The struggle for gender equality and empowerment of women should continue beyond the National Women’s Months which end today, says the Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Lulu Xingwana.
Minister was speaking at the last event of the National Women’s Month held in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal today. The event was the launch of a book entitled “Tributes” and it honours women with disabilities who have made advances in various sectors of society.
August 31 marks the end of the National Women’s Month programme which successfully focused of the economic empowerment of women under the theme: “Working together to enhance women’s opportunities to economic empowerment”.
The programme for National Women’s Month 2011 has been effective in highlighting the disparities that continue to marginalise women from participation in the economy. While South Africa’s unemployment is estimated at 25,7%, unemployment rises up to 50% amongst African women. About 41% of these women live in the former Bantustans where economic prospects are limited. Most employed women are found in low paying jobs like domestic work, as tellers in the retail sector or shopfloor workers in the textile sector that has been shedding jobs over the past years. Other women are in the informal sector of our economy.
“Severe underrepresentation of women in various economic sectors and in decision making positions in the private sector demonstrated during this month emphasise the need for urgent intervention to improve the status of women in our society,” said Minister Xingwana.
Gender Equality Bill
She said the Department for Women, Children and People with Disabilities will advance its efforts to develop the Gender Equality Bill that will enforce 50/50 gender parity in both the public and private sector. The Gender Equality Bill is expected to be submitted for consideration by Cabinet by March 2012.
Other advances made during this month is the commitment that the New Growth Path which aims to create 5 million jobs over the next 10 years will have clear gender indicators that will be used to measure the inclusion of women in the sectors targeted to advance the country’s economic growth.
Minister Xingwana urged women to use the opportunities that are emerging. “During this month, we had firm commitment that Khula Enterprise will from this financial year allocate 50% of all its new loans to women. This requires that we mobilise women to submit business proposals and grab these opportunities for funding.”
Women in mining and construction
With mining being one of the sectors with lowest representation of women at about 12%, the Department of Mineral Resources promoted opportunities for women participation in mining and handed over 19 bursaries to young women to study for various careers in the sector.
Department of Human Settlements handed over 55 houses in Brandfort, Free State to commemorate the historical 1956 women’s march. Under the guidance of qualified builders, more than 100 women volunteers were trained to lay bricks, plaster and build foundations to construct 100 houses during the Women’s Month. Department of Public Works also handed houses to women in Gombani village near Musina, Limpopo.
While the focus was on women economic empowerment, the programme for Women’s Month also addressed other social challenges facing women including gender-based violence, maternal health and HIV and AIDS.
Corrective rape
“We met with gay and lesbian women in Khayelitsha, Cape Town to discuss the challenges of discrimination and violence they face in various communities. Our government once again expresses its commitment to do everything possible to protect the right to sexual orientation as enshrined in our Constitution. Such interventions will be guided by the proposals of the task team on Lesbians, Gays, Bi-sexual, Transgender and Inter-sexual which is currently developing an intervention plan against what is termed corrective rape and other related violations and concerns,” said Minister Xingwana.
The Department for Women, Children and People with Disabilities will also collaborate with the Department of Health in responding to death of women as a result of pregnancy or child birth. HIV and AIDS is identified as the main contributor to maternal mortality.
Women and HIV and AIDS
“We signed an agreement with the Minister of Health to focus on HIV testing especially during pregnancy. Every woman who tests positive should be able to enrol in the treatment and care programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and to prolong her own health. Our target is to achieve zero HIV transmission from mother to child,” said Minister Xingwana.
Minister Xingwana expresses her appreciation to all organisations and individuals, government departments, provinces and municipalities for participation in making the programme for National Women’s Month 2011 a success. “Let us continue to work together to enhance women’s opportunities for economic empowerment,” concluded Minister Xingwana.
Enquirie:
Sibani Mngadi
Cell: 082 772 0161
