Minister of Woman, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingawana is hopeful that the ANC’s commission on gender will come out of today’s deliberations will be feasible proposals that are favourable to woman and children. The gender commission chaired by Hlengiwe Mkize has outlined issues like: The New Growth Path for economic development must be engendered to ensure that women are 50% beneficiaries of the Job Fund.
Women must make up 50% beneficiaries of this target for jobs and within all the sectors identified, including in the skills development provided.
State Owned Enterprises must ensure that in awarding tenders and contracts, 50% is awarded to women.
The targets in all economic empowerment codes must be reviewed to include 50% women as direct beneficiaries of procurement and enterprise development. The intention should be toward increased extension of ownership for women.
The envisaged Gender Equality Bill must be fast tracked to speed up 50/50 parity in the private sector and the corporate world.
Women must make up 50% of the green jobs and the green economy in South Africa.
50% of all learnerships must be earmarked for young women to ensure that empowerment is provided especially for previously male dominated areas.
In both Basic and Higher Education targets and interventions need to be gender-disaggregated and monitored and the 50% rule applied.
There is a need for specific training programmes to fast track the employment of women into the judiciary at all levels. The Minister spoke to a group of journalists about her expectations in terms of the key issues that will be discussed.
– By Luvuyo Mdeni, Gallagher Estate
