On 7 June 2011, the Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana presented her department’s budget vote speech to Parliament. She commenced her speech with news about recent round of appointments in the department to increase its internal capacity. The positions that have been filled include those of Director-Generals and Deputy DGs for disability and children’s rights and corporate services. Recruitment for a DDG for gender equality is underway.

Given the oversight role that the department will take responsibility for, it has very importantly appointed a head of research who will oversee establishing baseline data and conducting research in the sector. Other key positions include advocacy, mainstreaming and capacity-building for all three sectors.

The Minister noted the grave challenges posed by the relatively small budget of R117-million that her department has been allocated, R5- million of which is in fact destined for the Commission for Gender Equality.

Women

Women’s inequitable access to employment, access to land and water, development finance and access to markets, skills development and development programmes are high on the department’s agenda.

Rural women’s development and livelihoods will be addressed through the integration of their concerns and rights in the Rural Development Strategy. The department will measure how many women benefit from the five million jobs targeted by the New Growth Path and will ensure that a predetermined percentage of the R9-billion rand dedicated to job creation is dedicated to jobs for women.

The department has started working on the Gender Equality Bill, which will provide authority and a framework for attaining the target of 50/50 gender parity. Consultations with civil society on the Bill have commenced and the Bill should be submitted to Cabinet for approval by March 2012.

People with disabilities

The department will focus on improving access to education for children with disabilities. An audit of all special schools in the country will be conducted in preparation for enhancing the learning environment at these schools.

The department will work with the Department of Transport to ensure equitable access to transport for people with disabilities.

A National Accessibility Campaign will be launched which aims to enhance access to buildings, the work place, the promotion of Braille, sign language and other accessible communication format and access to assistive devices and disability grants.

The department will monitor and hold to account government department’s realisation of the target of 2% employment of people with disabilities in the public sector. At the same time the department will encourage the private sector to works towards increased employment of people with disabilities.

The department will host a National Summit on Disability later this year to discuss the implementation plan for the domestication of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A National Disability Policy will also be discussed at this summit with the objective of strengthening collaborative efforts to address challenges facing people with disabilities.

Violence against women and children

In an effort to systematically address the high levels and serious consequences of gender based violence, the department is setting up an Advisory Council on Violence against Women and Children. It will be made of different government departments, civil society organisations and it will coordinate the implementation of the different civil society and government-led components of the 365 days National Plan of Action to End Violence against Women and Children.

Other initiatives to address the scourge of violence against women and children include the re-establishment of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units in all 176 policing areas. 28 Thuthuzela centres have been established to provide one-stop centres where rape victims can lodge a case, receive counselling and medical care, including PEP.

Children

The department will be monitoring the implementation of laws like the Child Justice Act and the Children’s Act and a host of other laws to protect children from violence and exploitation.

WEB LINKS FOR THIS ARTICLE

Click here to view a copy of the Minister’s budget vote speech.