Deputy Speaker, 2010 is an important year for women in Africa. Firstly, it marks five years since the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa came into being. Secondly, it marks six years since the adoption of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa which all heads of state and government committed to. Thirdly, it is the start of the African Women's Decade.
Women make up 70% of those living below the poverty line and, therefore, they are most likely to bear the heaviest burden. At the same time, women are often left out of the conversation about adapting to climate change, even though they are sometimes in the best position to provide solutions.
In most poor communities, women play many roles. As providers, women usually work in agriculture or other informal sectors. They collect food, water and fuel. As caretakers, they look after the children, the sick and the elderly, the home and the family's assets. As a result of their multifaceted roles, women have invaluable knowledge about adapting to erratic environmental changes. However, socially constructed roles and responsibilities usually put women at a disadvantage in preparing for climate change.
Women have less access to resources, are frequently unable to swim, are reluctant to leave the house unattended, and are less likely to migrate to look for shelter and work when disaster hits.
Therefore, statistically, women are more likely to die during disasters than men are. But it doesn't have to be this way. If women are included in decision-making in their own communities, the special needs of both women and men can be met, and the survival rate of women will improve.
Article 18(3) of the Charter is aimed at protecting women in the context of the family only. Therefore the Charter needs to be completed by an addition which addresses particular problems encountered by African women. I hope, Minister, that you will spearhead the amendment.
The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights relative to the Rights of Women in Africa comprehensively enshrines civil, political, social and cultural rights, the rights to development, peace, as well as reproductive and sexual rights. It provides a legal framework to address gender inequality. Most importantly, the protocol calls for the legal prohibition of female genital mutilation, a practice which is still in use in at least 23 countries in Africa. South Africa has a responsibility to put pressure on these countries and also on those that have not ratified the protocol.
South Africa has expressed reservations with respect to article 4(j) on the death penalty because that has been abolished. Another reservation South Africa has with the protocol is with regard to article 6(h) where our laws on citizenship are more advantageous for children than the provision in the protocol.
It's all very well to have a protocol on paper. However, for it to be effective, we need to encourage all countries to sign and ratify the protocol; to build the capacity of gender machinery and ministries; to put in place effective monitoring mechanisms to measure implementation of the protocol; to develop and include gender sensitive indicators and sex- disaggregated data on women's rights into national statistics, national development plans and national budgets; and to confront the cultural and religious barriers to full attainment of women's rights as per the protocol, especially in respect of customary inheritance laws and treatment of widows.
In conclusion, I wish to congratulate hon Matladi of the UCDP on her appointment as the Vice President of the Women's Caucus of the Pan-African Parliament. Thank you. [Applause.]
UMPHATHISWA WEZEMISEBENZI: Malibongwe!
AMALUNGU AHLONIPHEKILEYO: Igama lamakhosikazi!
UMPHATHISWA WEZEMISEBENZI: Oko batsho abafazi ngowe-1955 ukuba: "Wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokodo" umzabalazo awukapheli. Amazwi abo asankenteza ezindlebeni: "Wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokodo".
Umbutho wesizwe kumgaqo-siseko wawo uneenjongo. Eyona iphambili kuzo kukumanya bonke abantu boMzantsi-Afrika, ingakumbi ama-Afrika. Oko kwakuqinisekisa ukuba zonke iimeko zocalu-calulo nengcinezelo ziyatshitshiswa kwaye nokuxhasa nokuqhubela phambili idabi lenkululeko yoomama kuyaqhubeka. Kula maxesha sikuwo kukho imikhwa nemikhuba ebangela ukuba eli dabi lethu libe neziphene ezifuna ukuguzulwa nokubangulwa. Sibona ukuxhatshazwa nobundlobongela obenza ubomi babantu basetyhini bube nkene-nkene. Amantombazana aphila ubomi bentshontsho engcungcuthekiswa zizidlwengu, kungenjalo esendiswa ngetshova nangenkani. Ezi zenzo ke zibenza babe sesichengeni sokosuleleka zizifo, ingakumbi ezinje ngoGawulayo neGcushuwa.
Ngexesha sisakhula ubuye ubaluleke kakhulu xa uyindoda okanye ungumfana ongudlalani. Kule mihla sithe gqolo sibetha sibuyelela emadlakeni singcwab' odlalani. Abantu kufuneka bazi ukuba kufuneka sithobe isantya kwizinto ezininzi ukuba sizondelele ukuphila. Kwabanye, ingathi kufuneka sibe nezinto esizichwethayo kumasiko nezithethe zethu, ingakumbi ezi zingamanyumnyezi, ukuze sikhuthaze ezi zizakwenza idabi lethu lokukhulula oomama liphumelele.
Masivume, kunjalo nje sivumelane, ukuba amaxesha ngamanye. Asisanxibi ndyilo kwaye nemicimbi yokwendiselana siyithethela ezindlini, asisayithetheli ecaleni kobuhlanti. Iyabonisa ke loo nto ukuba amaxesha ngamanye. Oomama bayaphangela. Bavuka ngonyezi. Benza imisebenzi efanayo namadoda, maxa wambi bathi xhaxhe bade bathi tyishi kumadoda amaninzi. Ngamaye amaxesha kula amadoda unga ungathi: "Khulula ibhulukhwe ezo, ntondini, sikubolek' ilokhwe."; ingakumbi xa ubona ukunukunezwa koomama phaya emisebenzini. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Bayatswikilwa babhantswe, kungathatyathwa manyathelo ngabaqeshi. Wathinta abafazi, wathint' imbokodo. Iindawo zokugcina abantwana phaya emisebenzini zithe nya. Ndiva buhlungu ngakumbi xa kanti nePalamente le nayo iyindawo elolo hlobo. Kungokuba kutheni le nto kungekho ndawo zokugcina abantwana kusaziwa nje ukuba amadoda akamithi? Mhlawumbi sesi sizathu esibangela ukuba kungabikho zindawo zokugcina abantwana. Amadoda akancancisi. Mhlawumbi yiloo nto kungekho ndawo yokugcina abantwana apha ePalamente. Ukuba bebencancisa, ndiqinisekile ukuba ngeyikhona indawo yokugcina abantwana. [Intswahla.]
Imivuzo yoomama ayikalingani neyamadoda noxa besenza umsebenzi omnye ofanayo. Ewe, ukhona umnyinyiva asizukutsho ukuba awukho, kodwa kuyakrokrisa. Oomama basarhuq' ezantsi nakwizikhundla eziphezulu. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[The MINISTER OF LABOUR: Let it be praised!
HON MEMBERS: The name of women!