Parliament has launched a new publication titled, “Mainstreaming – Gender, Children’s and Disability Rights” during the Women's Roundtable Discussion which started today.
The manual was developed to assist Members in the National Assembly, the National Council of Provinces and the Provincial Legislatures to effectively undertake their roles as duty-bearers by fulfilling, protecting and promoting the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities during the term of the Fifth Parliament.
The objectives of this Manual are:
- To highlight the role of Members in promoting the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities.
- To identify key legislation pertaining to women, children and persons with disabilities.
- To identify key international binding instruments pertaining to women, children and persons with disabilities and the role of Members in overseeing the implementation of these.
- To propose mechanisms for conducting effect oversight when taking into account issues pertaining to women, children and persons with disabilities.
- To articulate the importance for enhancing the public participation of women, children and persons with disabilities in legislative processes.
- To raise awareness on issues of co-operative governance as they pertain to women, children and persons with disabilities.
- To raise awareness about the internal structures and issues within legislatures as they pertain to women, children and persons with disabilities.
The Manual is divided into three Units:
- Unit 1: Legislative Framework provides an overview of the Constitutional imperatives, international binding instruments and key national policies.
- Unit 2: Core functions of legislatures are outlined namely legislation, oversight, public participation, international participation and co-operative government.
- Unit 3: Internal structures and policies within legislatures focus on the role of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus and certain key internal policies such as family policies, sexual harassment and reasonable accommodation policies.
The Women’s Roundtable Discussion will continue tomorrow from 09h00 in Parliament.
For accreditation, journalists and photographers must email their details to Masego Dlula on mdlula@parliament.gov.za or call her on 073 6969 387 or 021 403 8141 and copy Manelisi Ntsodo on mntsodo@parliament.gov.za or call him on 083 985 7047 or 021 403 8494.
Details required are:
- Full name
- ID or passport number
- Name of media house,
- Designation (journalist, photographer)
