Parliamentary Hearing Report

1
COMMISSION ON GENDER EQUALITY

• Parliamentary Hearing Report
• To the Portfolio Committee
• 17th March 2006

2
Vision

• A society free from gender discrimination and
  oppression

3
Mission

• Promotion, Protection, Monitoring and Evaluation
  of gender equality through
• I) Fostering public understanding by developing,
  managing and conducting educational and
  information programmes
• ii) Proactively and reactively investigating
  issues and complaints on gender discrimination at
  all levels identified through interaction with
  stakeholders and other concerned citizens to
  attain reform in the area of gender equality and
• iii) Conducting research to further the
  objectives of the institution

4
Strategic objectives

• Monitor, and develop where necessary, effective
  gender monitoring mechanisms for public and
  private institutions to ensure the appropriate
  implementation of gender sensitive strategies,
  policies and programmes
• Develop, manage and conduct information and
  education programmes for the promotion and
  attainment of gender equality
• Evaluate and monitor and Act of Parliament or any
  other law or treaty affecting or likely to affect
  gender equality or the status of women and make
  recommendations to Parliament with regard
  thereto Law reform to be made part of the legal
  service department
• Investigate any gender-related issues of its own
  accord or receipt of a complaint and endeavour to
  resolve any dispute and rectify any act or
  omission

5
Programmes

• Public Education and Information
• Develops, manages and conducts information and
  education programmes, including workshops and
  campaigns
• Policy and Research
• Undertakes research in rural and urban settings
  in all provinces through the Provincial Offices
  of the CGE

6
Programmes (cont.)

• Legal Services
• Investigates gender-related issues,
• Evaluates and monitors any Act of Parliament or
  any other law or treaty affecting or likely to
  affect gender equality
• Submissions to Parliament with regard thereto.

7
Programmes for enhancement of capacity within the
CGE

• Civil Society Advocacy Programme
• Agreement SA/73200-03-03
• Objective
• The project will contribute towards more
  effective governance, reduction of poverty and
  improved living conditions in selected
  communities.
• Results
• Targeted CSOs provide effective advocacy support
  thus The targeted communities are empowered to
  access their rights
• Chapter 9 institutions provide active advocacy
  support within their mandate
• Budget
• Total commitment for May 2005-May 2006 R10m
• Total commitment for duration of period Euros
  3.3 million

8
Programmes for enhancement of capacity within the
CGE

• (2) Premiers Discretionary Fund Eastern Cape
• Objectives
• Conduct situational analysis and collect data in
  3 pilot areas
• Combat gender-based violence
• Gender mainstreaming
• Institutional capacity building
• Empower women through skills development
• Empower women economically
• Integrate gender equality component into existing
  programmes
• Establish community newsletter
• Budget R1m

9
Corporate activities

• Restructuring and Job Evaluation (Completed)
• Performance Management (Ongoing)
• Skills Development (Ongoing)
• Employment Equity (Ongoing)
• Risk Management (Ongoing)
• Fraud Prevention Plan (Completed)
• Supply Chain Management (Ongoing)
• Internal Auditing (Annual auditing)
• Strategic Planning (Annual Review)
• Internal Review (Forthcoming)
• External audit (Unqualified audit report 2005/6)

10
Human Resources

• Since 1999 the CGEs total staff complement
  (secretariat) increased from 42 to a total of 64
  employees in 2006
• Currently
• Female 48 Male 16
• Senior Managers 2 female, 2 male
• HDIs 95

11
Financial Resources

• Treasury allocation increased from R8m in 1999 to
  R26,4m in 2005/6
• Next allocation for 2006/7 will be R37,7m

12
Financial Resources

  1998/ 1999 1999/ 2000 2000/ 2001 2001/ 2002 2002/ 2003 2003/ 2004 2004/ 2005 2005/ 2006
Treasury Allocation R8m R10,7m R12,2m R13m R14,9m R17,3m R 21.30 R26,4
Donor Funds R0.62m R1,2m R0,25m R0.3m R1,5m R1.7m R2m R1.7m
Requested Budget R20m R22m R25m R30m R34m R39m 39.4m R44m
Shortfall R11,3m R10m R12m R16m R18,5m R20,1m R18m R18.3m
13
Financial Resources

14
Financial Resources 2006/7

15
CGE Budget 06/07 Division of Funding
16
Programme expenditure 2006/7

17
Donor Funding 2005/6

• Mott Foundation
• Research on Womens Participation in Local
  Governance
• Heinrich Böhl Stiftung
• Gender Opinion Survey
• Premiers Discretionary Fund
• Eastern Cape Province
• European Union
• Civil Society Advocacy Programme (with other
  C9s)

18
Research

• Monitoring and evaluation activities
• Gender Mainstreaming in
• national and provincial departments, local
  authorities, political parties (50/50 campaign),
  ordinary citizens gender opinions

19
Research

• Research Reports 2005/6
• National Gender Opinion Survey
• Monitoring and evaluation of womens
  participation in political decision-making
• The gender dimension of HIV/AIDS and the elderly

20
Public Education and Information

• Educational Programmes
• Campaigns
• Media Releases
• Workshops
• Exhibitions
• Gender Dialogues
• Development of resource material
• Summits

21
Public Education and Information

• Information Programmes
• Publications
• Posters, pamphlets, training manuals
• Resource Centre
• Establishment of Resource Centres in Provinces
  Archiving
• Exhibitions- 28413
• Information management
• Website
• IT support
• - Policy
• - Support and maintenance

22
Legal Services Complaints 2005/6
Rank of Complaints (top 10 only)
GBV 30
Maintenance 25
Sexual Harassment 16
Labour 6.3
Tradition, religion and culture 6
Court processes 6
Inheritance property 4.3
Social security 3.1
Access to government services 1.6
Citizenship Regis. of population 1.1
Total number of complaints 525
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Complaints (cont.)

• Legal interventions
• Sidwell Mamitwa / TLPN Shilubane Others TPD
  25411/2002
• Omar v Government of the RSA and others CCT 47/04
• Submitted 20 gender related complaints to ASASA
• Also gender-related cases monitored by the CGE

24
Outputs Parliamentary Office

• Submissions to Parliament
• Engage in Parliamentary Committees on upcoming
  bills
• Consult with civil society and relevant
  stakeholders

25
Challenges

• Dealing with entrenched gender inequality and
  patriarchy
• Implementation of legislation and law enforcement
  by officials e.g. maintenance complaints
• Many people (incl. media) do not know the content
  of the Constitution and have little knowledge of
  C9s, their work, roles and mandate
• Amendment of old statutes that violate the
  Constitution
• Participation in the National Gender Machinery
• Reaching out to remote rural areas, lack of
  programmes for young women, HIV/AIDS
• Easy flow of information from Dept. of Foreign
  Affairs to enable CGE to participate in
  sub-regional, regional and international
  activities

26
Challenges (cont.)

• Lack of access to country reports in time for
  monitoring
• Broad mandate, given the scant capacity and
  resources
• Challenges emanating from the CGE Act
• Measurable outputs required for Commissioners
• Delays in appointment and replacement of
  Commissioners
• Inability to litigate in terms of the CGE act
• Harmonising CGE Act with PFMA
• Opportunities to interact directly with
  Parliament in terms of provisions of the Act

27
Collaborative Work

• Government Departments Justice Dept (Equality
  Act implementation) Premiers Discretionary Fund
  
• Strengthened relationship with local governments
• Parliament Portfolio Committees
• NGOs and CBOs special themes
• Other Chapter 9s CSAP, MOUs, elections
• National Gender Machinery

28
International Work

• Monitoring of international, regional and
  sub-regional instruments
• Participation in World Conferences
• Participation in Gender Fora
• Also
• UN Commission on the Status of Women (Beijing
  10)
• SADC and African Union gender-related processes
• Bilateral Agreement
• MOUs with international organisations
• Interaction with foreign delegations

29
Impact

• Launching and implementing of the 50/50 campaign
  in local government elections.
• Increased awareness of gender-based violence
  brought about by education programmes and
  legislation
• Improved maintenance system
• Developing gender training and resource material
  for public sensitization on gender
• Developing a number of gender related policies
  with government departments, public and private
  sector
• Impacting on gender-related law reform,
  particularly the Childrens Bill in relation to
  virginity testing and circumcision.
• Annually we have a number of campaigns on gender
  sensitization

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Achievements

• Increased public awareness on issues of gender
• Sensitized government departments towards issues
  of gender
• Improved representation of women in
  decision-making structures
• Increased gender-sensitivity in the school
  curricula
• Participated in including a gender perspective in
  national, sub-regional, regional and
  international processes
• Together with ASASA the CGE, dealt with cases of
  demeaning advertising which promotes negative
  stereotypes about women
• Strengthening civil society through partnerships
  with CSOs
• Public requests for CGE to be utilized as a
  resource
• Inclusion of men in gender programmes
• Increased accessibility through two new
  provincial offices

31

• Thank you