Women Have Final Word As Parliament Closes Women's Month Vision
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Monthly magazine of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa Vol. 15 ISSUE 7 2015 Women have final word as Parliament closes Women's month Vision An activist and responsive people’s Parliament that improves the quality of life of South Africans and ensures enduring equality in our society. Mission Parliament aims to provide a service to the people of South Africa by providing the following: • A vibrant people’s Assembly that intervenes and transforms society and addresses the development challenges of our people; • Effective oversight over the Executive by strengthening its scrutiny of actions against the needs of South Africans; Provinces of Council National of • Participation of South Africans in the decision-making of National Assembly National of processes that affect their lives; • A healthy relationship between the three arms of the Black Rod Mace Mace State, that promotes efficient co-operative governance between the spheres of government, and ensures appropriate links with our region and the world; and • An innovative, transformative, effective and efficient parliamentary service and administration that enables Members of Parliament to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities. Strategic Objectives 1. Strengthening oversight and accountability 2. Enhancing public involvement 3. Deepening engagement in international fora 4. Strengthening co-operative government 5. Strengthening legislative capacity contents Message froM the NatiONal COuNCil Of ProviNCeS 5 Bills 6 HigHligHts froM the Committeetracking rooms 7 Bill tRaCkeR 8 i put the queStiON 7 30 10 WorksHop on Code of CONduCt fOR PuBliC OffiCe BeaReRS 11 speaker deMands equality fOR womeN 12 WoMen’s day deBate iN NatiONal AsseMBly 14 House CHairperson tHoko didiza’s tRiBute tO womeN 16 nCop ConduCts oveRSight iN the proviNCeS 22 Bill set to iMprove SOuth afRiCa’S health CaRe 24 neW strategies to improve SeRViCe deliVeRy 26 CoMMunity eduCation and tRaiNiNg iS key tO Success 28 loCal governMent dRiVeS deVelopmeNt 30 proMoting democraCy iN afRiCa SADC-pf election observation and Monitoring Workshop 32 national asseMBly deBate on tRaNSfORMatiON iN the MiNiNg SeCtOR 34 offiCe of tHe institutions SuPPORtiNg democraCy Independent Communications authority of south africa 14 COVER: the Multi-party Women’s Caucus ended Women’s Month with a roundtable discussion on the theme accelerating Women's empowerment and development through the national development plan. our cover features Chairperson Masefele Morutoa contributing to the discussion. the event will be covered in full in the next issue of insession. REGULARS Presiding Officers Ms Baleka Mbete, Ms Thandi Modise, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli and Mr Raseriti Tau Read about what’is Secretary to Parliament Mr Gengezi Mgidlana editor-in-Chief happening in your Luzuko Jacobs editor Moira Levy Parliament acting production editor Elijah Moholola design and layout Get your free copies of Parliament's publications. Angelo Lamour to subscribe, email [email protected] Copy editors for print copies, include your postal address. Jane Henshall and Vusumzi Nobadula writers: Temba Gubula, Mava Lukani, Sibongile Maputi, Cedric Mboyisa, Elijah Moholola, Sakhile Mokoena, Justice Molafo, Abel Mputing Photography: Mlandeli Puzi distribution & subscriptions: Jacqueline Zils Publisher Parliament of the Republic of South Africa Printer Capitil Press Copyright INSESSION is a monthly publication, which is published by the Information and Content Development Unit of the Parliamentary Communication Services of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. All material published is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. editORial eNquiRieS telephone 021 403 8738 fax 021 403 8096 e-mail [email protected] Subscriptions [email protected] Post PO Box 15, Cape Town, 8000 OuR IDEALS ViSiON An activist and responsive people’s Parliament that improves the quality of life of South Africans and ensures enduring equality in our society. StRATEGIC OBJeCtiVeS Strengthening oversight and accountability; enhancing public involvement; deepening engagement in international fora; strengthening cooperative government; strengthening legislative capacity. ViSit uS ON www.parliament.gov.za Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai www.facebook.com/parliamentofrsa twitter.com/ParliamentofRSA youtube.com/ParliamentofRSA BOOk a tOuR To tour Parliament Tel 021 403 2266 Fax 021 403 3817 Email [email protected] iSSN 2227-1325 (Print) www.parliament.gov.za iSSN 2227-3778 (Online) REGULARS Message from THE national council the Chairperson of the national Council of provinces of provinces, Ms thandi Modise equality it is a case for human rights, human has increased from 33% in 2009 to Gender dignity, for justice and for democracy. We 38% in 2014 throughout the world. understand that democracy is based on the principle of representation. We know that enabling legislation has We also understand that you cannot represent more than half the helped women’s representation in the population of the world if that population of the world does not see workplace from 14% in 2003 to 20.6% itself at the decision-making tables. in 2013. professional women increased from 36% to 43% and skilled women We also think that democracy means committed to re-look at robust policies, from 44.2% to 47%. the right to see, to sit, to hear, and to such as the quotas in electoral systems speak and just to be. We think that the that facilitate the election of women. We note that no country in the world has right to vote and the right to run for closed the overall gender gap, according office are but a small portion of what When we make these policies, we to the World economic forum 2014 public representation is all about. But it must set ambitious but practical targets report. at the current rate of progress, also means that public representation is that are stringently enforced and are the report estimates that it will take transparent, and that frequent cycles of accompanied by measures to remove 81 years to achieve gender parity. this elections are held. barriers to campaign funding, to curb is too long for women to wait. violence against women in politics and as women parliamentarians we must to eliminate negative stereotypes. We think that promoting gender balance make sure that gender perspectives in all fields and expanding the role of are incorporated in all the policies and south africa is resolute in promoting women in decision-making is not merely standard-setting initiatives. as women gender equality. in 1991, at its re- a moral imperative. it is a pre-requisite we should believe that women at the establishment conference, the african for effective poverty reduction and decision-making tables will facilitate national Conference (anC) agreed to a sustainable economic growth. and promote utilisation of all resources 30% quota for representation of women in order to promote sustainable in all its decision-making structures. in the responsibility to see women at the development for women in the future. 2007 it increased the quota to 50%. decision-making tables is important to parliaments because we have the We are concerned about the lack of these measures are largely responsible responsibility. We are obliged to ensure representation and participation of for the increased numbers for women that all citizens are treated equally. women in economics and the other in parliament which stand at 44.1% in social spheres of all our lives. We know the national assembly and 38% in the parliaments should therefore ensure that lack of resources, gender insensitive national Council of provinces. that resources are allocated to empower electoral policies, prevailing gender women and to create opportunities. stereotypes based on culture and custom this is also reflected in the increased democracy is not just about the majority and sometimes just pure chauvinism numbers of women cabinet and deputy having a say. it is about enabling that continue to impede the progress for cabinet ministers. it is also a reflection majority to understand to identify and to equal representation by men and of attempts to increase the number of exercise all their freedoms and we think women in both the politics and economy female jurists. in administration also, that as parliaments, as presiding officers of any nation. south africa is beginning to make we need to play our part. headway in ensuring that heads of We want to recap that around the world administration in the corporate and this is the speech by the Chairperson men make up 78% of parliamentarians, public service worlds are women. of the national Council of provinces 93% of elected heads of state, 82% (nCop), Ms thandi Modise, to the of government and 95% of corporate the 2014 MasterCard index for Women’s inter-parliamentary union 10th Women executives. it is time to look closer at advancement shows that gender speakers conference in new york in gender representation. We know that inequality is still a big challenge. Women august on the theme democracy: with gender representation we need still earn less than men for similar innovating for more gender-inclusive to also have political will. We must be work. We also note that the pay gap decision-making processes and bodies. PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 5 REGULARS highlights from the committeerooms month parliament’s Committees exercise their 2% target of employing people Every law-making and oversight functions. Cedric