African Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Ms Lulama Xingwana,
Durban
23 April 2007
Brief history, objectives and expected outcomes of the 4th world congress of
rural women
Programme Director
Deputy President of the Republic
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Members of Parliament
Amakhosi
Women farmers
Women from rural environment and representatives
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning to everybody and welcome to the city of Ethekwini (Durban) in
the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the Republic of South Africa and greetings to
all the people who have come from other countries to attend this 4th World
Congress of Rural Women (WCRW).
I must cordially thank you for your presence, especially those people who
may have had to overcome a number of difficulties to be able to be at this
event. Our celebration of this fourth World Congress reinforces the importance
of women in the rural areas, whose important contribution to the development of
the societies is not sufficiently recognised yet, as highlighted in the
previous three gatherings of the Congress.
Programme Director, honoured guests allow me to briefly outline the history
and objectives of the World Congress of Rural Women. Allow me also to touch on
the way forward with regard to expected outcomes or the end results of the
Congress.
The first Congress was held in Australia in 1994, the second in the United
States of America in 1998 and the third in Spain in 2002. At the latter, which
Ms Graca Machel attended, South Africa was given the honour to host the 4th
Congress. It was at this Congress that Ms Machel received a ceremonial bowl,
marking acceptance of South Africa to host the event, the first of its kind to
be held on the African continent.
In all the previous Congresses there has been the participation of a large
number of experts qualified in the topics of debate that represented a wide
spectrum of our world populations.
The WRWC is a non-governmental, cross-sectoral global initiative aimed at
discussing issues affecting rural women and develop practical solutions to
challenges they face in the 21st Century.
It also provides a platform for policy makers, donors, development agencies,
non-governmental organisations and government representatives from the world
continent and International organisations to discuss, share lessons and
experiences on mechanisms to address the plight of rural women.
Programme Director, from this morning until the end of the Congress
delegates will endeavour to highlight the plight of women in rural areas with a
focus on continental initiatives aimed at improving their lives.
Throughout this-three day long Congress, delegates will be expected to set
in motion initiatives that are going to help us mobilise stakeholders to
implement our actions in pursuit of 2015 Millennium Development Goals. I also
believe that together we are going to highlight progress made in implementing
the resolutions of the World Summit on Sustainable Development with particular
regard to women development.
In this regard five thematic areas following from the 3rd World Congress
will be extensively discussed and these include: Globalisation and eradicating
poverty; Peace and stability; Governance for sustainable rural development at
all levels; Access to, and control of, resources and environmental security;
health and environmental security.
At the end of this three day long Congress, delegates will be expected to
produce a report which will inter alia include:
* the Congress statement, recommendations and/or resolutions
* commitments from participating governments to translating in to actions
recommendations and/or resolutions from the Congress
* record of regional consultations
* record of national consultations
* record of all the proceedings
In conclusion, Programme Director, the people of South Africa would like to
thank all our distinguished international guests for having come to take
position with the people of our country and the rest of continent of what is,
after all, a global problem affecting the lives of our rural communities.
With these few words I trust and hope that throughout these three days we
shall emerge from this Congress with answers to the hardships confronting our
rural communities in order to uplift their lives on the rest of the world.
Remember the broader theme for this Congress is "United in our diversity:
Working together for the total emancipation of rural women from poverty and
hunger".
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Agriculture
23 April 2007
Source: Department of Agriculture (http://www.nda.agric.za/)
