South Africa's Report
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+25 SOUTH AFRICA’S REPORT ON THE PROGRESS MADE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION 2014-2019 BEIJING +25 SOUTH AFRICA’S REPORT ON THE PROGRESS MADE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION 2014-2019 2 | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 5 PART 1 ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL LEVEL REVIEW .................................................................................................. 6 PART II ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 NATIONAL REPORT ON BEIJING +25 .................................................................................................................. 7 PRIORITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS, CHALLENGES AND GAPS ................................................................................ 7 PROGRESS ACROSS THE 12 CRITICAL AREAS OF CONCERN ..................................................................... 15 INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT, SHARED PROSPERITY AND DECENT WORK ......................................... 16 POVERTY ERADICATION, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL SERVICES ......................................... 33 FREEDOM FROM VIOLENCE, STIGMA AND STEREOTYPES ................................................................. 50 PARTICIPATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND GENDER-RESPONSIVE INSTITUTIONS .............................. 54 PEACEFUL AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES .................................................................................................. 58 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND REHABILITATION ........................................ 61 NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROCESSES .............................................................................................. 65 DATA AND STATISTICS .................................................................................................................................. 66 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................................... 72 ANNEXURE 1: SOUTH AFRICAN SDG INDICATORS LIST ................................................................................ 73 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................................... 78 3 | P a g e ABBREVIATIONS ABET - Adult Basic Education and Training AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AU - African Union BPA - Beijing Platform for Action CEDAW - Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women CODESA - Convention for a Democratic South Africa CSE - Comprehensive Sexuality Education CSW - Commission on the Status of Women DoJ&CD - Department of Justice and Constitutional Development DoW - Department of Women DPW - Department of Public Works DSD - Department of Social Development DTI - Department of Trade and Industry EPWP - Expanded Public Works Programme GBV - Gender Based Violence GHS - General Household Survey GII - Gender Inequality Index HCI - Human Capital Index ICT - Information and Communication Technology IEC - Independent Electoral Commission ILO - International Labour Organisation ISRDP - Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme LGBTI - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex MDG - Millennium Development Goals MIG - Municipal Infrastructure Grants MTSF - Medium Term Strategic Framework NCOP - National Council of Provinces NDP - National Development Plan NGM - National Gender Machinery NGO - Non-governmental Organisations NPA - National Prosecuting Agency NPC - National Planning Commission PMTCT - Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission RDP - Reconstruction and Development Programme SADC - Southern Africa Development Community SALGA - South African Local Government Association SANAC - South African National AIDS Council SASSA - South African Social Security Agency SCA - Supreme Court of Appeal SBC - Social and Behaviour Change SDG - Sustainable Development Goals SIGI - Social Institutions and Gender Index SMME - Small, medium and micro-enterprise SRHR - Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights STI - Sexually Transmitted Infection TRC - Truth and Reconciliation Commission UIF - Unemployment Insurance Fund UN - United Nations UNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund VAT - Value Added Tax VAW - Violence Against Women WEF - World Economic Forum WEGE - Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality WHO - World Health Organisation WNC - Women’s National Coalition 4 | P a g e INTRODUCTION 2019 marks twenty five years of democracy in South Africa since 1994 when the country held its first democratic elections following the era of apartheid and colonialism. The timing of the Beijing+25 review coincides with the 25 year review of democracy in South Africa. The South African Government has undertaken a national twenty-five year review process towards emerging with a set of priorities for the country going forward. In 2012 South Africa adopted its National Development Plan: Vision 2030 which serves as a blueprint for development in the country towards 2030. The country has also embarked on national elections in May 2019 and the 6th Administration of Government has just come into place. It is an extremely exciting moment in the country where a strong mandate has been given to the incoming 6th administration by the general electorate, responding to the call by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa to his “Thuma Mina” (Send Me) rallying call, adding the tag line “Khawuleza” meaning “move faster”. It was during the election campaigning in 2019 that the people of South Africa iterated very clearly their impatience for speedy implementation of the country’s plans, programmes and strategies – “a coherent and bold people’s plan for a better life for all, addressing the persistent realities of unemployment, poverty and inequality…”. 1 The campaign illustrated that the [country’s] top 10 priorities are jobs, housing, water, roads, electricity, sanitation, crime, corruption, education and land.”2 The overview of the twenty-five year review indicated that South Africa was able to construct a new society based on a Constitution that guarantees political, social, economic and environmental rights. The commitment to a non-sexist society was written into the Constitution and the country has made advances in women’s political, social and economic spheres as well as in attaining human rights and dignity, in particular women’s rights and women’s representation in parliament, government, the public service, and in the private sector. Following the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action in 1995, South Africa has periodically reported on the progress made in implementing the Platform for Action in the country, submitting its first report in 2000 (B+5), its 2nd in 2005 (B+10), the 3rd in 2010 (B+15) and the 4th in 2015 (B+20). This B+25 report is therefore building on the previous reports and provides an assessment of South Africa’s progress in implementing the Platform for Action from 2014-2019. The national review report responds to the issues raised in the Guidance Note provided by UN Women. Part i of the report covers the process undertaken in the country in terms of the national level review and highlights the institutional mechanism for the review, multi-stakeholder participation and the process of preparation of the national report. Part ii provides a detailed assessment the progress made in implementing the Platform for Action for the period 2014-2019, and is structured in four sections. Section 1 focuses on the priorities, achievements, challenges and gaps in. It also highlights emerging priorities for the future (short, medium and long term). Section 2 outlines the progress across the 12 Critical Areas of Concern of the Platform for Action. It is a detailed analysis of measures taken to advance women’s empowerment and gender equality across the 12 critical areas with a focus on the period 2014-2019, under the following 1 African National Congress; June 2019: BULLETIN: NEC Lekgotla: Report and Outcomes of the NEC Lekgotla held on 1-3 June 2019”A Five-Year Programme to Translate our Contract with the People of South Africa, Johannesburg 2 African National Congress; June 2019: BULLETIN: NEC Lekgotla: Report and Outcomes of the NEC Lekgotla held on 1-3 June 2019”A Five-Year Programme to Translate our Contract with the People of South Africa, Johannesburg 5 | P a g e thematic areas: (i) Inclusive Development, Shared Prosperity and Decent Work; (ii) Poverty Eradication, Social Protection and Social Services; (iii) Freedom from Violence, Stigma and Stereotypes; (iv) Participation, Accountability and Gender-Responsive Institutions; (v) Peace and Inclusive Societies and (vi) Environmental Conservation, Protection and Rehabilitation. Section 3 focuses on the national processes and mechanisms linked to the implementation and monitoring