Ms Maropene Ramokgopa, the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Picture: Supplied
Maropene Ramokgopa
Our first democratic President Nelson Mandela once said: “We must be honest and open about the power relationships between men and women in our society, and we must help build a more enabling and supportive environment that puts the role of women centre stage in this struggle.
Each one of us, sister and brother, mother and father, teacher and student…. must add our voice to this call for action.”
I was reminded of Tata Madiba’s words as South Africa celebrates Women's Month, to pay tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women.
The 2024 Women’s Month has been observed under the theme: “Celebrating 30 Years of Democracy Towards Women’s Development”.
The theme encapsulates South Africa’s commemoration of 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy, making this year’s Women’s Month an important juncture for collective reflection on how we have empowered and advanced the rights of women in our democratic journey.
During 2024, we also celebrate 30 years of the Women’s Charter, which was established to drive equality, as well as accelerate economic reforms to unlock women’s economic progress.
In our country, Apartheid left a legacy of social and economic inequality in South Africa that disproportionately affects women's empowerment, especially those from underprivileged communities.
Today, all the women in South Africa, regardless of race or age, enjoy freedom and equal rights thanks to the bravery, activism, and sacrifices of the generation of 1956.
Equally, the government has made significant strides in advancing the agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Through creating an enabling legislative environment, women are making key strides in traditionally male-dominated sectors, including energy, trade, transport and logistics, mining, and emerging economies such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
The 2023 Global Gender Gap Report (World Economic Forum) has reaffirmed that South Africa and 15 other countries have closed more than 70% of the gender gap.
In fact, the Development Indicators report by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, which tracks progress against the National Development Plan, reflects an improvement in gender representation in legislative bodies in South Africa since 1994.
By 2019, the percentage of women in parliament increased to 45%, showing a positive shift from the 43% in 2014.
A similar trend is observed in provincial legislatures, with an increase in women's representation from 42.1% in 2014 to 44.0% in 2019.
By the year 2023, we also had at least 113 women serving as judges in the judiciary, including our first female Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, in contrast to the two female judges in 1994.
Women-headed households receiving government housing subsidies have increased from 6,3% in 2002 to 23,1% in 2019.
The number of women purchasing homes in their own right also increases faster than men. In 2019, for instance, 27% of homeowners were single women, compared to 26% of single men.
In 2020, 185,070 mortgages (30%) were approved for historically disadvantaged women in and below the gap market out of 622,286 home loans approved overall.
The foundations of women's empowerment are also entrenched in skills development and education. Today, more female learners sit for matric than males.
Female learners are achieving more bachelor passes. Young women also make up the majority of students enrolled in higher education institutions.
In 2021, government’s National Research Foundation supported 2,359 PhD candidates, and from these, 1,759 (74.6%) were black students while 1,224 (51.9%) were women, and 41 (1.7 per cent) were individuals with disabilities.
By providing women with access to education and training, we arm them with tools to succeed in the labour market and economy.
Government is aware that efforts to increase access to education for women needs to be supported by deliberate intervention to end all forms of discrimination.
The ingrained societal and cultural practices that support gender discrimination and restrict women's access to the labour market and the economy needs to be addressed with urgency.
These hurdles, which range from the unequal burden of unpaid care work to limited access to finance, have kept women back for far too long.
These barriers must be removed to level the playing field because we can only achieve sustainable and inclusive growth in South Africa when women are economically empowered.
Government has and continues to prioritise investment in women’s economic empowerment through various interventions, such as public procurement.
We have committed to allocate at least 40% of public procurement to women-owned businesses.
The African Continental Free Trade Area will also give women-owned businesses in South Africa and across the continent access to new markets and opportunities. Today, young women also have several opportunities in public job programmes as well.
For example, more than 1,2 million people have benefited from the Presidential Employment Stimulus since it was implemented in 2020 by getting jobs and other means of subsistence. Over 60% of the individuals involved in the programme are female.
The economic benefits of women's empowerment are undeniable. When women are empowered to participate fully in the labour market and economy, they not only contribute to increased productivity and economic growth but also enhance economic diversification and poverty reduction.
They also invest in their families and communities, creating a virtuous cycle of development.
Despite the gains, it is disheartening to concede that women still suffer structural barriers that impede their full participation in the economy, despite government efforts to rectify past disparities.
To do more to empower women and close the gap, social partners, including business, must act with decisive speed together.
Our labour laws must be enforced, discriminatory behaviours and policies must be eliminated, equal pay for equal work must be promoted, and environments that support women's advancement into higher-paying and leadership roles must be created.
Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) continues to rear its ugly head. In the past 30 years, government and civil society have led efforts to end GBVF.
These efforts have been consolidated in the National Strategy Plan on GBVF which is being monitored by the DPME.
The criminal justice system has been strengthened, and the recent public pledge made by His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, during the 2024 State of the Nation Address.
We urge all sectors of the society to play a part in combating GBVF, create a safe and conducive environment for women to participate in the socio-economic activities of the country.
In today’s changing environment, women's empowerment is necessary, especially if we are to come close to achieving the 2030 targets of the National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals.
The growth of South Africa relies heavily on the empowerment of women. To realise our full potential, propel economic progress, and create a more just society, more investments and initiatives must be geared towards women.
This is a continuous process, but with dedication and coordinated efforts, the country may attain a future where all women can fully participate in the economy.
* Maropene Ramokgopa is the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
IOL Opinion
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