Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, comrades and distinguished guests, the ANC-led government has demonstrated its commitment to gender equality. The South African Constitution includes a Bill of Rights, which forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender, sex and sexual orientation, among other criteria. Success in achieving gender equality depends not only on the state and structures of government, but also on civil society.
The structures in civil society, women's organisations, women's groups, congressional budget offices, CBOs, religious bodies and professional bodies can all function as a means for citizens to exert an impact on social development, especially for those who are poor and marginalised, most of whom are likely to be women.
South Africa's Constitution is among the most progressive in the world and forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, class, age and creed.
In the last decade South Africa has undergone a major political transformation. The ending of apartheid and the installation of a democratically elected government has had major implications for gender policy and gender relations in the country.
Naturally, the new policies and laws have not overthrown a patriarchy or removed men from their domination of public life, politics and earnings. The real challenge still lies ahead in turning these steps into real changes in the daily lives of the majority of women. The alleviation of poverty and violence against women remain the two biggest challenges.
Among the yardsticks used to measure a society's respect for human rights and to evaluate the level of its maturity and generosity of the spirit is to look at the status that it accords to those members of society who are the most vulnerable: the disabled, senior citizens and children. People with disabilities, like everyone else, have aspirations to receive quality education and acquire valuable skills that will enable them to earn income and support themselves and their families.
They have the right to participate in sports, become active members of political organisations and generally participate in all activities that mirror the social life of the communities they come from without being discriminated against. Unfortunately, it would appear that people with disabilities are still largely excluded from the mainstream of society and experience difficulty in accessing fundamental rights. It should not be surprising that men in South Africa have responded in varying ways to shifts in gender power. Class and race remain major factors in society, while colonialism and apartheid have had differential impacts on men. The effects of globalisation need to be considered in conjunction with the legacy of colonialism and apartheid. The economy remains racially skewed, with distinctive gender features, as well. Black men are by and large limited to skilled and semi-skilled jobs in the cities.
Most women are underemployed or unemployed and many continue to live in the countryside. The break-up of apartheid through the 1980s gave small numbers of middle-class blacks access to white-collar work in the cities. The ending of apartheid in 1994 visibly changed the demography of the economy. A black middle class emerged, gaining access to state positions and slowly to the boardrooms of the corporate world.
The 15-year review tabled the policy unit in the Presidency in 2009 which looked at the effectiveness and efficiency of disability policy implementation in all spheres of government. It indicated that the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994 had been instrumental in shaping transformation and social justice for women, children and people with disabilities. Several initiatives that were put in place by the ANC-led government to redress historical inequalities have impacted positively on the lives of women, children and persons with disabilities, and there is evidence of an improvement of their social conditions.
Whilst opportunities have increased, particularly in the provision of social support, there are still insufficient services and opportunities for women, children and people with disabilities to participate equally in society. The ANC's 3rd national general council meeting, held in Durban in September 2010, noted that insufficient attention is being paid to the needs of persons with disabilities and it recommended that: Firstly, all government officials and organs of state should be conscious of disability matters and the needs of persons with disabilities; secondly, that there should be investment in training programmes for persons with disabilities so as to prepare them for better participation in the labour market; and lastly, that an environment must be created that is sensitive to and affirms the needs and rights of people with disabilities.
Research studies revealed that many girls were not attending school on the days they were menstruating due to lack of affordable protection material. This meant that girls feared stigmatisation due to soiling themselves while at school. About 90% of poor women and girls did not use sanitary pads because they are expensive, but improvised with unhealthy materials such as newspapers and pieces of cloth.
Violence against women remains a serious problem. The high incidences of rape cases, as well as other forms of physical and psychological abuse of women and girls, are evidence of this. The criminal justice, safety and security systems are now beginning to deal with this crisis in a gender- sensitive manner. It will continue to be a major challenge, especially as it is compounded by its interrelation with poverty and HIV and Aids. Access to basic resources such as water and fuel has improved since 1994, but women's control over these resources is still not satisfactory. The lack of infrastructure in rural areas still acts as a barrier for women to gain easy access to basic resources.
Over the past 17 years the ANC has done a lot to ensure that services are not only accessible to the people at large, but that through special policies targeted at the advancement of people with disabilities, they are able to benefit fully and enjoy the same rights as the general population. Such targeted policies include the allocation of houses that have special accessibility and safety features to accommodate the particular needs of persons with various forms of disabilities as part of the prioritisation of the most vulnerable in the provision of housing under the national housing scheme.
Chairperson, it is the critical objective of Programme 4 of this Budget Vote to ensure the progressive realisation of the rights of people with disabilities by reviewing and facilitating amendments to policies and legislation by March 2012; developing and maintaining a monitoring and evaluation framework for the rights of people with disabilities over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period; adapting continental and international instruments for people with disabilities in local initiatives over the MTEF period; developing and managing projects for the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities in line with constitutional and international mandates over the MTEF period; facilitating public- private partnerships in the interests of people with disabilities over the MTEF period; and co-ordinating and participating in forums on the rights of people with disabilities regionally and internationally.
Between 2007 and 2008, and between 2010 and 2011, expenditure increased from R3,7 million to R8,6 million for Programme 4. Over the medium-term, expenditure is expected to increase by R5,6 million to R14,2 million.
In conclusion, I would like us all to remember that South Africa is in the process of a transition. Deputy Chairperson, the committee supports the Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]