August, Women’s Month, commences with a gathering of more than 800 women from across the country at a high-level National Women’s Conference which opens officially in the evening of Sunday, 31 July at Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg.
The three day National Women’s Conference is convened by the Department for Women, Children and People and is to be address by a variety of leaders including Government Ministers, high-profile gender activists in various sectors and representatives of business, labour and other sectors of society.
The official opening session on Sunday coincides with the celebration of Pan African Women’s Day (31 July) under the theme: Women’s Health, Maternal Mortality and HIV and AIDS. Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Ms Lulu Xingwana will be joined by the Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and UNAIDS Regional Director Prof Sheila Tlou in beating the drum calling upon all women to test for HIV and improve their health status.
HIV and AIDS has a relentless negative impact on development opportunities for women with young women aged 25-29 presenting the highest prevalence of HIV than any other age group - more than double the prevalence of men in the same age group.
Other participants at the opening session include Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Zuma, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.
The conference creates a platform for engagement on key issues affecting the status of women in the country. The key objective of the conference is to discuss and resolve on the following areas:
- Key policy considerations to be included in the Gender Equality Bill which is being developed to increase women participation in all sectors of society and enforce 50/50 gender parity in key decision making positions
- Various elements of economic empowerment of women including engendering the New Growth Path and the Job Fund
- Rural Development Strategy for women
- Establishment of an advisory council to coordinate the implementation of 365 Days National Plan of Action to End Violence against Women and Children
- And addressing key concerns of specific categories of women such as young women and women with disabilities
Deputy President Kgalema Mothlanthe is expected to respond to the key issues raised by women when he delivers the closing address to the conference on 3 August.
The media is invited to the opening session of the conference taking place as follows:
Date: 31 July 2011
Time: 18h00
Venue: Birchwood Conference Centre, Boksburg
For more information contact:
Sibani Mngadi
082 772 0161
For RSVP contact:
Zandile Mahlangu
082 570 2054
