Chairperson, I am happy to join the debate the annual address by the Deputy President in this House. I wish to highlight the importance of partnerships in responding to developmental challenges that are facing our communities.
The lessons we have learnt as the National Council of Provinces through our public participation and oversight programmes indicate that our democracy is still maturing. As a result, facilitating development requires that we make certain interventions informed, among other things, by the fact that: firstly, we need a massive public education campaign on the service delivery provided by our government and how it can be accessed, especially by rural people, as well as the various methods of ensuring an active citizenry that is in constant dialogue with its government. Secondly, we still need to improve the manner in which the government operates and to ensure that government works in a co-operative and co- ordinated manner.
Lastly, we need to develop a high-performance culture, based on a quality service approach and value for money. Our people deserve quality service from the money spent by government on public goods.
To achieve this, we need to create partnerships. The Constitution provides for a special relationship between this House, provinces and organised local government. At the heart of these partnerships is the need to improve the lives of our people for the better.
However, we need to look at the other external partnerships as well. One such partnership is with civil society. This is important if we are to promote social cohesion, and build a nation that is united behind the vision of creating a nonracial, nonsexist and prosperous South Africa.
Important in this regard is the need to work with civil society to empower women and girl-children as equal citizens of our country. For too long women have borne the brunt of poverty; they have been the worst victims of war, conflict and oppression. If we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, that were set as global targets for development at the beginning of this century, we need to continue to pay attention to issues of gender equality. We need to create a society that provides security, safety and opportunity for all its citizens, particularly women and girl-children.
The hon Deputy President will recall that our country's report to the UN General Assembly last September, on the progress towards achieving the MDGs, placed particular emphasis on poverty and the link to gender violence. It states as follows:
... with as many as one in three women being violently assaulted in her lifetime, the chances of severe, debilitating injury to a large number of abused women are high. Severely abused women are generally unable to work, especially if they are also responsible for performing the physical labour of harvesting food and gathering fuel and water for their families.
It further notes that "violence against women is increasingly acknowledged to be both a consequence and a cause of poverty among women and children".
At the recent 55th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, this is one of the critical points that were raised by civil society. The aim is to persuade the UN to develop an indicator recognising the link between gender violence and poverty, especially as it relates to women and girl-children. There are indeed sad stories of strife and suffering of women and girls within and outside the country. We need to work together to intervene.
Nongovernmental organisations are critical as they work among communities, providing counselling to abused women and girls on a daily basis. If we are to respond effectively to the developmental challenges and needs of our communities, it goes without saying that non-state organisations are critical partners.
In fact, last week's International Consultative Seminar hosted by the legislative sector here in Parliament highlighted the importance of Parliament and legislatures working together with civil society as part of the oversight machinery. This is in recognition of the fact that civil society has a lot to offer in support of our developmental work, especially through research. Therefore, partnership with progressive non-state organisations is necessary to achieve our developmental goals.
We appreciate the role played by the nongovernmental structures during the struggle for liberation. Many NGOs have continued to play an important role in support of our democracy. However, since we attained democracy, I am not sure whether we have sufficiently collaborated with civil society in deepening our democracy. Yet we need to harness this resource to support our efforts at promoting development. Of course, this does not mean that NGOs must lose their independence; rather they must contribute to the generation of ideas and innovative solutions to developmental challenges.
They can also assist us to share experiences of our freedom and democracy with women and children beyond our borders who are still suffering. I think of the women and children of Sudan, Ethiopia and many other countries in the continent that have emerged from conflicts and that are afflicted by grinding poverty. Working together we can change the lives of our people for the better. I thank you.