OFFICE ON STATUS OF WOMEN ANNUAL REPORT

PERIOD COVERED: JULY 2007-OCTOBER 2007

BRIEFING TO THE JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND STATUS OF WOMEN.

Introduction

This is the first report for the Office on Status of Women that is presented to the Joint Monitoring Committee of Quality of life and Status of Women

By the new officials that started the office in July 2007 after all previous official left the office.

The report will cover the activities that have been covered by the office under the following objectives of the office:

· Strengthening the National Gender Machinery (NGM)

· Coordination of South Africa’s progress report on the implementation of the resolutions where South Africa is a signatory.

· Providing support to processes of strengthening women’s movements and women empowerment

· To participation in National Commemorations events

· Support Regional, Sub-regional and International processes related to gender and Women development

· Monitoring and Evaluation

· Participation in important meetings to support activities that promotes Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

· Ensuring the smooth running of the Office on Status of Women.

1. Strengthening the National Gender Machinery (NGM)

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Held the strategic planning session with National Gender Machinery on 23 - 24 July 2007.	Developed the National Plan of action	This was the first meeting for the new OSW office to meeting the NGM.	R50 000 R250 000	-Facilitators-R187 000 -Venue- R67 000	-R137 000 R183 000
Held the second NGM meeting on 9 October 2007.	The NGM was informed of the donor funding of R750 000 received from African Development Bank to conduct a research on Gender Profile. The Terms of Reference for the Gender Research Profile were developed during this meeting	The research result will complement the 15year Research to monitor and evaluate the impact of the implementation of the Gender Policy Frame work and Gender Programmes by the OSW, National Gender Machinery and Gender Focal Points to the National. Provincial and Local Government levels and individuals in all spheres of life since 1994	R50 000	-Meals- R1500 00	R48 500

2. Coordination and reporting obligations on the implementation of the resolutions by South Africa

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Collected information by coordinating with relevant departments in order to complied reports	The following reports were compiled and submitted: -SADC report 2007 UN Resolution 51/3 on forced marriage of the Girl-Child on 12 September 207. - AU Ouagadougou Resolution on empowerment of women and poverty alleviation on 11 September 2007. -JMC OSW progress report 2005-2007	All the reports were submitted within time frames to Department of Foreign Affairs or relevant sections.
South Africa’s recent statistics to SADC	The requested statistics where complied and submitted on 11 October 2007.	The request for the statistics was received from DFA and OSW compiled and submitted South Africa‘s recent statistics to SADC summit for Heads of State and Government on 11 October to the Department of Foreign affairs

3. Provide support to processes of strengthening women’s movements and women empowerment

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Facilitated the 5th Presidential Working Group on Women.(PWGW)	Successfully meeting held on the 7 August 2007 attended by 57 members who interacted with the President. The Deputy President and three National Ministers were also in attendance.	Informative developmental reports presented to the President.	R100 000 R50 000 R77 000	-Air travel-30 000 -Accommodation –Ground transport- R7 000	R70 000 R50 000 R70 000
Forwarding the synopsis of Organisations represented in the PGWG to the Chair person of the Group on 13 September 2007	The document compiled and submitted.	The office coordinated with members of the PWGW to submit their profile and compiled one document. This saves as data base for the office.
Participated in Gender mainstreaming and Capacity building.	OSW presented papers in Mpumalanga Provincial Government on women empowerment, gender equality and Gender Mainstreaming on 19-20September 2007.	The presences of the national office as well as the presented information were well appreciated.

4. Participation in National Commemorations events

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
National Women’s Day celebration 2007.	Co-hosted the event with Department of Arts And Culture on 09 August 2007.	Successful event held in Kimberly, Galeshewe Stadium in the Northern Cape.	-Not allocated R100 000 R50 000	-Transfer Arts and Culture – R480 000 -Air Travel – R10 000 -Accommodation –R4 000	- R60 000 R46 000
Women’s Day Celebration at The Presidency Attended International Rural Women’s day in Grabouw-Western Cape and Umdoni in KZN.	OSW hosted the event on 31 August 2007 at The Union buildings Presented a paper in KZN on Women and Poverty Alleviation and Women’s Rights issues.	The Deputy President graced the event and gave a key note address. The message was well received by participants and officials, both campaigns were well attended by rural women and men.	R40 000 R5 000	Gifts- R15 000 -Catering – R35 000	R25 000 -R30 000

5. Support Regional, Sub-regional and International processes related to Gender and Women development

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Visits to Maputo on 17^th -19^th July 2007 for the development of a draft Protocol on Gender and Development to be adopted by Ministers Responsible for Gender/Women Affairs and to be signed by Heads of States in a summit held in and Lusaka on10th -14^th Aug 2007.	The signing of the protocol has been deferred to 2008	The Gender Protocol was not signed due to disagreement with some of the provisions of the Protocol by other Member States. It was realized that SA is taking a lead in issues related to gender and women development as most of the matters that other member states still wants to address are already enshrined in the SA Constitution.	R50 000	-Daily allowance –R6 000	R44 000
Presented in Women’s Parliament IN August 2007	Attended and presented a paper on Women in decision making positions in Parliament on 26-28 August 2007	Outstanding exposure and good networking environment.	R100 000	-Air travel- R3500 00 -Accommodation-R2500 00	R56 500 R43 500

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Attended Women In Local Government Summit in Limpopo on 3-5 Sept 2007	OSW was invited to form a panel on issues related to women development.	It was identified that there is a need for OSW to facilitating and support capacity building programmes to Local government.	R100 000	-Air travel- R4 500 -Accommodation-R2000 00 -Ground Travel- R1400 000	R51 000 R41 500 R56 000
Attended and presented in Mpumalanga Province Strategic Planning for Municipalities and Departments.	OSW presented papers on Gender Equality, Women Empowerment Policy and Gender Mainstreaming .	OSW to continue with monitoring and Evaluation.	R100 000 R77 000 R50 000	Air travel –R5 000 Ground transport- R7 000 Accommodation- R5 000 00	R46 000 R49 000 R36 000
Attended a high level round table on Gender mainstreaming in the public service an initiative by the Department of public service and administration on 28 Sept 2007	Two Deputy Directors from OSW attended the meeting.	The targeted attendees were supposed to be Director General and did not attend but send focal points as representatives
Coordination of the 15 year Terms of Reference Evaluation Research on Government performances on Gender from August 2007 until the research is completed in 2008.	Compiled and submitted the 15 year Terms of Reference to the coordinators as well as all other process to kick start the Research.	The office is currently facilitating identification of the researcher to start the research.	No allocation	R100 000	No allocation
Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Supported the Deputy President during her official tour in France by providing the speaking notes.	Prepared the speaking notes for the Deputy President to speak in France on the 10^th October 2007.	The speaking notes were prepared for the Deputy President after an urgently requested was received from her office while the Deputy President was already in France to address Women Forum.

Involvement with International Peace missions	Submitted an input to the Revised White Paper on South African participation in International Peace Mission to Department of Foreign affairs on 10 October 2007^.	The Department of Foreign Affairs is currently coordinating the International Peace Mission and OSW provided the document with Gender information as well as forming Member of the coordination Term.
Attended the Farm Workers Awareness Campaign as part of International Rural Women’s Day.	Attended the Farm workers awareness Campaign in the Western Cape ,Grabouw on the 14^th October 2007	The campaign was held on Sunday the 14^th Of October, a day before the actual date to reach all farm workers as they are unable to attend during the week.	R100 000 R77 000 R50 000	Air travel –R10 000 Ground transport- R7 000 Accommodation- R5 000 00	R36 000 R42 000 R31 000

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
International Rural Women’s Day	Attended the International women’s Day in Kwazulu- Natal on the 15-16 October 2007 .	OSW had presentation on the following during the campaign; Women Economic Empowerment issues and expressed concern regarding the women killing that continue to take place in the Province. OSW promised to continue to play their role of advocacy in making sure that the perpetrators are brought to books and are given harsh sentences

India Brazil and South Africa Women forum (IBSA)

The IBSA women forum was held in Sandton Convention Centre on 14-15 October 2007.

OSW attended the meeting and the Chief Director was asked to be a task team member to go a present the memorandum to the Heads of States on 17 October 2007.

6. Advocacy and capacity building

Activities	Outcome	Comments	Actual Budget	Expenditure	Balance
Issued a Press Statement.	OSW prepared and submitted press release statement in condemning the women killing in the Kwazulu-Natal Province sugar cane industry.	The press release statement was broadcasted in some radio satiations. This was followed by Bus Campaign held in the Kwazulu Natal Province as an awareness campaign in the province.

6. Monitoring and Evaluation

Activities	Outcome	Comments
Monitoring and Evaluation meetings.	Monitoring and Evaluation Deputy Directors for OSW and OSDP are coordinating meets to kick start monitoring the Governments performance with regard to implementation of Gender Equity Policy and Employment Equity of 50% women and 2% of persons with disabilities.	The first meeting was held at the Department of Housing on 8^Th October 2007 to make an agreement on starting this process in their department so as to have record of baseline statistic.

7. Attending important meetings that support activities that promote Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

Activities	Outcome	Comments
Attended a lunch dialogue on Gender Based Violence.	Attended a lunch dialogue on Gender Based Violence where donors from different countries attended in order to share information with South Africa.	Valuable information and networking opportunity.

Activities	Outcome	Comments
National coordination committee meeting Attended a meeting organized by CGE where women from Brazil, Canada and the US paid a courtesy call to the Commissioner, OSW presented on their role in Government.	The meeting was held in the Western Cape, Parliament on the 8^th October 2007 ,chaired by Minister Hangana, of department of provincial and Local Government The meeting went on well with +_ ten women attending. Presentations from CGE,OSW and the commission on culture, religion and linguistics were well received by the visitors	The main aim of the meeting was to preparation for the 16 days of Activism on Violence Against women and Children commemoration. The meeting was a good opportunity for networking and meeting with the commissioner and other colleagues from the CGE.
Mass Men's March Meeting	Hosted a meeting on the 11^th October 2007for Mass Men’s March.	Mass Men’s March form part of the 16 Days of Activism on Violence Against Women and Children.
Gender Audit Training	OSW’s three Deputy Directors attended the training that took place from 22-24 October 2007	The training capacitated the offices in the OSW office.

Activities	Outcome	Comments
Gender Training	Gender training was organised by OSW during October 2007 for the focal points and OSW three Deputy Directors at the Presidency.	The Training will take place from 4-6 November 2007 The office coordinated with the Gender focal points to join the OSW for the training. OSW will pay for the training and gender focal points to pay for the accommodation. This is related to the fact that OSW has noted the number of focal points that are not trained related to increased staff turnover.
Peace keeping missions meeting with DFA	OSW to facilitate the process of inputting into the national plan of action which was developed by DFA .	The inputs will be made during the next NGM meeting to be held on the 23rd of November 2007.

7. Ensure the smooth running of the office

Activities	Outcome	Comments
Records update Improving filling systems Updating information Updating of the data base	Ongoing activities	The activities are based on that the office is manned by new offices that are still undergoing the process of self orientation to the office.

Total Expenditure

R1008000