ACCELERATING
GENDER AND DISABILITY EQUITY
THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICE INTERVENTION
PRESENTATION TO A JOINT PORTFOLIO
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND
ADMINISTRATION & WOMEN, CHILDREN
AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
30 October 2013
ACCELERATING
DISABILITY & GENDER EQUITY
CREATING AN
ENABLING
POLICY AND
LEGISLATIVE
ENVIRONMENT
(demand)
PUBLIC SERVICE
INTERVENTIONS
IMPACTS
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EMPOWERING
WOMEN AND
PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES
(supply)
ENABLING POLICY
AND LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENT
 Constitution (1996)
 White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy (1997)
 Employment Equity Act (1998)
 Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (2000)
 National Policy on Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (2000)
 Ratification of International, Continental and Regional Human Rights
Treaties (Beijing; CEDAW; AU Protocols; CRPD)
 Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill (2013)
 National Disability Rights Policy – to focus on equality of outcome by focusing on
minimum norms and standards in key areas (target date 2014)
 Transversal Disability Rights Legislation (target date 2015)
 Sector policy and legislation
 DWCPD Mainstreaming Framework & Strategies
 Mainstreaming of gender and disability considerations and impact indicators into
the 2014-2019 MTSF
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BACKGROUND OF THE
50% GENDER PARITY PRINCIPLE
 This 50/50 principle is in line with the decision adopted by the African
Union (AU) Commission in 2002, as well as that articulated in the AU
Heads of States’ Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa,
adopted in 2004.
 It is also aligned to the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development,
which contains a clause on the 50% gender parity target to be
achieved by 2015.
 The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities is the
champion of the 50% gender parity programme in the country, while
the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has been
implementing the mandate of 50% representation of women in the
SMS levels in the Public Service
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7/31/2017
OVERALL ACHIEVEMENTS
 At the political decision making levels, the country has progressed from 2,7% pre-
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
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1994 to within the 40-45% mark currently, making us 4th on the OECD SIGI and
6th on the Global Economic Index Gap Report
South African women hold senior positions internationally and on the continent. At
the national level women hold senior positions in both the public and private
sectors
In the Public Sector, 39.1% women in the SMS levels. 4 National Departments
have reached the 50% target. However at the private sector level, women as
Chairpersons (5,1%) or CEOs (3%) and Directors (17%) are on the very low side
(even though there is an upward slant in terms of numbers)
Focus on transformation of the Judiciary has seen an increase from 0-30% of
female judges since 1994.
The MDG Report 2013 shows that more women are entering tertiary institutions
and more women are graduating with post matric qualifications including up to
doctorate levels. More women are entering research areas
There is also positive trends in the numbers of girls entering fields of study or
work previously dominated by men, especially the STEM areas.
7/31/2017
WEGE BILL
 The enactment of the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill will focus on
both public and private bodies (as defined in the Bill). The Bill seeks to attain
progressive realisation of a minimum of 50% representation and meaningful
participation of women in decision-making structures, including Boards and the
judiciary. It speaks to the issues of building women’s capacity to participate as well
as providing supporting mechanisms for women. This allows for enforcement which
is currently a huge gap in pushing this parity principle with any authority
 The WEGE Bill also legislates for gender mainstreaming across private and public
bodies
 The Bill provides for regulations of institutional mechanisms to advance women’s
empowerment and gender equality. This means that the issue of gender focal
points or gender units, location and rank can be regulated in the future. In addition
the Bill calls for the regulations on the minimum competencies for such positions so
that gender mainstreaming is not treated as an area “dumped “ onto employees in
HR, or holding a basket of focus areas.
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EMPOWERING WOMEN
 Working with girls in terms of career development – such as the Techno-girls
project, Cell C Take a girl child to work programme. UNICEF is now taking the
Techno-girls project as a best practice globally.
 Working with young women to address issues of empowerment for example
DWCPD holds discussion forums with young women, including young women with
disabilities – these sessions allows for interactive discussions on challenges they
face, what opportunities exist, etc.
 Working with rural women to empower them – one of the spin offs includes a long
term investment on women who will have the corollary impact on the lives of
daughters – who are the future workforce. An MOU with DRDLR makes provision
for 50% of land allocated to go to women.
 Empowered women will find it easier to avail themselves for senior positions in the
workforce and be able to hold their own in an environment dominated by men
 DWCPD
collaborated with PALAMA in continuing to train employees in gender
mainstreaming, and has also facilitated gender-responsive budgeting training
 Some departments are grooming/training a pool of middle managers through the
Executive Management Training courses e.g. Department of Correctional Services
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DISABILITY RIGHTS
OVERALL ACHIEVEMENTS
 South Africa claims the international stage with
regards championing the rights of persons with
disabilities due to progress being made in
mainstreaming disability
 Development and ratification of the CRPD
 Declaration of the Africa Decade for Persons with
Disabilities
 Development of the UN DESA Toolkit for Africa
 Zero Project Nominations on Good Practice
Accessibility
 Disability, HIV and AIDS
 Self representation
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in
7/31/2017
EMPOWERING
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
FOCUS
Education
INTERVENTION
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Universal Access
to Early
Childhood
Development
(2013)
Inclusive
Education Policy
(2001)
Sign Language
Curriculum
published (2013)
Braille Production
of Learning
Materials (2013)
Higher Education
Roadshow
Bursaries
IMPACT
• Approx. 94% of children with disabilities aged 7-15
years were in school in 2010, compared with 73%
in 2002.
• 129,121 adults with disabilities enrolled in adult
literacy programmes between 2008 and 2011.
• Average of 700 – 800 learners with disabilities
complete matric at special schools annually.
• 6,277 students with disabilities enrolled at
universities in 2012 declared their disabilities.
• Average of between 800-1000 young persons with
disabilities graduates annually.
• The NSFAS grant now provides reasonable
accommodation support to qualifying students
(assistive devices and technology as well as
personal assistance)
EMPOWERING WOMEN AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
FOCUS
Skills
Develop
ment &
Economic
Empower
ment
INTERVENTION
• Learnerships
• Development of skills and
vocational-orientated exit
level qualification at Grade
9 level for learners with
intellectual disabilities
(2011)
• Progressive roll-out of
rehabilitation services
• Subsidisation of protective
workshops and sheltered
employment factories
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IMPACT
•
5,133 (54%) of the 9,541 young people with
disabilities enrolled in learnership
programmes between 2008-2011 successfully
completed
•
2,339 (46%) gained employment after the
completion of their learnerships.
•
Athena Private Further Education and
Training College (95% pass; Close to 80%
Gainful Employment Rate)
• SA Disability Development Trust; Netcare;
MODE; ILO Women’s Entrepreneurship
Development and Gender Equality
• Support for self help groups • EPWP and the CWP : 0,48% (2009/10),
run by people with
0,45% (2010/11) and 0,19% (2011/12).
disabilities
• 293 protective workshops empowering 14,212
• Expanded Public Works
persons with disabilities received subsidies in
Programme
2012, compared to 260 in 2010.
• School-to-Work programmes
EMPOWERING WOMEN AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
FOCUS
Skills
Develop
ment &
Economic
Empower
ment
INTERVENTION
•
•
•
•
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Department of
Labour
Employment
Services
IMPACT
•
961 of the 1,746 job-seekers with disabilities registered
in the employment services database 2010/11, placed
•
12 sheltered employment factories in Gauteng,
Western Cape, North West, Eastern Cape, Northern
Cape, Free State and KwaZulu Natal employ 926
persons with disabilities.
The Preferential
Procurement
Policy Framework •
Act, 2000
Taxpayers are
able to claim tax
benefits for all
disability-related
costs incurred.
Cooperatives
support
Protective workshops subsidised by the Department of
Social Development-
•
2010: 260 workshops with 6,585 beneficiaries
•
2012: 293 workshops with 14,212 beneficiaries
•
R50m set aside by Industrial Development Corporation
(IDC) for financing of enterprises specifically owned by
persons with disabilities.
•
Medunsa Organisation for Disabled Entrepreneurs
(MODE) established 532 persons with disabilities in
their own income-generating micro-enterprises
between 2004 and 2011. The success rate is 74%,
which for micro-enterprise development is very good.
EMPOWERING WOMEN AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
FOCUS
Social
Protection
INTERVENTION
IMPACT
• Social grants
• Compensation for
Occupational Injuries
and Diseases
• Community Works
Programme and
EPWP
 More than a million South Africans with
disabilities access monthly disability
grants;
 114,993 children with severe disabilities
access care dependency grants,
constituting a 44% growth since
1996/97.
 536,747 persons accessed a grant-in
aid 2011/12, constituting a 95% growth
since 2008/9.
Transport
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• Universal Design
approach adopted on
BRT system
• Dial-a-Ride
• Taxi Refurbishment
• Accessible systems being rolled out in
all metropolitan cities, secondary cities
as well as rural public transport nodes
• MetroRail refurbishment
EMPOWERING WOMEN AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
FOCUS
INTERVENTION
IMPACT
• Recognition of
• Political self-representation by people with disabilities,
Selfthe right to selfwith 16 MPs (including 1 Deputy Minister), 8 MPLs
Representa
representation
(including 3 MECs) and 72 councillors.
tion &
• Recognition and • Self representation on SA Human Rights Commission,
Empower
strengthening of
the Commission on Gender Equality, the National
ment
representative
organisations of
persons with
disabilities
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•
Provision of
dialogue
platforms for
persons with
disabilities
•
Profiling
disabled writers
and film-makers
Youth Development Agency, the Public Service
Commission, the National Economic Development and
Labour Council (NEDLAC), the National Lotteries
Board and its Distributing Agencies, the
Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Commission on
Employment Equity, the National Development
Agency, the Pan South African Language Board, the
National Skills Authority and the South African National
Aids Council (SANAC) etc
•
DSD financial support now being rolled out to disabled
people’s organisations
•
Six disabled writers and film-makers profiled
•
Siyahlola Dialogue; Albinism Conference
WAY FORWARD
 Finalisation of transversal/cross-cutting policy and legislation
 Strengthen national machineries
 Disability Rights Policy and WEGE Bill
 Clearly defined functions, responsibilities, competencies and
qualifications
 Align programmes with national planning and budgeting cycles
 Align national gender and disability rights agenda with MTSF
 Progressive roll-out of Sector Rights-based Monitoring and Evaluation
Strategy
 Disaggregation of statistics and data & knowledge management
 Gender and disability responsive budgeting
 Targets and indicators
 Strengthen research into priority areas for gender and disability equity
promotion
 Publication of thematic research
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Working together
we can do more to
remove barriers
and create
an inclusive and
accessible
society for all.
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