The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Barbara Thomson, will open the seventh Women in Environment Conference to be convened under the theme, “Gender Mainstreaming in the Environment Sector” in Kimberley on Thursday 25 August 2016.
The Conference aims to ensure that initiatives in the environmental sector are made to support the creation of policies and programmes that support gender mainstreaming, as well as to ensure gender analyses and mainstreaming during the development or implementation of projects.
During the 2013/14 financial year, the Department of Environmental Affairs developed a strategy for Gender Mainstreaming in the Environment Sector 2016 – 2021, the first such sector strategy in the country, in order to comply to national gender priorities. The Women in Environment Conference brings together various stakeholders in the environment sector, with a specific objective of women empowerment.
It is an opportunity for the Environment Sector to renew its commitment to take into account principles of gender equality in employment practices, policies, programmes and service delivery. The sector has further committed to take initiatives that aim at addressing the imbalances of the past and gender inequality regardless of race, religion, disability, and so forth.
The Conference takes place during South Africa’s national Women’s Month, which is marked to recognise and celebrate the role women played in the country’s struggle towards the attainment of the democratic freedom.
Deputy Minister Thomson will be joined by the Northern Cape MEC of Environmental Affairs, Ms Tiny Chotelo.
Members of the media are invited to attend the full duration of the Conference as per the details below:
Date: 25-26 August 2016
Time: 8h30 – 16h00
Venue: The Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre, 10 West Circular Road, Kimberley
To RSVP please contact:
Dimakatso Tsutsubi
Tel: 012 399 9974
Cell: 072 471 3652
E-mail: DTsutsubi@environment.gov.za
Daniel Boya
Tel: 012 399 9987
Cell: 074 380 0764
E-mail: DBoya@environment.gov.za
For Media queries please contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
