Committee Action Plan for 2002-2003

IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND STATUS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND THE DISABLED JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE
27 February 2002
COMMITTEE ACTION PLAN FOR 2002-2003

Chairperson: Ms H Bogopane (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Action Plan: April 2002-March 2003 (Draft Copy)

SUMMARY
The Committee completed its plan of action for 2002/2003. The Committee will try to foster meaningful participation of the youth, children as well as the disabled in the development of communities, which can be done through public hearings where appropriate. The Committee will also seek to facilitate effective public participation on a regional, national and international level. They will actively participate and support international activities affecting the Committee. Lastly, they will effect oversight to ensure that the youth, children and disabled are well looked after.

MINUTES
Ms Bogopane notified the Committee that the Youth Commission had to cancel their presentation due to the request by the Speaker of Parliament that the Committee plan of action be finalised for tabling shortly. The Committee would have to go through all the objectives to develop the way forward.

Objectives for 2002/2003
The objectives include the following.
Firstly, that the Committee will try to foster meaningful participation of the youth, children as well as the disabled in the development of communities, which can be done through public hearings where appropriate.

Secondly, the Committee would facilitate effective public participation on a regional, national and international level. Thirdly, they would actively participate and support international activities affecting the Committee.

The fourth objective is to effect oversight to ensure that the youth, children and the disabled are well looked after.

Discussion
Mr M Nzimande (ANC) pointed out that objectives of participatory representation and monitoring of the youth, children and the disabled was loaded with concepts. These could possibly be separated from the main objective into three main areas.

Mr S Dithebe (ANC) noted that what Mr Nzimande is saying is true, but the fact remains that it needs to be revisited.

The Chairperson noted that the Committee is in agreement with the situation that objectives should be sub-divided, as there is considerable time to do this, on a personal level.

Ms Bogopane talked about the observation of national and international days related to the three broad interest groups of the Committee.

Members agreed to this proposal.

Mr S Dithebe (ANC) pointed out that the "intra" approach was more appropriate than the "inter" approach.

Mr Raju M (DP) asked why this distinction was necessary.

The Chairperson explained that the emphasis was to purposefully communicate within the legislative system first.

Ms E Gandhi (ANC) proposed an amendment reading as follows, "to ensure effective and visible participation and representation of the Committee at a regional, national and international level where possible and necessary".

Mr Nzimande felt that 'where possible and necessary' should be deleted as this opens the Committee to various factors and influences which the Committee agreed with in general, so these parts were removed.

The Chairperson referred to the action to be taken, which includes capacity building through workshops, seminars and so forth.

Mr A Lucas (ANC) noted that workshops are only meant to build one's theoretical capability, which is not enough, as practical knowledge is also needed.

Mr S Dithebe (ANC) suggested the addition of research capacity, human resource development as well as Member's capabilities.

Ms Bogopane pointed out human resource development in general cannot be accepted as the focus is more on equipping the Committee than anyone else, so this is out of the picture.

Ms E Gandhi (ANC) pointed out that the plan of action should also include site visitations, seminars, and workshops on youth, children and the disabled rights as well as a legislative review.

The Committee agreed to the alteration. The second action is scheduling of public events in the three areas relevant to the scope of this Committee's work.

Mr A Lucas (ANC) noted that it is not necessary to include the issue of commemorating days in the action plan because they are already important to the Committee.

Ms Bogopane pointed out that a proposed addition to the plan of action is that the Committee will secure and facilitate special debates in the Portfolio and Select Committees to which the Committee agreed.

The Committee will undertake eight provincial outreach visits subject to the availability of funds as well as the approval of the provincial legislatures. It was actually eight and not nine provinces being targeted because the Eastern Cape had already been visited.

Mr Lucas pointed out that subjecting their visits to provincial approval may not be such a good idea because they might not get co-operation from some provinces, so the only precondition should therefore be resources permitting. The Committee agreed with this suggestion.

Ms Bogopane indicated that the Committee will hold press conferences to inform the public about issues of public interest, which the Committee agreed to.

Another proposed action was that the Committee would interact with other similar Committee's of Parliaments around the world. Mr S Dithebe (ANC) felt that the Committee should rather phrase it as follows, ' the Committee will interact with other Parliamentary Committees with similar objectives'.

Another provision of the plan of action is that the Committee will facilitate the establishment of similar committees at provincial level. Mr Lucas asked that 'as required by government policy' be added. The Committee agreed to the inclusion. Ms Bogopane added that another proposed action for the Committee is to help local government to establish structures addressing issues of relevance to the youth, children as well as the disabled. The Committee will give ongoing support to and monitor civil society, government and so forth to ensure the support of these categories. The Committee will participate in and facilitate all the activities of the World Decade of the Disabled.

These proposals were confirmed by the Committee as part of the final draft of the Action Plan for 2002/2003.

The meeting was adjourned.