The Chief Directorate Programmes met on 29 – 30 March 2006 to review the performance of individual GDC programmes. In this meeting, programmes were to present the following:

• Strategic Plans for 2006/07

• An overview of the performance of GDC programmes for January – March 2006 and action plans for April – June 2006

• Members of staff in all the programmes were also to present their individual contributions to 1) the achievements of their programmes in the first quarter of this calendar year 2) the realisation of programme goals for the second quarter of the year. Programme activities were to be aligned to strategic objectives in The Presidency

• Budget status for 2005/06

• Budget plans for 2006/07

• Performance risks and control measures

• Possible GDC collaboration opportunities

• The overall mandate and core business of GDC Programmes is "Provision of High Quality, Professional Support to the Minister, Deputy President and President in the Execution of their Executive Responsibilities.

• The vision of Programmes is "Excellence in Governance Processes for a Better Life for Women, People with Disabilities and Children"

• The mission of the programmes is "Leadership, Development and Management of the GDC Strategic Agenda of Government"

ORC also presented the following:

• The ORC Strategic Plan 2005 – 2009

• 5yr Programme Plan

• The following performance motivating factors:

• A programme implementation approach that strengthens synergy and confidence in the work of the ORCs and Children’s Rights Focal Points at all spheres of Government
• Increasing Municipality involvement in the children’s rights transformation process

• Cooperative and motivated National Children’s Rights Team
• Increasing acknowledgement of the ORC’s children’s rights leadership responsibilities in Government

• Supportive Political Leader
• Supportive Office of the Minister
• Supportive DG and Presidency
• Hard working, passionate and committed ORC Team

• Technical support by the Chief Director: Programmes

• Participation in the Development Information (Devinfo) workshop that was aimed at strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation compliance for Millennium Development Goals. An observation was made with regard to the Devinfo where there is lack of disaggregated data on disability issues.

• OSDP strategic planning workshop

• Participation at the Office on the Rights of the Child National Sectoral Planning and Evaluation meeting assisted the OSDP official who attended with the knowledge on the context within which Provinces and Municipalities operate.

• Policy Guidelines for the relationship with the Media.

• Agreement with the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) to train 40 disabled people. The training will focus on the system of communication through radio, website and computer animation, television production, radio production, computer animation, website design

• A Media tool kit to train disabled people was also developed

• Manuscript for a book written by disabled. The manuscript is awaiting approval by the Minister for publication

• Attended the Seventh Session of the Ad Hoc Committee of the United Nations International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The delegation made input into the text within the session. The South African Delegation report is available

• Preparations for South Africa’s participation at the 50^th Session of the UN CSW held in New York from 27^th February to 10^th March 2006. This entailed the hosting of two consultative meetings on the two thematic areas focused on in the 50^th Session for which South African Position Papers were crafted.

• OSW Strategic Planning Meeting

• Alignment of OSW vision with that of the Presidency and which is as follows:

• Alignment of the mission statement of the OSW with that of the Presidency and which is:

• Revision of the OSW strategic objectives to align with strategic objectives of The Presidency.

The South African delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women was composed of Government and Civil Society. Government was represented by the Ms N Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister of Home Affairs, Ms N Balindlela, the Premier of the Eastern Cape; Dr E Kornegay, Chief Director: Programmes in the Presidency, OSW, National Departments of Foreign Affairs, Environment, Public Administration, Local and Provincial Government, Minerals and Energy, and the Offices of the Premiers in the Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal.

Civil Society was led by the First Lady, Mrs. Zanele Mbeki and her delegation representing South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID). Ms Hazel Gumede-Shelton, South Africa’s candidate to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), also formed part of the delegation. Her visit to New York provided an opportunity to lobby support for her candidature to the treaty-monitoring body. The delegation participated actively in all areas of the official programme of the Commission as well as in the side events organized by Non-Governmental Organisations.

Group 77 (currently chaired by South Africa) and China decided not to have a position on the two thematic issues as consensus on a number of issues could not be achieved. The African Group did not manage to agree a common position on thematic issues. Member States negotiated in their national capacities or supported the positions of representatives of their regional groups. South Africa, in its capacity as Chair, delivered a statement on behalf of G77 and China during the General Discussion in plenary. On behalf of G77 Member States of the UN, Palestine and China, South Africa also introduced the resolution on the "Situation of and assistance to Palestinian Women"

The Commission adopted the conclusions on the priority themes. In the conclusion on Women in Development, the controversial areas where delegations nearly did not reach consensus was on the issue of international cooperation, and reproductive health as the United States had major reservations with regard to these issues. With regard to the conclusion on Women’s equal participation in decision-making, the United States refused to accept references to the situation of women under foreign occupation. Delegations from the Arab Group had to reluctantly withdraw this reference but raised their bitter disappointment in this regard. A detailed report of the Delegation’s participation is currently being finalized.

The Chief Directorate observed that lessons learnt and the experience gained at the CSW process in New York will benefit similar GDC initiatives at AU and Regional levels.

• ORC Strategic Planning Meeting

• Negotiated and achieved the ORC & NCRC Partnership

• Performance Agreements and Operational

• Consultations with Government and Civil Society in Mpumalanga and Northern Cape

• Produced analysis report on the Child Labour Action Plan to be discussed with the Lead Department

• Produced National Children’s Day Report: 2005. This report outlines "Procedural Guidelines for the ORC Partnership with Children’s Day Hosting Provinces"

• Presentations of Awards to schools that won the "Children’s Rights & Responsibilities Competition" ( Minister Pahad presented the Awards) Principals, Chair-Persons of School Governing Bodies, Provincial ORCs and DoE were in attendance

• Analysis of child specific performance achievements in the POA

• Led the process to organise the 2^nd Annual Sectoral Performance Evaluation and Planning. Provincial & Municipality ORCs/Children’s Desks – as well as Departmental and Municipalities Children’s Rights Focal Points were in attendance. 9 Municipality representation still needs to be strengthened)

• Produced a "Guide to Establish ORCs & Children’s Rights Focal Points at all Spheres of Government". This tool was used to guide the activation of ORCs the Western Cape, Free State, and North West. Meetings were held with DGs.

• Revisited the ORC issue with Gauteng’s Premier’s Office. This meeting agreed that ORC will communicate on children’s rights issues through the Director: Programmes in the Premier’s Office.
• Introduced the concept "children’s rights mainstreaming" in the Department of Housing

• Clarified the role of ORC in ECD Tshwaragano ka Bana Programme in the Eastern Cape

• Initiated a process that will produce the a guide to heighten awareness on Departmental children’s rights obligation

• Programmes to use the use of the National Expenditure Framework as a planning

• Batho Pele principles to underpin the work of the programmes

• The development of mainstreaming manuals for municipalities at local government level was commendable (ORC). OSDP and OSW to consider doing the same.

• The publication of a report on the celebration of the National Children’s Day is good. OSDP and OSW to consider the same.

• The training programme with a phased approach is a good practice particularly in lieu of the constant turnover of focal points within departments and the challenges this poses in retention of skills.

• The scanning of newspapers and the media on a daily basis to identify emerging issues pertaining to children’s rights was cited as a good practice and should be emulated. OSDP also has a similar programme in place and it was suggested that this approach should also be looked at. This was essential for the tracking of GDC emerging issue

• The key focus for advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality is clearly being guided by the emerging focus of the 10 year review process as well as the outcomes of the 50^th Session of the UN CSW, particularly that of implementation and service delivery. The focus, which was emphasized at the UN CSW, is the need to move beyond the policy development and to focus on implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes.

• The key message of the President’s State of the Nation Address 2006 was that of improving the government machinery for service delivery. This was largely influential in the development of the OSW programme of work as outlined for 2006/07, with the particular focus on strengthening the national and provincial gender machineries to ensure delivery for women in SA, thereby keeping the promise of a better life for all, made to women.

• The work of the OSW will be complemented by collaboration with the other programmes and the Chief Directorate. This includes uniformity of processes as well as an integrated approach to meeting the programmes’ mandates.

• The issue of collaboration and alignment was strongly emphasized with a number of issues arising for special discussion. These issues thus provided direction for the three programmes in the Chief Directorate, particularly for integrated planning, approach and implementation

• The agreement for administration staff of the three programmes to work together on a common approach ensures uniform application of systems in the chief directorate was commendable.

• Participants noted that opportunities for integrated action in the chief directorate were identified.

• The meeting agreed that the performance review process provided a baseline from which to move towards quarterly reviews of strategic plans.

• Host SADC ECD meeting

• Orientation of Provincial and Municipality ORCs on their role in the National ECD Programme

• Secure agreement with Project Consolidation regarding mainstreaming of the children’s rights programme in this initiative

• Facilitate SA’s commemoration of the Day of the African Child". This is the first time South Africa will be observing this AU commitment.

• Produce the National Children’s Day concept document and action plan.

• Lead the process to organise the ORC and Donor Agencies Children’s Rights Information Meeting

• Meet with the SANDF to activate the suggestion to train peace keeping forces on children’s rights

• Compile sectoral annual performance evaluation and planning report

• Extract and communicate child specific performance indicators in the POA 2006/07 to ORCs and Focal Points at all spheres of Government

• Populate the template to measure children’s rights delivery in the Orc electronic template

To ensure continuous performance improvement, the meeting agreed that:

• Programmes will address operational and performance requirements in their offices as well

• Programmes will meet deadlines

• The CD Strategic Planning Meeting will be held at the end of in April 2006

• Monthly GDC information meetings will be held

• GDC quarterly performance tracking meetings will be held

• Quarterly reporting meetings will be held with Minister and the DG

The following working groups were established to facilitate synergy in the Chief Directorate:

Members: Ronel Ince and Joanna Doorasamy (OSDP)

Julia Masekela and Myrtle Matabane (ORC)

Convener: Ronel Ince (OSDP)

Sponsors: Benny Palime and Dr E Kornegay

Nonhlanhla Zindela and Gilbert Letsoalo (OSW)

Convener: Nonhlanhla Zindela (OSW)

Sponsor: Mabel Rantlha (ORC) and Benny Palime (OSDP)

Members: Mlungisi Khumalo (OSDP)

Nonhlanhla Zindela (OSW)

Myrtle Matabane (ORC)

Convener: Mlungisi Khumalo (OSDP)

Sponsor: Mabel Rantlha (ORC) and Benny Palime (OSDP)

Members: Ria Mathivha and Joana (OSDP)

Khomotso Kgothadi (ORC)

Ranji Reddy (Lead) and Hleki Mabunda (OSW)

Convener: Ranji Reddy (OSW)

Sponsor: Mabel Rantlha (ORC) and Susan Nkomo (OSW)

Members: Peter Mofokeng and Myrtle Matabane (ORC)

Ranji Reddy and Nonhlanhla Zindela (OSW)

Benny Palime and Ronel Ince (OSDP)

Convener: Peter Mofokeng (ORC)

Sponsor: Dr Kornegay (CDP)

Members: Hleki Mabunda (OSW)

Khomotso Kgothadi (ORC)

Ria Mathivha and Ronel Ince (OSDP)

Convener: Hleki Mabunda (OSW)

Sponsor: Dr Kornegay (CDP)

Members: Joanna Doorasamy (OSDP)

Nonhlanhla Zindela (OSW)

David Chabalala (ORC)

Convener: David Chabalala (ORC)

Sponsor: Susan Nkomo (OSW) and Mabel Rantlha (ORC)

Members: Hleki Mabunda (OSW)

Khomotso Kgothadi (ORC)

Ria Mathivha (OSDP)

Convener: Ria Mathivha (OSDP)

Sponsor: Benny Palime (OSDP)

Nyameka Ndara and Khomotso Kgothadi (ORC)

Ria Mathivha and Zola Gqamane (OSDP)

Convener: Nyameka Ndara

Sponsor: Dr Kornegay

The Chief Director will develop terms of reference of all the committees, including roles of members, convener and sponsors in the committees. Teams are required to implement these and will be expected to report back on progress and challenges at the next review meeting.