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6 May 2009

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) congratulates the African National Congress (ANC) for its commitment to gender equality and parity in women’s representation. The appointment of women premiers equalling that of their male counterparts, in all eight provinces where the ANC won the majority vote, is a brave step in the right direction. With this move, the ANC has single-handedly made great strides towards fulfilling the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on gender and development requirement of 50/50 representation of women in political leadership by 2015.

We call on all premiers to accelerate what has been done by their predecessors in spearheading equal opportunities and access to socio-economic rights for girls and women, particularly those in rural areas. The CGE calls upon the ANC and opposition parties in Parliament to further this trend and ensure that women candidates are put forward to assume positions of leadership in Parliament and provincial legislatures.

Noting commitments towards addressing gender equality contained in party manifestos, and those undertakings made by political party representatives on behalf of their parties at the recent dialogue on gender and elections convened by the CGE under the auspices of the gender and elections consortium, CGE will continue to monitor state and party interventions that seek to redress gender imbalances, discrimination and inequity.

The high voter turn–out, particularly by women, who formed 55 percent of the electorate, is a strong sign that communities are looking to political parties to lead a renewed process of social transformation and service delivery, to improve the quality of their lives. As the administration gears up to implement this programme of action, it is imperative that the inequality, injustice and discrimination suffered particularly by women are fore grounded in all programmes.

This is expected not only by the millions of women who turned out to vote for the party of their choice, but also by our regional and international colleagues in accordance with the many conventions and protocols adopted by South Africa. These undertakings and programmes must squarely address at a practical level issues such as gender based violence, rape, human trafficking, forced marriages, denied access to socio-economic rights and the many more inequities and suffering endured by women. Justice for women must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.

The CGE will seek to remind political parties of the pledge they have signed with regard to acting against patriarchal stereotyping, demeaning and derogatory statements and actions against women that serve to undermine our Constitution and commitment to gender equality. The CGE and the public at large will be watching closely the leadership shown by the ANC and opposition parties in championing equality and non-discrimination, and living up to their manifesto undertakings in this regard.

The Commission for Gender Equality is established in terms of Section 187 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in order to promote respect for gender equality and the protection, development and attainment of gender equality

Issued by: Commission for Gender Equality
6 May 2009