Budget Vote Speech Honourable Ms. Nokuzola Tolashe, Deputy Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
Honorable Chairperson,
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee
Honorable Members,
It was as far as 1913 that women struggled for community rights and gender equality, it is for this reason that women called for explanation because it was the man who had authority in society and women’s role was primary a domestic one, they were feeding and caring for the family, they were not expected to concern themselves with matters outside the home.
When the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, in 1996 with its Bill of Rights was promulgated, women in South Africa were looking forward because they thought it will save themfrom their patriarchal challenges which demonstrated toxic masculinities, harmful gender norms and social behaviours that drive and enable Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
We all agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought stark inequalities squarely to the fore and served to magnify, amplify and compound all existing forms of social injustice, including gender inequality and its various manifestations hence the resolutions of the summit were adopted to respond to the key game changer question: “What more can be done to enforce accountability, accelerate and amplify efforts”?
The scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide continues to plague the country despite progress made in driving the national response. It is indeed for this reason that our country will never be prosperous or free until all our people live in peace enjoying equal right opportunities.
Many harmful acts of Gender Based Voilence and Femicide are driven by embedded behaviours and attitudes held by men towards women. This underscores the need to prioritise sustained education and behavioural moulding with specific attention given to men and boys at national, provincial and local municipality level.
A holistic consultative approach will be taken in line with the linkages to health and social ills such as teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDs, substance abuse, harmful cultural practices and the
triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
The criminal justice cluster will be consulted first on all quick wins, medium to short term interventions identified in enforcing law and acceleration in implementing the resolutions that relate
to protection, safety and justice. The proposed national plan once tabled at the criminal justice cluster, will be tabled at the South African Forum of the Director Generals.
In institutionalizing the National Strategic Plan, the Department will ensure that the plan serves on the agenda of the President’s Coordinating Committee. This will ensure that the inter-governmental aspect is elevated, and services are strengthened at the municipal level, as gender based violence and femicide happens at that level.
Honourable members,
During the 2020/21 FY, the DWYPD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) around 6 priority areas identified. A steering committee was established which produced the following achievements:
Priority 1- Access/acquisition of Land
- 37% (Hectares Allocated to Women) against set target of 50% Priority 3 - Rural Enterprise & Cooperative Development
- Total: 91 Co-ops - 334 member were trained (155 Women, 131 Youth & 2 Persons with Disabilities) Priority 4 – Skills Development
- A total of 969 new students enrolled at Agricultural Colleges. 760 are black and more than 50% female.
Honorable Chairperson,
The South African Law Reform Commission of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is due to publish the Discussion Paper on the Disability Rights Bill. Once published, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities will rollout wide consultations with the disability sector, the legal
raternity and the academia.
We are pleased to also announce that the Protocol on the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa is due to be deposited at the African Union. The Department will ensure domestication of the AU protocol.
To take the work forward following the National Assembly approval that South African Sign Language become the 12th official language in South Africa. South African Sign language is offered as a subject in the school curriculum in South Africa. The Department, the Pan South African Language Board and the Deaf Community and other stakeholders will continue to work together to realise the aspects and the processes of the South African Sign Language Charter. Responsible stakeholders will in line with the charter implement measures to ensure South African Sign Language is made available to public to effect accessible communication for persons who are deaf.
The Department of Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities hosted the Economic Summit for Persons with Disabilities with objective to dismantle the barriers limiting access and participation of persons with disabilities in the mainstream economy.
It is a sad reality that some individuals and communities within our country still believe in harmful superstitions and mythssurrounding albinism. Persons with Albinism remain targets of femicide, kidnappings and atrocities .The Department in partnership with the Task Force on Albinism will develop a program to advocate, educate and create awareness around the prevention of discrimination and violence against persons with Albinism.
The Department will continue to monitor compliance with national and international obligations for the rights of persons with disabilities in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We will work on this in partnership with relevant stakeholders, particularly the National Home Builders Registration Council and Department of Public Works, amongst other stakeholders.
The Department will collaborate with various partners including the United Nations partnership on the rights of persons with disabilities, the International Disability Alliance, University of Johannesburg, the university of Ghana and York University on research and recommendations on Climate change effects on persons with disabilities.
A status report on the impact of climate change on persons with disabilities and how they should be included in climate change action will be developed by the Department.
Research will be conducted on Access to Education support and services for children and young people with disabilities. The research will serve as an evidential basis to mobilise the public and private sectors to provide resources and assistive devices to special and mainstream schools that have learners with disabilities.
Honourable Members,
I am pleased to announce that the Department commissioned a formative evaluation study on the implementation of the Gender Responsive Planning Budgeting Monitoring and Evaluation framework, the findings of the evaluation pointed to more government departments that are implementing the framework. We acknowledge that more work still needs to be done to ensure that the priorities of women, youth and persons with disabilities are mainstreamed in plans of departments.
Our Monitoring as reported in Cabinet in 2022, shows that of the 16 National departments that responded to the self-assessment monitoring, 8 departments were rated at over 50% level of implementation of the framework and this is a welcomed improvement. One of the challenges is the response rate by the department and Cabinet has recommended that all national departments, provincial departments and their entities must comply with the reporting requirements of DWYPD.
We continue to localize the Gender Responsive Planning Budgeting Monitoring Evaluation Framework, in 2022, we presented the framework at the provincial Portfolio Based Councilors Inductions in six provinces. We are collaborating with the Department of Corporative Government (DCOG) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) with the first priority being to conduct the gender, youth and disability responsiveness analysis of the Integrated Development Plans and One Plans of the District Development Model in 2023/24.
In conclusion, Honourable Chairperson,
We must remain grounded and loyal to the mandate of improving the livelihood of the most vulnerable in society when you rise take one with you.
We all have a role to play.
Malibongwe!
