OSW PRESENTS: CONCEPT DOCUMENT FOR GENDER RESEARCH PROFILE TO THE NATIONAL GENDER MACHINERY (NGM) 09 OCTOBER 2007

1. INTRODUCTION. Inform the NGM about the donor funding by African Development Bank to commission a research on Gender Areas focused: -Institutional arrangement for the advancement of Women -Gender Based Violence -Women and Economy -Education and Training for Women -Women in Health -Women and Poverty

2. Institutional arrangement for the advancement of Women The South African National Gender Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality RDP White Paper specifically recognized the need to eliminate sexism in all spheres of society. It undertook empowerment programme for women, taking into account that women often represent the poorest, most exploited and most marginalized sections of our country. Women’s empowerment is a means to achieving gender equality.

2. Institutional arrangement for the advancement of Women… Structure and functions of NGM Consist of the following facilitative components: OSW GFP JMC CGE NGO

2.1 Functions of OSW To advance a national policy on women’s empowerment and gender equality To prioritize key concerns and initiate policy and action-oriented research relevant to gender mainstreaming; To advise and brief… To liaise between local and international agencies To work with Ministries and departments, provinces and all publicly funded bodies

2.1 Functions of OSW… To develop key indicators To arrange for training To initiate and promote cross-sectoral action on cross cutting issues To provide a co-ordination framework To consult and liaise with civil society and Parliament

2.2 Functions of GFP To ensure implements the National Gender Policy; To ensure consideration of gender issues in depart strat plan, business plan. To review departmental policy and planning in line with the National Gender Policy Framework; To review all policies, projects and programmes for their gender implications ;

2.2 Functions of GFP… To ensure that departments provide and use gender disaggregated data in their work; To establish mechanisms to link and liaise with civil society; To co-ordinate gender training and education of all staff within departments; To monitor and evaluate departmental projects and programmes to assess whether they are consistent with national gender policy.

2.3 Functions of JMC Monitor and evaluate progress with regard to the improvement in the quality of life and status of women in South Africa, with specific reference to the government’s commitments: To the Beijing Platform of Action With regard to the implementation of the Convention on the elimination of Discrimination against women and To any other specific international instruments

2.3 Functions of JMC May make recommendations to both or either of the Houses, or any joint or House Committee, on any relevant matter To liaise closely with institutions, bodies or authorities with similar objectives to the CGE; To liaise and interact with any organisation which actively promotes gender equality,

2.4 Functions of CGE… To monitor compliance with international conventions, covenants and charters; Prepare and submit reports to Parliament To conduct or commission research to further the objectives of the Commission; To consider recommendations, suggestions and requests concerning the promotion of gender equality.

2.5 Functions of NGO To facilitate the advancement of women’s empowerment and gender equality.

2.6 Challenges Lack of dedicated budget for gender. Gender directorate at a lower level with limited decision making. “There is a general lack of knowledge and understanding of gender concepts and gender mainstreaming challenges with respect to: The establishment dedicated Gender Units or Focal Points (GFPs); Their rank; and Lines of authority, accountability and reporting.

3. Gender Based Violence. Government has initiated Programmes for an integrated approach to issues of Gender based Violence, which responds to the CEDAW Participation of South Africa in the 16 days of Activism Campaign The SADC Draft Protocol on Gender and Development

4. Women in economy S A has implemented measures to promote women’s fuller participation in the control of the economy such as: Enhancing women’s participation in fiscal and economic policy Increasing women’s access to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (BBBEE), Law reform to enhance access to economic resources

4. Women in economy… Financial services, lending mechanisms, credit and micro-credit Increased access by women to employment, markets and trade, training and information technology; law reform, tender processes; income-generating opportunities; technical skills development measures; business- related skills development; business support particularly for low-income women and rural based women

4. Women in economy… The following organizations increased women’s access to empowerment strategies South African Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (SAWEN) Technology for Women in Business (TWIB) Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiatives of South Africa (ASGI-SA) Presidential working group on women (PWGW) South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID) The Women’s Budget Initiative (WBI)

5. Women and education Education is an essential component of the reconstruction, development and transformation of South African society. The Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) enshrines the right of all citizens "to a basic education, including adult basic education, and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible".

5. Women and education… Strategic objectives for department of education Develop non-discriminatory education and training Right to basic education Access to free and quality basic education Pregnancy and girl-child dropout

5. Women and education… Challenges Accessibility of information Accessibility of schools Other family commitments and responsibilities

6. Women and poverty The eradication of poverty and inequality, and restoring the dignity of all citizens is the core of the South African Constitution and government programmes. The President of South Africa Mr. Thabo Mbeki in his State of the Nation Address for 2007 mentioned that the government committed itself, working with all South Africans, to implement detailed programmes intended, to mention few: * to raise the rate of investment in the First Economy;

6. Women and poverty… * to promote the growth of the small and medium business sector; to speed up the process of skills development; * to improve our export performance, focusing on services and manufactured goods; * to increase spending on scientific research and development; * to implement programmes to ensure broad-based black economic empowerment ; * to reduce the cost of doing business in our country;

6. Women and poverty… * to continue with programmes to build a social security net to meet the objectives of poverty alleviation; * to expand access to such services as water, electricity and sanitation; * to improve the health profile of the nation as a whole; * to intensify the housing programme; * to implement additional measures to open wider the doors of learning and of culture;

6. Women and poverty… * to improve the safety and security of all citizens and communities; * to ensure that the public sector discharges its responsibilities as a critical player in the growth, reconstruction and development of our country; * to accelerate the process of renewal of the African continent; and * increasingly to contribute to the resolution of major questions facing peoples of the world.”

6. Women and poverty… Challenges The government has made progress with regard to the advancement of women in particular, although in many aspects, men are still more advantaged. Government has realised that there is a need to improve the extent of integration and cohesion between the various poverty alleviation interventions Review the extent to which current measures on women’s access to finance have responded to the RDP

7. Women and health The Government committed itself to improve women’s health and to reduce morbidity and mortality. Maternal Mortality Ratio measures the wellbeing of mothers and is key Millennium Development Goals ( MDG) indicator. The SA Maternal Mortality Ratio is increasing elated to HIV infection In 2007 HIV amongst adult women (20-64) has reached a level of 18,1%, and 20, 7% amongst women aged between years.

8. Conclusion An independent body is required to critically look into Government‘s performance in relation to women’s development and gender equality in order to identify the gaps that exist. The African Development Bank funded the research. National Gender Machinery to identify Terms of Reference

Thanks LINDA