aspirations
11 September 2007
The Department of Social Development in partnership of the North West
province Youth Commission and the Office on the Status of Women hosted a
one-day Young Women Indaba on 6 September 2007 in Moretele as part of the
celebrations of Women's month.
The Young Women Indaba is part of a well-cultivated culture of youth
hearings that emanated from round table discussions, which was launched by the
Deputy Minister of Social Development in June 2004. The targeted youth
organisations and other young people will be given a platform to articulate
their views and aspirations about the different governmental programmes such as
Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) and Accelerated and
Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) that are geared towards
young people.
The Indaba comes in recognition of the various limitations that are placed
on young women particularly in rural areas in participating in economic
development including poverty alleviation and job creation. Young women who
participated as part of this year's event raised the following as some of their
challenges:
* the excessive rise in crime and the effects of drugs
* HIV and AIDS
* teenage pregnancy.
In her response, the MEC for Social Development said that this initiative
lays foundation to crafting an integrated intervention plan that will address
the needs and problems as identified by the youth. The Indaba further
highlighted demonstrated commitments of the department to mobilise stakeholders
in advocating for the rights of young women. This year's event was hosted under
the theme: "Building the unity of women in their diversity."
For more information contact:
Simon Lesolang Mmope
Cell: 082 574 7621
Tel: 018 384 0245
Issued by: Department of Social Development, North West Provincial
Government
11 September 2007
