Taking Stock of South African Legislative Sector efforts towards realizing Gender Transformation.
Chairperson, Hon. Amos Masondo, the Chairperson of the NCOP
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Lechesa Tshenoli
Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Hon SylviaLucas
Our host the Speaker of the KZN Legislature, Hon. Nontombeko Boyse
Provincial Speakers and Deputy Speakers
Secretary to Parliament, Mr Xolile George
House Secretaries and Secretaries of ProvincialLegislatures
Esteemed speakers and guests for the Summit
Members of the media
Fellow South Africans
We are indeed very grateful to have finally succeeded to convene this Summit for the Legislative Sector as a whole.
This is because of the important role of the South African Legislative Sector in advancing gender transformation in our country, especially where it has to do with accountability and oversight. I emphasize oversight, because as far as legislation and policy making is concerned South Africa, through the Legislative Sector of course, has made significant strides in establishing a firmpolicy and legislative base to ensure gender equality and women empowerment.
In a society striving for equality and justice, it is crucial that the legislative sector plays a central and leading role in championing the rights and uplifting the status of women. The legislative sector must position itself as a key driver in dismantling barriers and ensuring the effective implementation of policies that promote gender equality.
Since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994, the South African Parliament and legislatures have made significant efforts to support gender transformation and women's empowerment through legislation. The Sector has also utilised its oversight mechanisms to ensure that government recognizes the importance of promoting gender equality. We have been successful, to an extent, in ensuring that the maws enacted by the Legislature are implemented.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, adopted in 1996, lays a solid foundation for the protection and advancement of women's rights. It guarantees equality before the law and prohibits discrimination on various grounds, including sex and gender. This is the constitutional framework that empowers and directs our legislative sector to enact laws that drive gender transformation.
The Constitution establishes a policy baseline for subsequent legislation aimed at promoting women's empowerment and gender transformation in our
In terms of specific legislation, the government has enacted various laws to advance gender transformation and women's empowerment across different sectors. Some notable examples include the Employment Equity Act, which promotes workplace equality and prohibits unfair discrimination; the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, which aims to eliminate discrimination and promote equality in all areas of society; and the Domestic Violence Act, which provides protection and support for victims of domestic abuse.
For its part, the state has also introduced further policies and strategies to drive gender transformation and uplift women. For instance, the National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality provides a comprehensive framework for promoting gender equality in all spheres of life, and the Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines seek to integrate gender perspectives into all government programs and initiatives.
However, the effectiveness of these laws and policies in achieving gender transformation targets is what must constitute a matter of evaluation for this Summit. While progress has undoubtedly been made, we are all aware of the many challenges that still remain. The implementation enforcement and success of these laws will require continuous monitoring and evaluation and assessing their impact on the quality of life and status of women.
We are aware that the government's ability to fully realize the goals of gender transformation will require investment in resources and that this has to happen in the context of serious fiscal constraints and the government’s own capacity to effectively implement programs.
Such an investment however, is a non negotiable requirement if we are to demonstrate our truecommitment to move from the enacted policies to real impact and benefit of our laws of the lives of women. The investment itself may not even be just the responsibility of the government, it must be a social investment that must involve the active participation and support of the private sector. We must all start to walk the talk in this regard.
It is also important to acknowledge that legislative and policy measures alone may not be enough to achieve comprehensive gender transformation. Other factors such as cultural norms, social attitudes, and access to resources play significant roles in shaping gender equality outcomes. Therefore, a multi-faceted approach that includes awareness raising, education, and community engagement is crucial to complement legislative efforts.
The role of the legislative sector in this regard cannot be understated. Through our oversight mechanisms, committees, debates, and consultations, legislatures can scrutinize government programs, policies, and initiatives, to monitor progress in gender transformation. By demanding accountability, the legislative sector can ensure that gender transformation remains a priority, even beyond the drafting and passing of laws.
Recognizing the importance of women's participation in decision-making bodies, the legislative sector should actively pursue gender mainstreaming. This will entail a mandatory requirement to integrate a gender perspective into all government policies, legislation, and activities. By doing so, the sector can ensure that women's concerns, experiences, and needs are considered when formulating laws and programs.
Gender mainstreaming should however not beabout tokenism; it must be about guaranteeing that the voices of women are heard and that their rights are protected.
In order to truly play its role in supporting gender transformation, the Sector will require partnerships extending beyond the legislative space. This is because the responsibility for building an non-sexist society extends far beyond the walls of the legislative chambers. Cultural norms and societal attitudes can influence the effectiveness of legislation. To address this, the legislative sector must create partnerships that helps in engaging society through public awareness campaigns, stimulating a change in societal mind-set. By fostering a culture of gender equality, we can create an environment where women's empowerment becomes an intrinsic part of our social fabric.
The Sector should also seek to provide meaningful support to women. This means ensuring access to education, training, and economic opportunities. Empowering women economically can lead to greater independence, reduced vulnerability, and enhanced decision-making power. Legislative initiatives, such as pro-women business policies, affirmative action measures, and gender-responsive budgeting, can significantly contribute to this goal.
Parallel to supporting women's economic empowerment, the legislative sector should also prioritize combating violence against women. We are now living with a sad reality in our society, where the prevalence of GBVF continues to grow, with incidents of violence against women and children occurring even more frequently, despite the stated commitments we have all made to fight against and stop this scourge.
It is for this reason therefore that, correctly so, the spotlight for this Summit, should also fall on issues of accountability, monitoring and action.
As we have indicated before in platforms such as this one, when it comes to fighting of the scourge of GBVF, we cannot continue accepting projected targets over decades to statistically reduce its devastating impact, but deal with it as something that something we should eradicate, and eradicate now.
The legislative sector must improve its capacity to monitor the effectiveness of laws and policies passed to protect women from all forms of violence. Furthermore, it must be able to hold law enforcement agencies and the judiciaryaccountable, to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
Chairperson
It is also important to acknowledge that women empowerment policy oversight should go beyond a single nation's borders. South Africa has a leadership role to play within the African continent, being a champion of women's rights and gender equality. Through regional collaborations and initiatives, the South African Legislative Sector can advocate for gender transformation across Africa, especially within the Pan African Parliament By sharing our experiences, successes, and challenges, we can work towards a future where women across the continent enjoy equal rights and opportunities.
In conclusion, the South African Legislative Sector has a vital role to play in advancing gender transformation and women empowerment policy oversight. It is through legislation, effective oversight, mainstreaming gender perspectives, public awareness campaigns, economic empowerment, combating violence against women, and regional collaborations that we can pave the way towards a just and equal society. Let us embrace this responsibility wholeheartedly, knowing that the empowerment of women is not just a goal in itself, but a catalyst for social and economic progress. Together, we can build a brighter future for all.
Malibongwe!
Thank you
