Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Mme Rejoice Mabudafhasi
during the Women's Parliament, National Assembly
28 August 2007
"Women as the Champions of the Earth and Custodians of the Environment"
Honourable Speaker
Honourable Deputy President
Honourable members
Ladies and gentlemen
1. Introduction
The Stockholm Declaration adopted during the 1972 United Nations Conference
on the Human Environment established a foundation for linking human rights and
environmental protection by recognising that each human being has a fundamental
right to live in an environment that permits a life of dignity, freedom,
equality and well-being. This conference also announced the responsibility of
each person to protect and improve the environment for the benefit of the
present and future generations.
Since the Stockholm Declaration, multilateral forums have called on the
international community to make opportunities available for all citizens of the
world to contribute to environmental management irrespective of gender, race,
ethnicity and class. There have been concerns that women have been excluded
from decision-making processes on environmental issues. These concerns resulted
in the birth of international movements such as the Women's Environment
Organisation (Wedo) and the Global Network for Women Ministers of Environment
which is co-chaired by South Africa.
When accepting the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champion of
the Earth Award in Singapore in 2006, June Zietlin, the Executive Director of
Wedo said, "In accepting this award, we recognise that women have long been
champions of the earth, in their families, in their communities, and their
societies." This award honoured women's daily struggle to haul clean water,
fetch firewood, and grow food. In doing this, women share their knowledge and
the preserve the resources of the earth for generations to come. Concurring
with this sentiment, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations once
remarked that, "Investing in women is the best strategy for sustainable
development."
As the champions of the earth and custodians of the environment, women are
most affected by environmental problems including land degradation, climate
change, biodiversity and natural resources management, waste management and
pollution.
2. Land degradation, desertification and climate change
We stand on the front line in the battle against environmental degradation
because our health depends on the health of our mother earth and its resources.
As women are the ones in closest contact with land, they are usually the first
to suffer from its degradation. Women often bear the brunt of natural disasters
such as famine or drought.
When we celebrated 2006 as the international year of deserts and
desertification, we did so by saluting women for their traditional knowledge
and expertise on land management which has contributed to finding sustainable
solutions for overcoming poverty and fighting diseases.
Through social responsibility projects, our department is implementing land
rehabilitation projects that employ women to reverse the impact of
desertification whilst generating income for their families, thus making the
economic and environmental sense with them as immediate beneficiaries, our
African women are unstoppable.
The reality of the impacts of climate change on our fragile natural
resources is undisputable. Our measure of success or failure in the battle
against these impacts will be determined by the extend to which we empower
women to adapt to the devastating effects of climate change such as
unpredictable patterns of droughts, floods and temperature changes often
associated with outbreaks of diseases.
3. Biodiversity and natural resources management
As we concluded the Johannesburg summit, we called for the recognition of
the specific role of marginalised groups such as women, youth and people with
disabilities in the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity.
Madam Speaker, the tide must turn for the real integration of gender
dimensions in our policies and programmes. We must consolidate our gains made
through programmes like the Expanded Publics Work Programme which has made huge
strides in empowering women in rural communities to take charge of their
lives.
In Barberton, Mpumalanga, the department has funded a project on the
conservation and preservation of medicinal plants. From humble beginnings, this
project has grown from preservation and conservation to sustainable use of
medicinal plants.
Women involved in this project have been trained to extract products from
medicinal plants which are used to treat different ailment such arthritis,
muscle aches and pains. The scope of this project has now been extended to
include a garden which supplies factories with tomatoes for making jam.
At the meeting of the Global Summit for Women which was held in Germany in
June this year, this project was awarded a grant of R30 000 after is was
selected as one of the best public private partnership projects for women in
the world.
It is through projects such as these that we can demonstrate that the noble
goals of our government's Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South
Africa (AsgiSA) and the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition
(Jipsa) are achievable if the political will is followed by appropriate actions
in partnership.
4. Waste management and pollution
Madam Speaker, we all know that waste and pollution, especially air
pollution, are major environmental health concerns facing our communities.
Unfortunately it is women again who the majority of victims of pollution are
and bad waste management practices.
Madam Speaker, studies conducted in many countries have revealed that
increased deaths have been found among the children of women who have been
exposed to pesticides while working on the farms. There is also scientific
proof that women exposed to hazardous chemicals and polluted air were found to
give birth to children with delayed motor development and dramatically lower
intelligence. It is also reported that polluted water kills more than three
million people in the world, most of whom are women and children.
Madam Speaker, as a nation, we need to show improved commitment in dealing
with waste management and pollution to ensure that our people enjoy their right
to a safe and healthy environment as enshrined in the constitution.
5. Youth and environment
Our natural environment constitutes the "bank of the last resort" for the
poor, it is where we run to when all else has failed. It is therefore only
logical that we should create a window of opportunity for the youth to
participate in environmental management. As the future custodians of the
environment, the youth will manage scarce natural resources and face increased
levels of poverty and unemployment if we do not empower them to take care of
their environment.
The National Environmental Management Act (Nema) makes specific provision
for the involvement of the youth in environmental management and sustainable
development programs.
It is therefore encouraging to note and welcome that our department has set
aside R25 million for the implementation of the National Youth Service Program
on Environment. These funds will be spent in employment and skills programs for
the youth throughout our country.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to quote one of the world leaders in the field
of women and environment, Bella Abzug who said "Change is not about simply
mainstreaming women. It is about transforming the stream, cleaning it up;
changing stagnant pools into fresh flowing waters�.to reach our common goal of
a healthy and peaceful planet and human rights for all."
Enquiries:
Moses Randitshenni
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 012 310 3898
Cell: 082 448 2450
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
28 August 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
