Gender and vulnerable groups committee

MISSION The gender and vulnerable group’s committee acknowledge the need to promote fundamental human rights and equality in the judiciary. The aim is to facilitate the transformation of the judiciary to be in line with the Constitutional values and rights of the Republic of South Africa. The committee acknowledges the role of the International Conventions in the transformation and development of new legislation to protect vulnerable groups. The gender and vulnerable group’s committee acknowledge the need to promote fundamental human rights and equality in the judiciary. The aim is to facilitate the transformation of the judiciary to be in line with the Constitutional values and rights of the Republic of South Africa. The committee acknowledges the role of the International Conventions in the transformation and development of new legislation to protect vulnerable groups.

AIM To instill a responsibility on all members to become involved, and to become advocates for the protection of the vulnerable groups. To facilitate the eradication of violence against women and vulnerable groups, and to eradicate gender bias from our judicial system. Through ‘ubunto’ and bahto pele we will take hands with various NGO’s and government departments to empower and educate communities with the focus on the prevention, intervention and eradication of violence and abuse against vulnerable groups. To become involved in inter-sectorial initiatives, to address the problem of abuse of women and children. To educate different disciplines on the acts applicable to them. To instill a responsibility on all members to become involved, and to become advocates for the protection of the vulnerable groups. To facilitate the eradication of violence against women and vulnerable groups, and to eradicate gender bias from our judicial system. Through ‘ubunto’ and bahto pele we will take hands with various NGO’s and government departments to empower and educate communities with the focus on the prevention, intervention and eradication of violence and abuse against vulnerable groups. To become involved in inter-sectorial initiatives, to address the problem of abuse of women and children. To educate different disciplines on the acts applicable to them.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES Our guiding principles are derived from the Constitution of South Africa and other relevant legislative documents, for example the Child Care Act, Equality Act and Domestic Violence Act. Internationally our guiding principles are derived from the Convention for Elimination Of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, The Beijing Rules, African Charter and the Un Convention on the Right of the Child. Our guiding principles are derived from the Constitution of South Africa and other relevant legislative documents, for example the Child Care Act, Equality Act and Domestic Violence Act. Internationally our guiding principles are derived from the Convention for Elimination Of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, The Beijing Rules, African Charter and the Un Convention on the Right of the Child.

The Program of the committee is rooted in the following principles:  Gender equality must be considered as an integral part of all policies, programs and projects.  Achieving gender equality requires the recognition that every policy, program and the project affects women and men differently.  Achieving Gender Equality does not mean that women become the same as men.  Gender Equality can only be achieved through partnership between men and women.  Policies, programs and projects should contribute to gender equality.

Critical Activities and Action  Develop strategies that address the needs and efforts of gender and vulnerable groups  Facilitate gender and vulnerable group’s access to resources and the law.  Participate in projects to empower vulnerable groups.  Gender mainstreaming and involving men in empowerment programs within organizations that drive development initiatives.  Promote the harmonization of work and social responsibly and community involvement.

PROGRAMME FOR THE YEAR  21 March: Human Rights Day  17 June: Youth Day  9 Augustus: National Women’s Day  20 November: 16 Days of Activism

Information and resources  The JOASA Gender Helpdesk is also meant to provide an overview of South Africa’s available information on the existing situation with respect to gender equality issues and vulnerable groups.

Conventions/UN system ratified by South Africa  Women and gender equality related conventions  CEDAW-International Convention on all forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979)  CERD-International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination  CRC-Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)  C100- Equal remuneration convention (1951)  C111-Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation (1958).  Convention on Consent to marriage, minimum age for marriage and registration of marriages

Conventions / African Union  African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (1986)  Maputo Protocol (Protocol of the Charter on Human and People’s Rights related to the rights of women-1003

National resources  Governmental institutions/Ministries  National gender equality policy documents  National reports on women’s and gender equality status  NGO networks

Information resources  National Resources  National Gender Policy   Legislation on equality  ng=en&pcountry=ZAF ng=en&pcountry=ZAF ng=en&pcountry=ZAF  S.A Legislation   CEDWA Report  m#s m#s m#s

National institutions  Office on the status of women   Commission on gender equality  Tel  Joint Monitoring Committee on the improving of the quality of life and status of Women 

NGO’s  Contacts on NGO’s on women issues  ca/south%20africa/sou index.html ca/south%20africa/sou index.html ca/south%20africa/sou index.html  List of NGO’ s and organizations 

International resources  UN Common Country Assessment  file.cfm?cat=1%doc=1689&file= file.cfm?cat=1%doc=1689&file= file.cfm?cat=1%doc=1689&file=1564  This document provides useful information on the situation of women in the country in terms of health, education, employment, poverty

Human development  A gender profile of South Africa's available at pdf pdf pdf  Report on sustainable development in SA regarding gender 

Education  Education/ measuring gender equality and inequality in education  ducDev/Elaine%20Cape%20Town%20pa per%2015%20june%2004.doc ducDev/Elaine%20Cape%20Town%20pa per%2015%20june%2004.doc ducDev/Elaine%20Cape%20Town%20pa per%2015%20june%2004.doc

Labour  Labour Market  Files/Wp pdf Files/Wp pdf Files/Wp pdf  This paper ‘ What has feminization of the labour market ‘bought’ women in South Africa?’  Gender Dimensions of the growth in informal and flexible work in South Africa and the government’s response to this.   Fighting Poverty: Labour Markets and Inequality in SA 

HIV/AIDS  Gender and HIV in South Africa  aperversion3%200104finaldraft.doc aperversion3%200104finaldraft.doc aperversion3%200104finaldraft.doc  Sexual power on both HIV status And condom use  2/ htm 2/ htm 2/ htm

Migration  Policy paper, migration, sexuality and the spread of HIV/AIDS  amppublictiona/policysereies/Acrobat31.pdf amppublictiona/policysereies/Acrobat31.pdf amppublictiona/policysereies/Acrobat31.pdf  Gender and cross-border migration to SA  samppublications/policyseries/Acrobat9/pdf samppublications/policyseries/Acrobat9/pdf samppublications/policyseries/Acrobat9/pdf

Man and Masculinities  Men as partners  df/map-hiv-sa.pdf df/map-hiv-sa.pdf df/map-hiv-sa.pdf  Perception of Gender Roles  ty-edit.htm ty-edit.htm ty-edit.htm

Land Reform  Women and land reform  %20sa.htm %20sa.htm %20sa.htm  Human rights and women’s land right  47/P1786-Women-rights June2005.pdf 47/P1786-Women-rights June2005.pdf 47/P1786-Women-rights June2005.pdf

Child support and Child maintenance in South Africa  Summary on children's right to maintenance and how a parent can enforce this right  c-info/y/ c-info/y/ c-info/y/17473  Reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders   South African child's Right to Maintenance 

Gender Budgeting  Paper on gender equity within the SA budget  ces/library/gender05sa.pdf ces/library/gender05sa.pdf ces/library/gender05sa.pdf

Domestic Violence  Domestic violence and SA  m.vaw-gg- 2005/docsd/experts/velten.waw.pef. m.vaw-gg- 2005/docsd/experts/velten.waw.pef m.vaw-gg- 2005/docsd/experts/velten.waw.pef  Women’s legal centre  ion/.php. ion/.php ion/.php

Women and Peace  Paper on women’s contribution to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission  ent/articles/SouthAfricaTJFullCaseStudy. pdf ent/articles/SouthAfricaTJFullCaseStudy. pdf ent/articles/SouthAfricaTJFullCaseStudy. pdf

Constitution of the Republic of SA  Constitution of SA  docs/countries/docs/SA-english.pdf. docs/countries/docs/SA-english.pdf docs/countries/docs/SA-english.pdf

Equality  Affirmative action vs equality  adArticle.asp?ID= adArticle.asp?ID= adArticle.asp?ID=21746  Promotion of Equality and Prevention of unfair Discrimination act  ment/gems/eeo/lkaw/south/pepu.htm ment/gems/eeo/lkaw/south/pepu.htm ment/gems/eeo/lkaw/south/pepu.htm

A Few ideas for the campaigns:  All Magistrates are encouraged to participate. (Nominate a provincial member to take responsibility).  All the Chairpersons of JOASA will be motivated to participate in events and to come forward with ideas.

 The Commissioner of Human Rights could play an active roll  Partnership with registered NGO’s encouraged  Law Race and Gender should be involved in campaigns  Interaction with ARMSA and IAWJ on awareness campaigns

Youth day  Visits to schools to create awareness on drug and alcohol abuse amongst the youth's.  Youth’s could be educated on the Bill of Rights  Orphanages could be visited.  Invite youth roll models to participate in activities  Visits to youth prisons can be arranged in all the provinces

National Women’s Day Guest speakers at functions on topics such as domestic violence HIV/AIDS  The Commissioner of Gender Equality could be involved and we can partner with them.  Workshops on Equality could be arranged.  Video’s can be showed at magistrate offices on domestic violence  Here again a provincial member should be motivated to participate.

16 Days of Activism  The LRG unit could be approached to arrange for speakers/workshops.  Visits to the prison can be arranged.  Prisoners could become involved in projects such as bead work/painting/needlework.  Functions should be organized during this time.It is also the ideal time to launch the gender desk in the provinces.  Candle burning at the front entrance of the magistrate buildings.

Electronic Help Desk The Gender and Vulnerable Groups Committee is committed to develop a electronic help desk to bring justice to the people.

Aim of the Gender Help Desk  To provide an overview of the country’s available information on the existing situation with respect to gender equality issues  To provide an overview of available information on the existing situation on vulnerable groups  The main issues that need to be addressed in order to support the promotion of gender equality and protection of vulnerable groups