On 15 April 2011, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in partnership with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will host the political party dialogue that seeks to surface issues relating to gender equality, women’s political representation and municipal gender mainstreaming and service delivery, in relation to the forthcoming local government elections. This dialogue will be held at the Constitution Hill, Old Forte Conference Room, 2 Kotze Street, Braamfontein, from 08h30 to 13h30
Objectives of the dialogue
- To secure political parties’ commitment to promoting gender equality and enhancing the status of women.
- To highlight CGE research findings relating to such commitment, in the form of the gender mainstreaming of manifestos, and gender analysis of electoral lists.
- To highlight CGE research findings related to municipal gender mainstreaming of Integrated Development Plans, and implementation of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affair's (COGTA’s) 2007 national gender policy.
- To debate with stakeholders on this evidence of political and practical commitment to and implementation of gender equality at the local level.
- To highlight the Electoral Code of Conduct provisions relating to women’s free and full participation in political and election processes, and secure parties’ commitment to uphold these.
- To foreground and challenge the institutional culture and practice within political parties themselves, and the extent to which parties are committed to ensuring an enabling environment for women’s full political participation.
A media statement will be issued on the day to sensitise the public through the media on emerging issues.
Political parties scheduled to participate in this dialogue are as follows:
- African National Congress (ANC)
- Congress of the People (COPE)
- Democratic Alliance (DA)
- Independent Democrats (ID)
- Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
- United Democratic Movement (UDM)
RSVP and enquiries:
Javu Baloyi
Cell: 083 578 3923
E-mail: javu@cge.org.za
