PROGRESS REPORT TO THE JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE ON IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND STATUS OF WOMEN

AUGUST 2005

INTRODUCTION

In advancing a provincial gender programme the OSW’s approach has been to mainstream gender equality goals into existing government priorities and in governance processes. A successful co-ordination framework is one that ensures that government programmes and priorities reflect a consideration of the impact of such programmes on the lives of both men and women.

 

It must be noted that in the evaluation of the programmes, roles and functions of the Office, it is imperative to distinguish between the perceived roles (that is, community and other expectations).visa vie, the actual roles of the Office as stipulated in the National Gender Policy Framework.

In terms of the perceived roles great demands have been placed on the Office to embark upon developmental programmes. Although the Office incorporated some of these issues into our strategic plan, limited allocation both budgetary and human was allocated to the office to enhance the ability to achieve the perceived roles. All developmental programmes incorporated in the strategic plan of the office thus arose from the initiative and creativity of the staff to mobilize, network and fundraise from other stakeholders.

The mandate of the office is to ensure that gender is mainstreamed into the programmes of government departments thereby ensuring that Social, Economic and Political programmes with necessary resources, impact positively on the lives of women. Furthermore the office also ensured that the international agreements adopted and ratified by SA Government pertaining to the advancement of women such as the Beijing Platform of Action and the CEDAW is adhered to and implemented.

Due to the office consisting of a small human resource component and a limited budget a partnership has been established with government departments through Gender Focal Point Persons (GFP’s) and NGO’s within Civil Society.

This report will reflect on the government programmes on gender transformation and its impact on the lives of women with special emphasis on empowerment of women.

 

 

 

ACTIVITIES

FUNCTIONS

ACTIVITIES

ACHIEVEMENTS

Policy formulation

  • Consultations with all Stakeholders throughout the Province.

  • Consultation with Gender Activists for completion and printing.

Draft is available.

Provincial Gender Action Plan

  • Consultation with stakeholders to formulate plan.

Plan of Action is available and is being implemented.

Gender Audit

  • Audit conducted in all government departments from level 1-12.

  • Audit levels 1-12 completed, outstanding-completion and compilation of report.

  • Progress noted in women in decision making positions, e.g.,

    • 1 DDG;

    • 3 Chief Directors;

    • 16 Directors.

    Capacity Building

    • Communities information dissemination sessions on:

      • Legislative Acts;

      • Resources Accessibility;

      • ID campaigns.

    • Staff / GFP’s

      • Gender Sensitization;

      • Gender Policy;

      • Gender Budget;

      • OSW/UNDP Training;

      • Management Training

  • Sessions held for women in all regions especially in rural and farm areas

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    • Workshops conducted to capacitate GFP’s to analyse policies.

     

     

    Advocacy

    • Organized and co-ordinated awareness campaigns on issues affecting Women, Girls and link these to commemorative days for impact:

      • Violence Against Women;

      • 16 Days of Activism;

      • HIV/AIDS;

      • Women’s Month Programme;

      • Women In Dialogue.

  • Mobilized communities to participate in all programmes at Provincial and Regional levels

    • Staff serves on various committees to give strategic direction and influence.

    Monitoring and Evaluation

    • Undertook research, audits and assessments of service delivery by government departments and the Status of Gender Machinery.

    Research

    • Comprehensive Status report available with summary of findings including percentage to education, poverty, violence against women poverty, etc.

    Audit

    • Northern Cape government has 10 departments. Only one department has not appointed a Gender Focal Point Person. Most departments are on the process of establishing Gender Forums.

     

     

    ORGANOGRAM

    Northern Cape Office on the Status of Women has an approved organogram of 6 staff members:

    1 x Deputy Director (Vacant since October 2004)

    3 x Assistant Directors

    1 x Admin Officer (Vacant since 2004)

    1 x Admin Clerk

    1 x General Assistant.

    CHALLENGES / CONSTRAINTS

    Due to the fact that gender programmes were put in place since 1994 the office had to initiate all programmes and structures to advance gender equality. The focus of the office was to ensure that the mechanisms to advance gender programmes within departments was established.

    This proved to be an extremely challenging process as it involved dealing with attitudinal change, organizational power and structural changes to the organogram. These changes impacted on departmental budgets forcing political decision by Cabinet to pas a resolution to force departments to appoint Gender Focal Point Persons.

    However only the Department of Education appointed the GFP at a Deputy Director’s Level, the other 9 Departments GFP’s are at Assistant Director Level:

     

     

     

    CONCLUSION.

    In conclusion the critical challenges in Gender Mainstreaming includes the need for more advocacy and concerned work at Provincial and Local level participating in the area of raising awareness on Citizen Rights, including existing information, available resources, grants and who qualifies for those. Despites all the hindrances and obstacles encountered it is without doubt that the OSW has played an important role in the gender transformation of the province.