begin by warmly thanking the Community Chest of the Nelson Mandela Metropole for inviting me to this important gathering. It is a pleasure to be with you today.
As I look across this room, I am inspired to see such a gathering of women from all walks of life and those who hold prominent positions in our society. By meeting here today we are establishing a strong base of women leadership and at the same time building a network across the country that will ultimately create greater opportunities for all South African women.
The presence of so many of us underlines the progress our government has made in terms of addressing issues related to women. It is therefore crucial that women, both young and old, are encouraged and supported to actively participate in associative life in their local communities and villages. Furthermore, the presence of so many of us in this room is indication that with initiative, the right support and the rule of law behind them, many women can rise up to stake their claim in society.
Our very presence here invests this occasion with special meaning, for we truly represent the broad diversity of this country — and our participation attests to the importance of diversity in South African life.
Today, I am pleased to celebrate that more than ever before, women and girls in our country have access to education and greater access to health care and reproductive services, and are making inroads into professions that were previously male dominated. Women are increasingly contributing more to their families and communities.
More and more women are gaining access to decent jobs that give them and their families a decent standard of living. Women’s personal and collective contributions are helping to rebuild our nation and impacting on the very social fabric of our country.
We have also made huge strides on the political front. As President Zuma stated during the commemoration of this year's Women Month, our country competes favourably in the list of top 20 most powerful business women across Africa and the world.
To date and the first time in the history of this country, the participation of women in the executive across the three spheres of government has grown steadily. If one is to analyse the ascension of the South African women to positions of great esteem in recent times, it is clear that our government’s approach to entrust confidence in women is more than a one off event; instead it is a clear national policy.
In this regard, women must be willing to play a critical role in nation building, since we form an extremely important part of our nation's human resources. While we celebrate these achievements, we recall the fact that across our beautiful country, too many women continue to live in poverty and are victims of violent crimes and abuse. The sad truth remains that women account for the largest percentage of people living with HIV and AIDS.
One of the most powerful lessons of the last fifteen years of democratic rule is that a nation's progress depends not only on protecting women's fundamental human rights, but also on ensuring that women are given equal opportunities to participate, be it in business, government and society as whole.
Over the last fifteen years government has worked hard eradicate poverty among women, for the empowerment of women, and for the promotion of social development in all fields. Government's key programmes such as the Social Assistance Programme, the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA), and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) target the poorest women in our country, including rural women, seeking to engage them in productive economic activity that structurally links them to the mainstream first economy, and thus act as a bridge between the first and second economies.
Among other things, the decision by the African National Congress to establish the Ministry for Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities underscore government's commitment to ensure that the voice of women remains a prime issue. Our government's objective is to ensure that women have equal opportunities to participate in social and economic activities.
The complete emancipation of women from the ties, which held them back in the past during apartheid and the ages of ignorance, is a basic aim of the African National Congress and the National Democratic Revolution. As you all know, women make up one half of the South African population. Our society will remain backward and in chains unless its women are liberated, enlightened and educated.
Let me remind you that it is incumbent on all women in leadership positions to support fellow women in their endeavours to occupy their rightful place in society. A great part of the responsibility of the struggle for the emancipation of women falls upon all of us gathered in this Summit.
As women we must collectively demonstrate in a tireless effort that we are serious about ensuring that we form ourselves into an exceptional cadre of multi-talented women who are capable of governing the affairs of our country. We must continue to target women in all quarters as we push ahead to change the face of our nation for today’s generation and generations to come.
This we can do by impressing upon the young generation the importance of education. This is important in preparing them to play their role as responsible citizens, developing healthy lifestyles, and ensuring that there is a clear understanding of the values of our society. As women leaders we must look at the possibility of establishing a mentorship programme for young women and girls in order to nurture a new generation of women leaders.
It is with this in mind that as South African women we must band ourselves together and take the women's cause and the cause of our nation forward. Comrades and friends, you will agree with me that it is only through education that we can break the vicious cycle of poverty among women, because an educated mother can give the country a generation of conscious and responsible citizens.
I hope that this Summit becomes an important turning point in our work to empower women. In this way, we will be able to arouse their enthusiasm for learning and knowledge and to encourage them to participate extensively in the life of the community.
The prime objective must always be to reduce the number of marginalised women by bringing their needs to the surface, and to build activities with maximum participation. The endeavour to secure the rights of women and open the door for them to work, excel and liberate themselves in every respect is the centrepiece of our government's work.
Government has adopted multi-pronged measures to mainstream gender perspectives into the development process, including formulating relevant policies, reviewing laws affecting women, improving the capacity of the National Gender Machinery for incorporating women's perspectives into the development process as well as improving access to basic services, education and healthcare.
My Ministry is one of government's key departments tasked with the responsibility of improving the status of women through development programmes. This we do by supporting women cooperatives in rural areas and ensuring that women have access to integrated services that address their basic needs.
As part of government's anti-poverty strategy, we have launched a number of development projects in poor communities targeting women. Key among these is the Hemp Industrial Park project which we recently launched at Maponya Mall in Soweto. One other initiative is the Kwanda project which I hope many of you have seen on local television.
Both these projects seek to empower women in disadvantaged communities and offer them the opportunity to become participants in social enterprise, thus promoting greater inclusion and solidarity within our society.
Sisters, in order to address the challenges confronting women in our country, it is important for us to work together. To this end, my Department is engaging the corporate sector to explore possible ways in which they can make contribution to the attainment of the national priorities.
Colleagues and friends, our hope must be renewed when we see the many strides made thus far by government towards the emancipation and empowerment of women in our country. Our hope in the successes and future of our nation is not unfounded when we consider the calibre of the current and emerging women leaders in our country.
Our hope becomes even more apparent and real when as women from different backgrounds, different ages and diverse sectors, we are able to gather here, share experiences and explore better ways of addressing the many issues facing women. It is people like you people with passion and enthusiasm and the will to act, working in concert with us in government that can make a real difference.
I hope that this Summit will play its role in developing the principal ideas which will consolidate government's achievements. It is the progress that we as women have made that must encourage us and spur us on to even greater achievements.
In conclusion, I would like to thank members of the organising committee for bringing together this group of like-minded and patriotic women. As government we welcome occasions of this nature because they afford us an opportunity to engage in constructive national discussions on matters of national importance. I hope the Community Chest and many other organisations represented in this summit will continue with your good work to complement and assist our government to build a society of which we can all truly be proud.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Social Development
31 October 2009
