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On Monday March 08, South Africa joins the rest of the world in observing International Women's Day under the theme: Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.

In addition to the activities organized to mark this day in South Africa, our country has sent a high-level delegation of women Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of the Executive Councils, Members of Parliament and Chapter 09 institutions to 54th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) taking place in New York from 01-12 March.

We sent this delegation with full support of Cabinet because the year 2010 is a major milestone in the global struggle for gender equality and improving the status of women. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 15 years since the historical adoption of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action and 10 years since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

At UNCSW, South Africa is participating in the review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action which provides an opportunity for countries to share experiences and best practices in improving the political and socio-economic status of women. The meeting is also discussing the measures for shaping a gender perspective towards the full realisation of the MDGs and its linkage with Beijing Platform for Action.

We are engaging on issues of women economic empowerment in the context of the global economic and financial crises and the challenges of violence affecting women worldwide. Of particular concern is the omission of the challenge of human trafficking, as it was not perceived as a major problem during the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995. Globalisation and other factors have brought this challenge to the fore and there is a need for a comprehensive global response.

Our delegation to UNCSW is sharing South Africa's best practices and learning from the innovations of other member-states. Our stories of progress include significant legislative reforms that facilitate gender equality and improved representation of women in political decision-making position, with our country having the third highest number of women in the legislature (45%) worldwide. We are also candid about the challenges of poverty particularly in rural areas, gender based violence, HIV/AIDS and other social challenges affecting women of our country. This rich collection of experiences will enable us to bring home new strategies that will enrich the implementation South Africa's own programme of action.

Following the President announcement of the establishment of the Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities in May 2009, we focused on building systems and processes that will enable this entity to successfully actualise the vision embodied in the announcement and the relevant Polokwane resolution. Our role is to drive, accelerate and oversee the government's equity, equality and empowerment agenda for women, children and persons with disabilities.

We have largely completed this process and are ready to ensure that 2010 does indeed become the Year of Action for marginalised women, children and persons with disabilities. As indicated in the State of the Nation Address, this year the department will, as part of its oversight function, undertake a rigorous process of integrating equity measures into Government's Programme of Action.

This action will ensure that government's delivery process integrates gender, disability and children's rights consideration thereby ascertaining that women, children and persons with disabilities can access developmental opportunities. This step further sharpens government's result orientated approach focusing on the five priorities.

Our interventions will ensure that government's effort to measure and monitor service delivery includes clear indicators relating to the three marginalized groups of our society. In addition to our oversight role, the Department has identified key flagship programmes for this term of government. Some of these projects are: Rural Development for the economic empowerment for women and persons with disabilities, establishment of the Women's Empowerment Fund, and action to guarantee that government attains 50/50 gender parity.

In line with government focus on combating crime, we will also intensify Campaigns on 365 and 16 Days of Activism on No Violence against Women and Children. The Secretariat responsible for the implementation of these campaigns is already being transferred from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to the Department for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities.

It is within this area that we are engaging with issues such as ritual killings as one of priority contact crimes (i.e. assault, rape and murder) affecting women and children. Furthermore with regard to children, our department is focusing on comprehensive protection of the rights of children living in the streets as well a programme for South Africans to support a child from the less privileged communities particularly those in rural areas. Concurrently, we will work to strengthen a culture of age appropriate responsibilities amongst our children.

For the disability sector, we are developing a Plan of Action for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The department is also developing a strategy that should move the country towards achieving 2% employment of persons with disabilities. This strategy will include the development of tools that will assist government to increase recruitment of persons with disabilities. We will also be encouraging the private sector to match government's effort in the attainment of 2% employment target for persons with disabilities and 50/50 gender parity. We will be elaborating on the programme of the department during our Budget Vote debate in parliament scheduled for April 16.

The implementation of our programme requires mobilisation of adequate human and other resources. Our organogram with the staff complement of 194 has been approved by the Department of Public Service and Administration. We are finalising the selection for the position of the Director General this month.

In the meantime, I have directed the department to advertise most of the post that we are scheduled to fill in the 2010/11 financial year. These include among others Deputy Directors General responsible for each of three branches - Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities. This will enable the new Director General to urgently select staff needed carry out our task.

As we observe the International Women's Day, we reassure the women of South Africa that 2010 is indeed a Year of Action in their struggle for Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.