The Platform for Action identifies the necessary conditions for effective functioning of national machineries as follows:

• Location in the highest level of government;
• Sufficient resources in terms of budget and professional capacity;
• Opportunity to influence development of all government policies; and
• Institutional mechanisms or processes to facilitate decentralised planning, implementation and monitoring involving NGOs and CBOs.

The Cabinet Memorandum of 1996 (number 3 of 1996, dated 27 June 1996, file number 13/1/1/1) provided for the establishment of the Office on the Status of Women (OSW) in The Presidency. Additionally, it provided for the establishment of Gender Focal Points (GFPs) in national departments

In 1998 the OSW completed an audit of systems in place in national departments to facilitate effective gender mainstreaming. Based on the findings of the Audit, the National Gender Policy Framework on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment made specific recommendations on the requisite status and location of Gender Focal Points in national departments.

Based on the recommendations of the Gender Policy Framework the National OSW conducted a survey on the status of GFPs in National Departments in April 2002, and updated it in November 2003. In each department the questionnaire was sent to the office of the Director General.

As in 2002, the questionnaire was sent to 35 national departments (refer Annexure 2: Recipients of OSW questionnaire on the status of National GFPs).Twenty two (22) departments responded to the questionnaire in 2003. (refer Annexure 3).

• Paragraph 4.4.2.4.2 of the National Policy states that the responsibility for gender in national departments rests with the Directors General of the department.
• Paragraph 4.4. 2.4.2 further makes provision for the placement of the GFPs in the office of the director general to enable effective gender mainstreaming of the department’s programmes
• Paragraph 4.4.2.4.3 asserts that the GFP should be appointed at director level, and draws attention to chapter five, table five which identifies the skills requirements consumerate with the recommended level for the post of the GFP in national departments

The purpose of the survey was to access the extent to which government departments are complying with the provisions of the National Policy Framework and thereby Strategic Objective H of the BPFA as far as it refers to the human resource capacity dedicated to gender mainstreaming.

The survey did not assess the skills levels of GFP’s since the focus at this stage is on the systems in place and the premise is that the National Gender Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality is very clear about the requisite skills and expected outputs. (Attachment one: Questionnaire on the status of GFPs in national departments.)

It should be noted therefore that an important gap in the survey is that it does not assess the financial resources available for the GFPs for their coordination task, nor does it assess overall departmental spending on identified gender priorities or women specific programmes.

1. Summary of Findings

• The Office on the Status of Women found that of the total twenty-two (22) Departments that responded in 2003, 31,8% had GFPs appointed at the level mandated by the Gender Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality.
• Out of the twenty-two (22) responding departments the GFPs were structured as follows:
• In fifteen (15) departments the term GFP refers to an individual
• In nine (9) departments the term GFP refers to a unit.
• Of the responding departments seven (7) reported that they have GFPs at the Director Level.
• Six (6) reported their GFPs were at Deputy Director Level.
• Four (4) reported that their GFPs were Assistant Directors.
• Only nine (9) departments had formally appointed GFPs, i.e. the person’s performance contract referred to their function as that of GFP.
• Only six (6) departments assess the GFPs for what can be referred to as GFP work.
• Four (4) departments have three people or less in the unit.
• In the responding departments there are none which have more than five persons in the gender unit.
• Eleven (11) of the responding departments indicated that GFPs reported directly or indirectly to a supervisor with gender as a key performance area. Ten (10) of the responding departments did not provide an answer to this question or were unsure of the status in this regard.
• In two (2) departments GFPs perform three functions or less.
• Most of the responding departments, i.e. fourteen (14) carry out four or more functions over and above the gender tasks.

• Of the responding departments seven (7) reported that they have GFPs at the Director Level.
• Six (6) reported their GFPs were at Deputy Director Level.
• Four (4) reported that their GFPs were Assistant Directors.
• The Departments of Arts and Culture; OPSC and ICD reported that they have Special Programmes Officers or a Senior Human Resource Officer as the officer responsible for gender equity work in the department.
• This means that of the total twenty-two (22) responding Departments, 31,8% had GFPs appointed at the level mandated by the Gender Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality.
• This number marks an improvement of 23% from 2002. However it must be remembered, that this is a percentage arrived at from the twenty – two (22) reporting departments. In 2002, twenty-five (25) departments responded – that is 3 more than those who responded in the current year.
• Out of the twenty-two (22) responding departments the GFPs were structured as follows:
• In fifteen (15) departments the term GFP refers to an individual
• In nine (9) departments the term GFP refers to a unit.

• Only nine (9) departments had formally appointed GFPs, i.e. the person’s performance contract referred to their function as that of GFP.
• Only six (6) departments assess the GFPs for what can be referred to as GFP work.

• The graph below illustrates the status of GFPs in those departments that responded in 2002 but did not respond in 2003 and is as follows:
• Nine (9) departments had GFPs
• In seven (7) departments, the term GFP refers to an individual

• In two (2) departments, the term GFP refers to a unit
• In the nine (9) departments, seven (7) had GFPs formally appointed
• In five (5) departments the GFPs were assessed only on GFP work.

• The graph below illustrates the status of GFPs in those departments that responded in 2003 but had not responded in 2002 and is as follows:
• Five (5) departments have GFPs
• In three (3) departments, the term GFP refers to an individual
• In two (2) departments, the term GFP refers to a unit
• In the five (5) departments, four (4) have GFPs formally appointed
• In all five (5) departments the GFPs are being assessed only on GFP work.

• In most departments the term gender focal point refers to an individual (15 departments).
• Four (4) departments have three people or less in the unit.
• In the responding departments there are none which have more than five persons in the gender unit.

• The graph above illustrates the status of GFPs in those departments that responded in 2003 but had not responded in 2002 and which is as follows:
• Seven (7) departments reported having one person in the gender unit / responsible for gender
• Two (2) departments reported having more than five (5) persons in the unit.

• The graph above illustrates the status of GFPs in those departments that responded in 2003 but had not responded in 2002 and is as follows:
• Two (2) departments reported having one person in the gender unit / responsible for gender
• One (1) department reported having three persons or less in the unit
• Two (2) departments reported having five persons or less in the unit
• No departments reported having more than five (5) persons in the unit.

• Seven (7) departments reported that a Director heads the unit. This figure includes the Departments of Health and the SA Police Services whose information is not included within this draft document.
• Six (6) departments reported that the gender unit is headed by a Deputy Director.
• Four (4) departments are headed by Assistant Directors.

1. Rank of Gender Focal Points: Departments with an Individual as the GFP for 2003

• Of the fifteen (15) departments that reported that their GFP was an individual, some departments have a GFP for external matters and a GFP for internal matters. In some instances, e.g. the Department of Science and Technology, the responding department may have a gender unit headed by a Director, but also have a GFP for external matters.
• Of the responding departments that have only individual GFPs, three (3) of these GFPs are Deputy Directors and eight (8) are Assistant Directors or lower.

• For fifteen (15) out of twenty-two (22) departments responding, their gender focal points were below the Director Level, and nine (9) GFPs were supervised (or reported to) a person at director level.
• Six (6) of the GFPs responding to the questionnaire reported to a Deputy Director.
• Eleven (11) of the responding departments indicated that GFPs reported directly or indirectly to a supervisor with gender as a key performance area. Ten (10) of the responding departments did not provide an answer to this question or were unsure of the status in this regard.

1. Other functions performed by Gender Focal Points for 2003

• Of the twenty-two departments responding, only six (6) departments perform GFP functions exclusively.
• In two (2) departments GFPs perform three functions or less.
• Most of the responding departments, i.e. fourteen (14) carry out four or more functions over and above the gender tasks.

1. Is there a Gender Focal Point (GFP) in your Department?

2. Is the GFP a unit or is the Focal Point a person?

2.1 If it is a unit:

i. How many persons are in the unit?

ii. What are the ranks of the persons employed in the unit?

2.2 If it is a person:

i. What rank is the person?

5. What other functions are performed by your GFP? Please tick.

HIV/AIDS Programmes ………

Children’s Rights ……….

Youth ……….

Disability ……….

Other……………………………………………………………………..

6. Who does the GFP reports go to? (What is their rank and designation).

1. Department of Arts and Culture
2. Department of Communications
3. Department of Correctional Services
4. Department of Education
5. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
6. Department of Foreign Affairs
7. Government Communications and Information Systems
8. Department of Health
9. Department of Home Affairs
10. Department of Housing
11. Independent Complaints Directorate
12. Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
13. Department of Labour
14. Department of Land Affairs
15. Department of Minerals and Energy
16. National Intelligence Agency
17. National Treasury
18. Office of the Public Service Commission
19. Department of Provincial and Local Government
20. Department of Public Enterprises
21. Department of Public Service and Administration
22. Department of Public Works
23. Safety and Security
24. Department of Social Development
25. South Africa Management Development Institute
26. South African National Defence Force
27. South African Police Service
28. South African Revenue Services
29. South African Secrete Services
30. Sport and Recreation
31. South African Sports Commission
32. Statistics South Africa
33. South African Local Government Association (SALGA)
34. Department of Trade and Industry
35. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry