Could it be that they felt their vote would not make a difference to the outcome of the election? This is one of the challenges women in politics - that is us here - must face. We cannot afford to move backwards.
We all acknowledge the achievement of great strides towards gender equality, in both the public and the private sectors. Notable amongst these is the increasing participation of women in decision-making in the political, economic and cultural spheres.
The demand by the women themselves that the gender equality machinery be located within The Presidency in order to give it the necessary serious attention it deserves has, to a large extent, contributed to these achievements. Perhaps it is this visible progress, Minister, which has made some among us deem it necessary to recommend that there be a Women's Ministry. Cope can only hope that the correct decision has, in fact, been made.
It will be crucial that women ensure that the Women's Ministry does not become a dumping ground for so-called women's issues, as has happened elsewhere in the world, particularly in Africa. All women's formations must ensure that gains made so far are not reversed. Crucial to such nonreversal of our gains will be the budget allocation to the Ministry.
The benefits of the Women's Development Fund, which the Minister has promised, must reach all deserving women, particularly those in rural and peri-urban areas. [Applause.]
It is not clear at present how the new Ministry will relate to departments in regard to addressing problems specific to women within those portfolios, be they in health, education, labour, issues of crime or something else. These and many other challenges still facing society with regard to women's emancipation and gender equality dictate that we as women still need to stand together.
As women of Cope we believe that this is possible, and must be pursued. It has happened before. Women stood together in 1954 as the Federation of South African Women and they made their demands in the original Women's Charter. They stood together in 1956 to reject oppressive laws.
They also did so in 1994 at the Women's National Convention convened by the Women's National Coalition, which updated, upgraded and adopted the current document, the Women's Charter for Effective Equality, which, unfortunately, seems to be gathering dust somewhere on the computers of this institution. This is because it is not being used; we are not following it at all. I'm sure that there are some people here who don't even know that there is a Women's Charter for Effective Equality.
We saw women engaging in dialogue through SA Women in Dialogue, Sawid, and, finally, we witnessed the formation of the Progressive Women's Movement. However, it is unfortunate that all these efforts seem to have come to a standstill, at least as perceived by ordinary women. We only see these leaders on television on 9 August, and that is all; otherwise we don't see what the Progressive Women's Movement is doing. [Applause.]
The spirit that issues affecting women know no political or cultural boundaries ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]