10 September 2007
The Standing Committee on Status of Women and Quality of Life of the North
West Provincial Legislature is headed to Vietnam to conduct a study tour in one
of the countries said to have the best standards and models in terms of the
status of women, youth, people with disabilities and gender. The study tour
will take place from 15 to 23 September 2007. The delegation will be led by Hon
KV Kekesi, who is the Chairperson of the Committee, and she will be accompanied
by Hon M Mokomele-Mothibi, Hon LM Molema, Hon H Hantise, Hon H B Groenewald and
Hon R Matlholwa. The Committee Administrator Lerato Tshenkeng will also
accompany them.
The purpose of the study tour is to better learn the mechanisms by which to
empower women in politics and working in parliament, to understand measures
that the Vietnam government is using addressing the transmission of HIV and
AIDS, the challenges of transport and how the government is dealing with same;
looking to the establishment of a gender committee and its operational plans or
role; the relationship between gender committee and women in the country or
province of Vietnam, the eradication of poverty in particular unemployed women;
co-operatives (women in business), domestic violence, crisis centres and
children's maintenance, child support and foster care grants.
Vietnam was selected as it has had impressive success in improving the
well-being of women and reducing gender disparities in Vietnam. According to
national indicators on life expectancy, maternal mortality, basic education and
primary healthcare, the status of Vietnamese women compares favourably with
that of neighbouring countries of similar gross domestic product (GDP) per
capita. In addition, Vietnam was ranked 108 out of 174 according to the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) gender-related development index, with a
five point better ranking than for the Human Development Index.
Vietnam is regarded as an outstanding example of best practices for
reduction of use risk behaviours that affect men and women, which are often
associated with their gender roles and relationships taking strong measures to
reduce discrimination against women, maltreatment to women in the family, and
protecting women and children; taking strong measures to strictly control and
reduce drug-related crimes, sex work, and trafficking in women and children;
improving material facilities of drug rehabilitation centres, encouraging men
to use various contraceptives methods consideration of the social as well as
environment dimensions of public transport, taking strong measures to reduce
the transmission of HIV and AIDS and other postpartum infectious diseases and
finally, its efforts to narrow gender gaps and invest in human capital
The Standing Committee will undertake the following activities while they
are in Vietnam:
* meeting with the National Committee for Advancement of Women in Vietnam â
discuss and exchange views on women advancement, empowering women in politics
and gender equality
* meeting with Department of Social Affairs Committee, Vietnam National
Assembly, social development programme for women, mechanisms of empowering
women
* visit TYM fund, micro lending and projects on poverty alleviation
* visit Vietnam Women Union, social status of women in Vietnam, employment of
women, women entrepreneurs and women working in the parliament
* visit Department for Ministry of Health working with AIDS and HIV prevention
department
* visit Department for Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs
* gender equality, poverty alleviation, social development programmes for
women, children and disabled people
* visit Department for Ministry of Education and Training â girl child
education, education for children with disabilities
* visit Quang Ninh Women Union, exchange views on women issues
* visit Dong Cam (Empathy) Club - people living with HIV and women owned
enterprise.
This Standing Committee was established in 2002 with the aim of representing
women, men (gender in general), youth, people with disabilities and so forth.
The Committee is to monitor on the improvement of the Quality of Lives of the
above stated and is under the Chairpersonship of Hon KV Kekesi.
"Study tours such as these are exciting because they enable us to share our
experiences with our Vietnamese counterparts and to bring back valuable
knowledge that can be shared to make the North West Province, indeed South
Africa, a better place to live," said leader of the delegation and Chairperson
of the Standing Committee, Hon V K Kekesi.
For further information please contact:
Lerato Tshenkeng
Cell: 082 779 4634.
Roberta Makhambeni
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 018 392 7158
Fax: 018 392 7000
Cell: 082 779 4641
E-mail: roberta@nwpl.org.za
Issued by: Provincial Legislature, North West Provincial Government
10 September 2007
