Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity participating in the 10th meeting of the Speakers of Parliaments. For us gender equality it is a case for human rights, human dignity, for justice and for democracy.

We understand that democracy is based on the principle of representation. We also understand that you cannot represent more than half the population of the world if that population of the world does not see itself, does not feel itself at the decision-making tables.

We also think that democracy simplified means the right to see, to sit, to hear, and to speak and just to be. We think that the right to vote and the right to run for office are but a small portion of what public representation is all about. But it also means that public representation is transparent, and that frequently agreed to circles of elections are heard.

As women Parliamentarians we believe that we must make sure that gender perspectives are incorporated in all the policies and standard setting initiatives. We should therefore, as women believe that women who are at the decision-making tables will facilitate and promote utilisation of all resources in order to promote sustainable development for women into the futures.

Of course we are concerned about the lack of representation and participation of women also in economics and the other social spheres of all our lives.

We know that lack of resources, gender insensitive electoral policies, prevailing gender stereotype based on culture and custom and sometimes just pure chauvinism continue to impede the progress for equal representation by men and women in both the politics and economy of any nation.

We want to recap that men do make up 78% of Parliamentarians, 93% of elected Heads of State are men, 82% of government are made up of men, 95% of corporate executives are male world thru. In other words, women only make up 22.1% as parliamentarians and only 16.8 % of the presiding officers are women.

Clearly we need to do something, conflict in the world, sliding economies tell us it is time to look closer at gender representation, and we know that with gender representation we need to also have political will, we must be commitment to re-look at robust policies, such as the quotas the electoral systems that facilitate the election of women that we need to stabilise the world. We want to content that the more women at decision making tables the less conflict we will have throughout the world.

When we make these policies, we must set ambitious but practical targets that are stringently enforced and are accompanied by measures to remove barriers to campaign funding, to curb violence against women in politics, to eliminate negative stereotypes. With these, we think that we will feel the impact.

South Africa is resolute in promoting gender equality. In 1991 at its re-establishment conference the African National Conference (ANC) agreed to a 30% quota for representation of women in all its decision making structures.  It then went on in 2007 to increase the quota to 50%.These measures are largely responsible for the increase numbers for women in Parliament who are standing at 44.1% in the National Assembly (NA), 38% in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

This is also reflected in the increased numbers of both cabinet ministers and the deputy cabinet ministers, it is also a reflection of the endeavour by the country to increase the number of the female jurists and leaders of the judiciary in South Africa.  In administration also, South Africa is beginning to make headway in ensuring that heads of administration in both the corporate world and in the public services are women.

The 2014 MasterCard Index for Women's Advancement shows that gender inequality is still a big challenge. Women still earn less than men for similar work despite all efforts we have to reduce inequality. We also note that the pay gap has increased from 33 % in 2009 to 38 % in 2014 throughout the world.

We know that enabling legislation has helped women’s representation in the workplace from 14 % in 2003 to 20.6 % in 2013, professional women increased from 36 % to 43 % and skilled women from 44.2 % to 47%. While this looks positive, we think that we need to do a lot more to push women to the top echelons of all society as equals.

We note that no country in the world Madam Speaker, has closed the overall gender gap, comprising of economic, political, educational and health aspects. This is according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2014 report. At the current rate of progress, the report estimates, that it will take 81 years to achieve gender parity. This is too long for the women to wait.

We know that we need to do a lot of things quickly, we need to improve the pay gap, we need to ensure that when gender equality occurs even in the economic side; that business grows, that productivity and economic growth are improved that you therefore have less potential of conflict throughout those who are marginalised in the different communities and societies.

Therefore we think that promoting gender balance in all fields and expanding the role of women in decision-making is not merely a moral imperative. It is a pre-requisite for the effective poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.

The responsibility to see women at the decision-making tables is important to parliaments because we have the responsibilities, we are obliged to ensure that all citizens are treated equally.

Parliaments should therefore ensure that resources are allocated to empower women and to create opportunities. Democracy is not just about the majority having a say. It is about enabling that majority to understand to identify and to exercise all their freedoms and we think that as parliaments, as presiding officers we need to play our part and I wish to thank you.