Hon members, please note that this is a very important debate, and I do not want to see the male members of this House creeping out of the doors.
House Chair and hon members, we meet today to celebrate International Women's Day, which takes place annually on 8 March. This year's United Nations theme is: "The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum". I dedicate my speech to all women who have been able to walk away from abusive relationships, despite their socioeconomic status, especially mothers who stood up against their partners to protect their girl-children. I salute you. [Applause.] You bring true meaning to the saying: Mma ngwana o tshwara thipa ka mo bogaleng. [A woman is always protective towards her children.]
The magnitude of gender-based violence in our society is a major cause of concern, given the ruling party's commitment to women's rights as human rights, and gender equality as a pillar of social transformation. In his state of the nation address, speaking on this matter, President Jocob Zuma said, and I quote:
The brutality and cruelty meted out to defenceless women is unacceptable and has no place in our society.
In September 1981, at the ANC conference in Lusaka, the capital city of Angola, O R Tambo said:
The mobilisation of women is the task not only of women alone or of men alone, but of all of us, men and women alike. There is therefore no way in which women in general can liberate themselves without fighting to end the exploitation of man by man.
This confirms that by working together we will be able to gain momentum in the gender agenda and ensure women's empowerment. This debate offers us an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and shortfalls that we as lawmakers have been able to register. The state intervention for enhanced and meaningful participation of women in the economy as a strategy to eliminate poverty, and reduce inequality and unemployment in South Africa is extremely important to all of us. Poverty affects most of us and now is the time that we should not turn our eyes away from it. Women's empowerment can no longer be just another general discussion.
Sustainable development requires the participation of both women and men. A growing body of evidence indicates that gender equality contributes to poverty reduction and sustainable growth. Women's increased education and participation in the labour force has been associated with improved economic performance. Indeed, global experience and a multitude of studies have proven that women have the potential to be a significant entrepreneurial force, contributing to the growth of local, national, and global economies.
Given the potential of the female workforce, the effective promotion of women entrepreneurship could change the face of the economy in South Africa. Women entrepreneurs can be a powerful source of economic growth and development in South Africa. According to census 2012, about 51% of our population in South Africa is comprised of women. Nonetheless, their potential is underutilised, and while the government has targets in place for gender parity, women are still underrepresented as leaders in business and in the political arena, although strides have been made in other areas.
While we applaud the ruling party for ensuring that women representatives take up 50% of their allocated seats in all spheres of government, we hope that other parties are going to learn from this and ensure that gender parity happens as they prepare for their 2014 candidate lists. I believe more can still be done to fast-track the transformation agenda of women in this country.
The economic empowerment of women is a prerequisite for sustainable development and the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals. Gender equality and women's empowerment are catalysts for multiplying development efforts. Investments in gender equality yield the highest returns of all development investments. Women usually invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and commodities than men.
According to the DAC Network on Gender Equality, Gendernet, achieving women's economic empowerment requires sound public policy, a holistic approach and long-term commitment. A gender-specific perspective must be integrated at the design stage of the policy and budget process. Women must have more equitable access to assets and services. Infrastructure programmes should be designed to benefit women, especially those in rural communities. Economic empowerment increases women's access to economic resources and opportunities, including jobs, financial services, properties and other productive assets, skills development and market information.
The Beijing Platform for Action identified 12 critical areas of concern as priorities for action. The African Centre for Women commissioned the preparation of evaluation reports on the implementation, in Africa, of the platform for action in the 12 critical areas of concern. It focuses mainly on the two related areas of concern, firstly, the persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women which they named; "women and poverty"; and secondly, inequality in economic structures and policies in all forms of productive activities, and in access to resources, which they called, "women and the economy".
Social and political factors have a significant influence on women's ability to participate in the economy. This includes access to family planning, other health care facility services, social protection coverage, girls' completion of quality post-primary education, improving the literacy rate of adult women, and increasing women's influence in governance structures and political decision-making. Many of those dimensions are mutually dependent and reinforcing.
Only 38% of South Africa's established businesses are women-owned. Despite the potential contribution of women to economic development, South African women remain on the outskirts of the economy, dominating the informal economy. Female representation in the top echelons of business lags far behind. The trends in South Africa are mixed. The Businesswomen's Association report, which provides a women in leadership census, shows that only 16% of all directors in South Africa in 2011 were women. This showed a slight increase from the 7% which we had in 2004.
Unity and struggle have placed South Africa on a trajectory of democracy such that we are enabled with the rest of the world to put our focus on the longest revolution of women in our beautiful land. The ANC and its government continue to champion for and advocate the participation of women in all sectors of society, hence championing for a democratic, nonracial, and nonsexist society.
The ANC-led government has also led some campaigns in the Southern African region and the African continent. The ANC-led government played a critical role in the adoption of the Southern African Development Community, SADC, and the Gender Protocol, with its programme for gender equality and the commitment of no less than a 50% quota for women in all decision-making structures in SADC countries by 2014. We welcome this very much and we are looking forward to seeing this achievement by 2014.
As hon members and members of the House, we are looking forward to receiving the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Bill, which has been adopted by Cabinet. We are also looking forward to it being passed into law to ensure that the empowerment of women does not remain only the responsibility of government, but becomes that of the entire society, especially the private sector.
In conclusion, I would like to quote President Nelson Mandela when he said:
To change the lives of women and to achieve our goals as a nation, we must ensure that women participate fully in every sphere of the economic life of our society. I thank you. [Applause.]
Speaker, I am giving this speech on behalf of hon Helen Lamoela, who is unfortunately in hospital - we wish her a speedy recovery - but it is a great honour for me to speak in this debate today.
With violence against women increasing across the world, this year's International Women's Day is to be celebrated with the theme, "The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum". In South Africa, women cannot gain momentum until they are free from sexual violence. From a two-year-old child to a differently-abled woman, no one appears to be safe from sexual assault. Our focus should be on addressing these issues and finding functional solutions.
While South Africa has one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, in which the equality of all citizens is guaranteed, and although we have ratified and signed a vast range of regional and international human rights instruments, gender equality in our country is still a dream for many. Much more work has to be done, and the recent spate of brutal rapes and murders across our country is proof of this.
Although we have excellent legislation in place, women in all four corners of our country, and especially those in the rural areas, still struggle to access these rights. The report of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, of 2011 revealed that while some women have gained a measure of equality with men, and while some women no longer experience discrimination in the family, there are some who still face untold discrimination in their families, the workplace, communities and societies as a whole.
What we need is a champion of women's rights to give the gender agenda momentum. We need a Minister that is leading the way in gender equality. While South Africa grapples with the rape crisis, the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities is in New York. Again! Her argument that she is there on business will be cold comfort to the millions of vulnerable South Africans who need help here at home.
The Minister's allergy to hard work is well documented. She is hardly in Parliament for key debates, and she cannot spend her budget on items that fulfil her mandate. What she is very good at is spending her budget on luxury items like five-star hotels, first-class flights and fancy office furniture.
When the Minister's R6,8 million New York trip was revealed in 2011, she complained that it was unreasonable to expect that she stay in a "pondok" [little dwelling] and fly "lala class" [economy class]. This was in the same year that she underspent on her department's People with Disabilities programme by 66%. Just two weeks ago it was revealed that the Minister spent R2,1 million on redecorating her head office with expensive furniture. [Interjections.] We need to reprioritise our spending and forget about the frills and the nice- to-haves, and let us start funding and training regarding critical legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act. That would be real women empowerment!
Another aspect which remains a challenge to women, especially in rural areas, is that of health. We have too few doctors and nurses where the largest percentage of poor women live. There still remains a lack of access to clinics for sexual and reproductive health treatment.
Even as we speak, there is a national shortage of crime kits across our country, which will result in rapists not being convicted and women not receiving the justice they deserve. I am glad to see that the Minister of Justice is here, so that he can take it up with his counterpart, the Minister of Police, and the Police Commissioner. How can we have a situation where family violence, child protection and sexual offences units, also known as FCS units, and hospitals do not have enough rape kits - this despite the government's continuous grandstanding about women's rights and what they do for women?
The lack of rape kits will have a direct effect on the conviction rate, as many doctors have to use rape kits made for children to collect evidence from grown women. As the rape kits for children are designed smaller than for adults, doctors are unable to collect all the necessary evidence from rape survivors, meaning that vital evidence is lost forever. In addition there is a lack of blood kits, which link the suspect to the evidence collected from a survivor.
So, instead of spending money on fancy overseas trips, on luxury furniture or on court cases trying to prevent a commission of inquiry into the Khayelitsha Police Station, for example, Ministers should rather focus on the basics and on getting them implemented. They should spend their resources on the basics. We need Ministers who are committed to ensuring that the gender agenda gains real momentum. I thank you very much!
Honourable Speaker, according to the United Nations, this year's theme for International Women's Day is, "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women".
The United Nations theme is, "The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum". As Cope, we feel strongly that the choice to debate the gender agenda raises the question whether this government is shying away from the realities of abuse and violence against women.
The unacceptably high rate of violence, abuse and rape calls for robust debate on matters affecting women and girl-children. Targets were set, revised and approved by the ANC-led Cabinet in that 50% representation of women in senior management positions must be achieved by 31 March 2009.
If we look at the NA, is our female representation 50% or more? What about the ANC-led Cabinet? In 2012 the ruling party's women's league expressed defeat, citing "material conditions" as the barrier to having a female President.
What happened during the ruling party's elective congress? What happened to the Top Six national office bearers? They are represented by four males and two women! Are we serious about this? Whenever I tune into CNN, I hear Christiane Amanpour interviewing the Deputy President of the ANC:
Let me ask you, sir, what went wrong, Mr Ramaphosa, with the Rainbow Nation and all its promise?
It is widely acknowledged that we have one of the most highly-held and respected constitutions across the globe. Our Constitution and its legislative framework provide and insist upon the progressive realisation of many basic human rights, including those relating to women.
One of the founding values of our Constitution is that our state is founded upon human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. Our Constitution further clearly stipulates that the state must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights contained in its Bill of Rights. Some of these rights are the right to human dignity, the right to life, the right to freedom and security of the person.
Recent shocking events in our country that have reverberated around the world and that have shocked the very core of our nation make it clear that as we celebrate International Women's Day we must acknowledge that our state, our government, its executive and its Ministries have failed our nation.
In South Africa, 144 women report rape to the police every day. The Medical Research Council, MRC, has found that only 1 in 25 women in Gauteng province actually report rape. To the hon Minister sitting here, this means that if the estimated rape of 3 600 per day is correct, 144 will be reported, and how many will be convicted? Only 29 perpetrators out of 3 600!
What is the reason for this underreporting? Is it the insensitive questions asked in gathering information from the rape victim, humiliating examinations, intimidation, the lack of confidence in or even fear of our Police Service, or the low conviction rate?
How are we protecting women against verbal and mental abuse? Verbal and mental abuse cannot be examined, but the mental scars will remain there for life. In yesterday's Sowetan the Minister of Correctional Services was quoted on the percentages of women who are incarcerated in our prisons due to having taken the lives of their partners because they had reached a point of saying enough is enough!
Why are women accepting abuse in all these forms? Is it their financial dependence because their own incomes are not sufficient to sustain their families? Is it intimidation? Andrew Vachss, an author, an attorney and a former sex crimes investigator, defines emotional abuse as "the systematic diminishment of another person".
Our state has failed to protect, promote and fulfil the rights contained in our Constitution, including those related to the cessation of violence against women. Our state has failed to uphold its most basic mandate, namely that of protecting human life.
The power to uphold and enforce the law and to protect the lives and dignity of our women lies with the state. If the law is not so upheld and enforced, it is a failure of the state. What went wrong with the Rainbow Nation and all its promise? The answer is ... our failing state is failing our women! [Time expired.] [Applause.]
House Chairperson, this International Women's Day must enshrine a renewal of our commitment and pledge to continually protect and hold in the highest esteem the mothers and daughters of our country. For the Gender Agenda to truly gain momentum, we must transform our ideals into commitments and our words into actions.
We see the ravages of a growing moral decay abounding in our streets. We see wanton and flagrant disrespect and violence being perpetrated against women. We see a breakdown in core family values. We see a dismantling of everything that is good, true and beautiful in our society. We cannot continue down this road. We know where it will lead; it is unthinkable. In South Africa, a woman is raped every minute of every day. Why is this so? Gang rape is considered fun and it is even being perpetrated by schoolchildren, with videos being made and touted as if they were trophies to be shown off and to be proud of.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi recently spoke about how the vicious mutilation and gang rape of Ms Anene Booysen earlier this month somehow brought our nation to a tipping point. We knew that girls and women were being attacked in their homes, schools, on the streets and even in hospitals. We knew that the figures were astronomical. But this government turned a blind eye. [Interjections.] Yes. It has taken outrageous decisions like suspending the Family Violence and Child Protection Units and the Sexual Offences Courts and then standing on the sidelines in silence while community-based organisations like Rape Crisis struggled to keep their doors open for lack of funding. Violence against women is rife, with not a single one of our communities being immune to this scourge. This situation is not unique to South Africa, or even Africa, but it is rather a worldwide degenerative social disease.
Our women are our most precious treasures and must be treated as such. They are the roses that adorn, create and sustain our families, our homes and our country. They are our mothers, our wives, our sisters and our daughters. Respect them, love them and cherish them. This is a task in which we cannot and dare not fail, bobaba. [gentlemen]
The IFP therefore calls upon every person in this country. We call for a national return to core family values - values that build strong families; values that engender respect for our women, our children and our elderly; values that are the very foundational building blocks of the moral regeneration of South Africa.
We call upon the men of South Africa to be men, and real men do not rape. This is a task in which we cannot and dare not fail. This is a solemn and sacred call to action in defence of our women. I thank you. [Applause.]
House Chairperson, hon members ... [Interjections.] No unfortunately, International Women's Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on just how much the Gender Agenda has evolved and whether we are taking the necessary steps towards gender equality seriously or not.
In South Africa gender equality has over the years gained momentum, and good progress has been made. Nowhere is this more evident than in the increased number of women who occupy leadership positions in various sectors of our society, including government and the private sector. As owners and managers of businesses, many women provide jobs to thousands of our people. We therefore salute them on these achievements.
However, the full picture shows that although women are present in the highest echelons, their numbers are far from equal to those of men. Men still dominate leadership and decision-making positions. We need to do more to ensure that women have an equal voice in decision-making, both in government and in the private sector, more especially in projects that affect our lives, our communities and our country.
The Gender Agenda achievement is also dwarfed by the shocking levels of violence against women and children in South Africa. We must deal harshly with those who beat up our women, rape them and abuse our children. They must face the full might of the law. But we should also take it a step further. We must work hard to change the patriarchal status quo behind gender-discriminatory practices, which go unchallenged in public and private debates, media campaigns and education. Rooting out these practices would, among other solutions, help us deal with the enormous problem of gender-based violence in South Africa. Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo! [You strike a woman, you strike a rock!] [Applause.]
Chairperson, hon Ministers and hon members, patriarchal domination is deeply entrenched throughout the fabric of society across the globe.
Allow me to remind everybody of what was said by the United Nations Deputy Secretary General in the foreword of the United Nations Handbook for Legislation on Violence Against Women, and I quote:
Across the world - in rich and poor countries alike - women are being beaten, trafficked, raped and killed. These human rights abuses not only inflict great harm and suffering on individuals - they tear at the fabric of entire society.
The horrific incidents of the past few months have brought the reality of the above words closer to home. These incidents are partly an expression of a deeper and historic underlying problem; namely, patriarchy. The ANC reiterates what it said in 1992 in the Guidelines for a Democratic Society, which says:
Women should be able to walk in the streets freely without fear of assault and should be able to feel safe and be free from violence in their own homes.
Patriarchy refers to the dominance of men over women in society. This dominance is usually supported by reference to culture. Often cultural practices which are used to support patriarchy undermine gender equality. Gender inequality is inconsistent with the essence of democracy.
The struggle against patriarchy is essentially a struggle for a fully democratic society. The project of a national democratic society will never be fully realised as long as gender inequality prevails. The main intent of the national democratic revolution is the upliftment of all South Africans, especially the poor people, the majority of whom are Africans, particularly females.
This struggle requires that women should work across party lines and that they push women's issues to the centre of any campaign or dialogue, as was correctly observed by the ANC Women's League president in the period leading to preparations for the 53rd National Conference of the ANC. Of course, that is how we know her; she is not that thing that has been mentioned here.
In this regard, it is important that the progressive women's coalitions should not marginalise the gender agenda by being stand-alone formations built outside the existing campaign programmes. This will create the danger of women's issues being sidelined.
But even if women work together in coalitions, they should remember that the majority of women still suffer from the actual reality and legacy of "triple oppression". These women are oppressed by capitalism and patriarchy, and are enduring raised patterns of economic activity. In white households and on white-owned farms, it is often women who are still forced to do the least-paying jobs. That is a fact.
From the aforemetioned, it is evident that a comprehensive strategy is required to fight against patriarchy, and such a strategy is expressed in a policy called "South Africa's National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality". The policy includes the focus on reducing inequality faced by women based on sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, class and geographic location. It also includes the area focusing on eliminating the barriers that limit women's full participation in society and the economy as equals.
The ANC recognises the need to constantly evaluate the success or failure of its instruments, aimed at ending patriarchy. Thus, in its recent 53rd National Conference, the ANC conducted a far-reaching assessment to analyse current instruments, their relevance, strategies, areas of focus and programmes in matters of women, as well as the impact these programmes have made. This assessment should then advise on comprehensive recommendations on the form of content or whatever institutional mechanisms are to be put in place in pursuit of women's emancipation and broadly address gender matters.
Men and women need to work together to destroy the scourge of patriarchy in society because patriarchy is present everywhere in the structures and institutions of society. In trying to change these attitudes and practices, therefore, both women and men need to work in partnership all times, as succinctly as it was observed by the Deputy President of the country on the occasion of Women's Month in 2012.
As a society, we must all recommit to increased efforts to eradicate the oppression of women. We should do so fully aware that the scale of these challenges calls for broad mobilisation of our society and sustained momentum to bring about a new consciousness, especially within the socialising agencies such as families and schools, to underpin a new set of norms and values.
The ANC continues to engage society and all civil society stakeholders to canvass for change in society through the deployment of education campaigns, which must be conducted by all socialising agencies, including the family unit. The ANC calls upon all leaders to model the values and conduct which will inspire the boy-child to respect a woman's body, her dignity and discretion. The struggle against gender patriarchy and gender- based violence must also be addressed through the full deployment of transformative legislation.
In this regard, the ruling party reiterates what it said on 27 February 1994, when it approved the Women's Charter for Effective Equality. The ANC expressed then, as it does now, "... equality in the development, application, adjudication, interpretation and enforcement of the law."
The ANC further said that:
Firstly, at all times the law shall promote and ensure the practical realisation of equality for women. Secondly, women shall have equal legal status and capacity in civil law, including, among others, full contractual rights, the right to acquire and hold rights in property, the right to equal inheritance and the right to secure credit. Thirdly, positive and practical measures shall be taken to ensure equality for women complainants in the criminal justice system. Fourthly, there shall be educational programmes to address gender bias and stereotypes, as well as to promote equality for women in the legal system. Lastly, women shall have equal representation and participation in all traditional courts, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and local community courts.
In conclusion, I call upon men to sincerely commit themselves to the struggle against gender-based violence. As long as women are fearful of walking the streets of their free land, none of us can claim to be free.
The ANC's tradition of commitment to nonracialism is unparalleled in history. It is we, as members, who have to live according to the values of the ANC that are expressed in the declaration of the ANC's National Conference of July 1991, where the ANC declared that:
We reaffirm the ANC's nonsexist policy and commit ourselves to urgently develop a mechanism of addressing the serious challenges of women's emancipation in society at large, including our own ranks.
Thank you very much, hon Chairperson and hon members, for listening to me. This was my maiden speech. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, the theme is "Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum", but we could ask: Is it, and if it is, then what good is it actually doing us? One of many areas where this question is being raised is in Correctional Services. Precious little work, we are told, is being done to differentiate between men and women offenders in jail, where there are far fewer women offenders - about 77% being male and 23% female. There are apparently very few gender-specific programmes for women in South African correctional institutions, compared to the huge amount of research and policy done internationally.
Like it or not, women are quite different in their psychological make-up, yet they are subjected to systems created for men. Women offenders' interests are generally family and child-centred, and there is too little consideration given to this. One of many complex and controversial issues in this regard is that women offenders are permitted to keep their babies with them until they are two years old and then the child is fostered.
Experts say that due to a lack of collaboration between the Department of Correctional Services and the Department of Social Development, there is then seldom any contact between the mother and child, which leads to a lack of bonding and depression. When a mother is released, she is united with her child, but the reunion is then all too often not successful.
There is a need for Correctional Services to be more sensitive in the management of female offenders, generally. Many of these women are breadwinners whose industry provides for large households. Generally speaking, women offenders are a low to medium public safety risk. So it could be worth exploring alternative ways of dealing with them. Proper risk assessments need to be carried out, of course, together with the consideration of noncustodial sentences.
I say this because the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders, Nicro, has had an 88% compliance with noncustodial sentences since 2008. This is extremely significant and could assist in easing prison congestion and better facilitate the successful rehabilitation of women offenders.
The ACDP calls on government to provide greater support to NGOs who are doing so much work for the betterment of women and South Africa as a whole. Agencies reported tension over funding between NGOs and Social Development that needs to be resolved, because it impacts on people in need who are suffering. Many NGOs previously funded from overseas are getting less and less, and they get no funding from government.
At the same time Social Development concentrates on child offenders, while most offenders are adults, and they are receiving inadequate attention. Momentum is only good if it moves us in the direction that we should be going. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, I would like to start off by qualifying what constitutes the core of my opinions today, or what could be seen as contradictions. Today is just one of the few days when I, and of course many other women in this House, don't speak just on behalf of the parties we represent, but on behalf of our own kind and, therefore, on behalf of ourselves. I speak here today on behalf of the UCDP as its representative, on behalf of our Women's League, and feel absolutely privileged that I also speak on behalf of myself as a woman.
The theme for International Women's Day is the "Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum". This theme disturbs me. This is a day commemorated by the United Nations as a day to celebrate women's achievements regardless of divisions in nationality, ethnicity, linguistics, culture, economics and politics. For centuries now men and women have been advocating gender equality in our homes, in our churches and in the workplace. Yet, in the year 2013, we still have a theme that suggests that gender equality is only just starting to gather momentum.
I'm disturbed because this suggestion is so true. You only need to watch the next news bulletin, whether national or international, to know that we have made little progress in ensuring that the gender agenda is well entrenched in our systems.
I do think and believe that men and women are created equally in God's image, equally responsible for sin, equally redeemed by Christ, equally responsible for the use of their God-given talents and gifts. Any interpretation of Scripture that prohibits women from being fully human constitutes injustice and must be judged and seen as an abuse of power. Any lesser treatment dished out to women is an infringement of fundamental rights and must be interpreted as an abhorrence in God's eyes.
Gender discrimination is about prejudice. It's an attitude that one gender is superior to and better than the other, which really is utter nonsense. Wh, then, still benefits from gender disparities and in whose interest is it to continue with the status quo? What self-respecting human wants to take from another their freedom, dignity, resources and life itself?
I therefore look forward to a day when this day shall cease to be about gender atrocities and injustices. I look forward to a day when International Women's Day will be about celebrating what it is and means to be a woman - a celebration of a woman's power and her softness, her beauty, and her moods and how she makes the world liveable and beautiful for all. I look forward to a day when we'll celebrate a woman as a giver of life, a nurturer. I look forward to a celebration of women's choices being entirely their choices, when a woman can choose to wear a mini or knee-length skirt without fear of judgement.
I look forward to a day when gender equality will not be about ticking boxes, meeting quotas, or being politically correct, as we are probably doing here today. I look forward ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Madam Chairperson, our father of democracy, Madiba, repetitively said and I quote: "There must never be any form of oppression ever again in our beautiful land."
As we globally recognise and applaud women's achievements, let us equally observe and highlight gender equalities and issues. Let's make the pertinent call for and commitment to improving young people's access to quality health care, building educational equality for pregnant and parenting teens and improving access to prenatal care and treatment for substance-using pregnant women.
Furthermore, let us ensure that women of colour and low-income women have access to all birthing options, defend reproductive rights and build reproductive justice.
It's time for action to end violence against women. Let's work for it to happen. Women are likely to face deliberate discrimination in every field of the science, engineering and medical professions.
Peace should be cultivated within each family and, indeed, if men want to be as strong as women are, then let's begin to respect women first. Women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist and to no one organisation, but should be the collective effort of all who respect human rights.
Whilst equal rights for women are progressive and achievements are being celebrated, let's not lose focus, but rather continue to be vigilant and tenacious for further sustainable change. The majority of the world's 1,3 billion absolute poor are women, and they earn an average of 30% to 40% less than men doing the very same job.
While South Africa has made significant progress in terms of political leadership, we cannot advance on a journey of goals dependent on the hardship experienced by women. They continue to be victims of rape and domestic violence, which constitute significant cases of disability and death. New Delhi's Jyoti Singh Pandey and South Africa's Anene Booysen and Reeva Steenkamp are just a few to mention.
More funds must be utilised to fund centres that help abused women. South Africa is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union that is working closely with the UN, that adopted a resolution on how parliamentarians can promote effective ways of combating violence against women.
If we have to wage a war for world peace, let the spirit of togetherness shine brightly over the dark days of apartheid into the light of democracy and development. Let the true fragrance of joy and peace of the world's greatest women conquer any negativity that hinders the spirit of humility, nation-building and transformation.
Championing women's equality globally with greater understanding, awareness and commitment is of paramount importance to the promotion of women's empowerment.
Some 2 500 years ago, a great Rishi in India, by the name of Gautama ji, once said that true happiness is when what you say and what you do is in harmony with the advancement of women in solidarity. I thank you.
Hon Chairperson, hon members, girls in absentia, it is indeed with sadness that we celebrate this day today, while at the same time we mourn the lives of fellow people whose lives have been terminated brutally and in horrible ways. It's actually sad that today in South Africa we have children who disrespect their parents. We have a Children's Act that actually disables parents in their homes to take charge and control. Hence, we are where we are today.
Our country calls for a new debate, and this debate talks to the establishment of harder and harsher sentences for people found guilty of murder, rape, assault and all the crimes committed against humanity. A study by Interpol has revealed that South Africa leads in terms of rape, because in our country, a woman is raped every 17 seconds.
Gender equality is a sensitive concern and we need a fundamental transformation of the entire structure of society to change and commit to respect women's rights. The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities has failed to deliver on its mandate to address the need for equity and access to development opportunities. [Interjections.]
Women are home-builders and they suffer more in order to sustain their families. How do you empower and energise a woman whose daughter has been raped by a mob of men and brutally murdered? How do you resuscitate a woman whose son has been murdered by those who are supposed to uphold the law; a woman whose husband has been killed while at work by the very people who are actually supposed to advocate our safety and security?
We have the Commission for Gender Equality in South Africa, but this unit is dysfunctional due to inadequate capacity. We need seven commissioners to implement the Act, but in December 2011, we had three and around May 2012, we had two commissioners. Is this how serious government is about these issues? I wonder! [Interjections.] Levels of sexual offences are persistently high and most of the departments still haven't submitted their reports to Parliament on the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act in their departments.
The great challenge of education remains, as girls are still excluded from education. Many more are enrolled in schools, but drop out. Leadership development is a critical step in female empowerment and it will ensure that women secure equal rights and opportunities. The Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, recognised that women's literacy is the key to empowering them. In addition, the United Nations has articulated the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, which include goals for improved education, gender equality and women's empowerment. The pace at which we are moving as a country in realising the MDGs is unspeakable. According to Human Rights Watch, the maternal mortality rate is still increasing in South Africa.
This is a time and age when women can be pilots, chief executive officers or even Presidents, and men can be nurses, cleaners or even stay-at-home dads and take care of children and the household. Gender alone should no longer determine what a person can or cannot do.
Hear! Hear!
However, to sustain achievable change, we need to focus on investing in women, creating an enabling environment and opportunities for women, and developing talented junior women now for future management, leadership and presidential roles. This includes rural women as well.
Human trafficking is also on the increase. Traffickers specifically target women and children in rural areas and often lure them away under the pretext of jobs in the big cities. Private and public institutions should become more gender sensitive and join efforts in building a collective momentum towards gender equality. I believe companies will perform better if they are led by women.
Workplace violence and sexual harassment against women continues. When you empower, protect and build a woman, you are inevitably building a community and ultimately a nation. Therefore, South Africa can free itself from the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality only when its women are free, safe and not violated.
Women will gain momentum through the eradication of corruption and a reduction in the rate of new HIV/Aids infections, which affect women more than their male counterparts. We need to do away with sexism and racism as well.
In conclusion, the government needs to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to gender equality, remove gender-based barriers to education and examine how the country is doing in advancing and advocating the Gender Agenda. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson and hon members ...
... ngiyabona ukuthi ozakwethu abangaphesheya bavutha bhe! [... I see that my colleagues on the other side are burning with rage!]
Also, our media is often open compared to the media from other countries, because some women are experiencing worse than we are experiencing in this country. We all shall remember that our former state President Nelson Mandela said that "liberation will be achieved only when women are fully emancipated", and of course, women are not yet fully emancipated. [Applause.]
We are supposed to be celebrating International Women's Day and also the Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. However, it is such a pity on this day that we are talking about gender-based violence because it seems to be hitting the world and not only South Africa. This is quite a pity. Gender- based violence is a social ill that should become a prominent feature on the country's political agenda. We should be celebrating International Women's Day, but it is not possible to do so because gender-based violence has gone beyond being a scourge and is close to becoming an epidemic.
Women's rights are human rights, and this is in our Constitution. These rights go with responsibilities. Legislation alone is inadequate to overcome this scourge. In many instances, most women who are experiencing gender violence often have no knowledge about the empowering tools, and those that have it fear that they will experience violence from the law enforcement agencies; they will have no money for economic survival; and they will have no residence with their children, hence they stay in violent situations.
We have a big responsibility as a country to begin to dialogue on gender- based violence and also to educate our people as a whole, our children and particularly boy-children, that they must respect the bodies of girls and women and their own bodies, particularly where men begin to abuse boys.
It is very crucial to work very closely with nongovernmental organisations, NGOs. We have NGOs that have long been in the field, like Masimanyane, Sisonke, Men for Change, and others that are really very serious about issues of violence. Some of them even want to participate in the shadow report that goes to New York, but most of the time they do not have the opportunity to do so.
The education campaign should be packaged in languages that everybody will understand, and not only in English, because then not all women will understand. It is important to get people who will actually be ready to do this because these papers cannot go there and talk to the people. We need people to talk to them.
Perhaps all of us, as we are sitting here, have a responsibility in our constituencies, and all of us - as I always say - all of us say that people went to Beijing and are talking about rights that come from Beijing. One of the speakers, I think it was the first speaker, spoke about what was said in Beijing. However, in Beijing the issue of Cedaw was very important. Most countries in Africa use that Cedaw document in most cases. Why can't our judiciary use the same for the protection of women from gender-based violence? [Applause.]
Siyacela bandla komamezala, ngoba nabo baye bathi, "bekezela mntanami nami ngabekezela." [We are asking the mothers-in-law to refrain from saying, "persevere, my daughter-in-law, I also did the same."] [Laughter.]
However, nobody can persevere these days, when it is impossible to do so.
Okwesibili, singathanda futhi ukuthi uMnyango wezoBulungiswa Nokuthuthukiswa KoMthethosisekelo impela uke uphume ngezinhlaka zawo ukuyofundisa ezindaweni futhi ufundise labo abaphethe ezendabuko ukuze nabo babambe iqhaza bangagcini ngokuhlawulisa inkomo kodwa bagcine ngokuthi bagqugquzele umuntu aye kwezomthetho ukuze udaba lwakhe luphathwe ngokomthetho. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Secondly, we would like the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, through its structures, to take the education campaign to the communities to educate the traditional authorities so that they too can take part in this. This is to ensure that they not only remain interested in fining people, for which the payment is cows, but in the end are able to encourage people to approach the courts to handle their matters legally.] To South Africa, it is very important to make sure that gender-based violence is prohibited. The government has done so much but very little is known.
The government has, according to the report of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, on 15 February 2012, done the following, amongst other things facilitated the implementation of domestic violence legislation; 385 magistrate courts were classified under the Domestic Violence Act in terms of section 1 of the Domestic Violence Act. The Department of Social Development has established 60 shelters countrywide for victims of violence against women; 42 places of safety and 254 children's homes for women and children in need of care and protection were established. There was also the establishment of government structures to ensure a co-ordinated response and joint monitoring of performance, and there is a further accredited family law practice learnership programme.
This family law practice programme came up with a braille booklet to help those people who have a visual disability, because we can talk to them and give them papers, even in courts, but they can only read braille and nothing else. Then there are people who are deaf. We have no interpreters, even in court. When anyone wants an interpreter, one would go for one's mother and say, please interpret for me. However, the court would say that they wanted an educated interpreter and this person is not educated so as to understand what is being interpreted. The third point that is experienced by women under the law ...
... yilabo abagula ngengqondo abathi uma sebedlwenguliwe sebelapha enkantolo kubuzwe ukuthi: "Uyamazi umuntu okudlwengulile?" Athi: "Yebo ngiyamazi." Bathi kuye: "Ngubani?" Yena athi: "Ngumfana wakwasibanibani." Kuthiwe "Ngubani igama lakhe?" Athi: "Hhayi ngulowa mfana wakwasibani wesibili." (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[... relates to those women with mental disabilities who, after being raped, are asked in court: "Do you know the person who raped you?" She would respond by saying: "Yes I know him." When asked: "Who is he?" She would say, "It is So-and-So's son." She would be asked: "What is his name?" And she would say: "Yes, it is that second born son of So-and-So."]
And you truly find out that it was the second son of Mr or Mrs So-and-So. The witness knows that rapist, but nobody will listen to them and they end up losing the case, particularly persons with mental disabilities.
Nine victim-friendly rooms were put into operation in the SA Police Service at certain points so as to facilitate work. Twenty-seven were operational and 27 were partially operational. The Thuthuzela Care Centres have seen 20 496 victims of domestic violence. People were assisted by the Thuthuzela Care Centres from 2010-11. The police received a five-day domestic violence learning programme, but I wonder if they understood what domestic violence is all about.
The National Prosecuting Authority has trained prosecutors on the Sexual Offences Unit. The Ndabezitha training for traditional leaders was also done, but we would really like to see more of it so that we can have Ndabezithas throughout the country, having been trained to deal with these issues of violence. I thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.