Date: 01/03/05
Source: Ministry of Social Development
Title: Skweyiya: International Conference on Families
Speech by Dr Zola Skweyiya, Minister of Social Development, to the International Conference on Families, Durban
1 March 2005
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Mr Sibusiso Ndebele
Executive Mayor of Ethekwini, Councillor, Mr Mlaba
MECs here present
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Let me begin by thanking the organisers of this international conference for bringing us together to reflect upon the research, policies and issues confronting families today, particularly on the African continent. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all our guest and visitors. You are in the midst of your brothers and sisters and we value the different insights you will bring to bear on our deliberations during this conference.
I would particularly like to single out the Minister of Family, Social Protection and Solidarity in Benin, Ms Lea Hounkpe, and participants from the African continent and the Diaspora because we see this conference as one more step in the implementation of the African Union’s Plan of Action for the Family in Africa.
Our deliberations, however, need to be enriched by the knowledge and experiences from all other parts of the world. This is not only because of the intrinsic value of such contributions, but also because the African Union’s Plan of Action for the Family in Africa was intended to be Africa’s contribution to the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family.
As the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family coincided with our celebrations of ten years of freedom and democracy in South Africa, I will use this opportunity to also reflect on what we have achieved with regards to families over the past ten years and also reflect on what are some of our outstanding challenges.
We used the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the family to intensify efforts aimed at engendering a spirit of solidarity, community, citizenship, and social activism in each and every family, neighbourhood and village in our country. In order to achieve this objective, government will continue to implement programmes that strengthen families and is committed to increasing its support for the mobilisation of community structures.
All our government’s programmes – which are broadly aimed at creating work, fighting poverty and promoting equality – are premised on the foundation of strong families. It is strong families that build and ensure a better life for children. Similarly, it is the process of living, working, worshipping and surviving together as a family that generates love, care, support, hope and happiness.
I would like at this point to commend the organisers of this conference for focusing the deliberations on the practical issues confronting families and the people who with families. There is a lot of diversity in family forms and there are questions about the correlation between families and households – the unit of analysis through which demographers understand families. Nevertheless, we probably all agree that the one feature of a family that is most telling about it is the way it cares for and supports its poorest and most vulnerable members.
The question before us is what have we done to support the poorest members of our families? In 1999, 45% of all female-headed households lived in poverty, compared to only 26% of all male-headed households. So it is very likely that the poorest members of our families are female-headed households. So a critical question is what have we done over the past ten years to support female-headed households as they adapt to their circumstances and develop coping mechanisms.
There is no way of avoiding the reality that the migrant system of labour employed in the mines and the extensive expropriation of land had a huge and continuing impact on families in our country. Rural to urban migration is a key dynamic reconfiguring the structure of our society and our families. It is also the case that our post-1994 integration into the global economy has also had an impact on families.
There is also no way of avoiding the reality that the HIV and AIDS have had a huge and continuing impact on families in our country. It is true that our people, in adhering to their cultural beliefs about family life and kin relationships, have continued to live in extended families. But we have to acknowledge that these extended family structures and relationships have been sorely tested by poverty, unemployment and HIV and AIDS. So, as we mark the end of the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family we also have to ask what have we done to support the most vulnerable members of our families – children, older people, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, child-headed households, and households affected by disasters?
Government, in its review of the past ten years has addressed these questions and we are proud of what we have achieved by working in partnerships with community-based organisations, the religious sector, NGO’s, organised labour, the business sector, traditional leaders, and international agencies.
At a macro level, government policies have freed resources for social expenditure by reducing the interest we have to pay on debit. This increased social spending has been redistributive in favour of poorer households.
There has also been significant progress in boosting the income of poor households through social grants. More than 9 million people in South Africa receive basic social protection from the state especially through the social grant system. These include amongst others, older persons, people with disabilities and most importantly, vulnerable children. As you all know, the Child Support Grant was implemented to address the intergenerational effects of poverty. Currently, over 5.5 million children are benefiting from the social grants.
Government has also made significant progress in broadening access to basic social services at the municipal level, in boosting ownership of assets and in improving access to opportunities.
Great strides have been made but widespread poverty continues affect too many of our people. It will always be impossible for us to say that we have fully restored the dignity of all our people as long as this situation persists. For this reason, the struggle to eradicate poverty has been and will continue to be a central part of the national effort to build a new South Africa.
Because of our particular history, the task of social integration remains in the foreground of our efforts. Many of the instruments used to prevent social exclusion are related to land issues that have been addressed through the tenure and land reform processes. In addition, the emancipation of women and gender equality has been promoted through the recognition of customary marriages, labour equity, maternity benefits, and affirmative action.
This process of legislative overhaul is almost complete but there are two pieces of social development legislation that are still awaiting parliamentary approval. These are the Older Persons Bill and the Children's Bill. Once passed, these Bills will go a long way in promoting and ensuring the rights of older people and children in families.
Similarly, the National Policy on Families, which forms part of the deliberations of this conference, well soon be finalised. This policy focuses on the preservation and strengthening of the family as an institution and on improving quality of family relations. The policy will guide service delivery to families.
Both in terms of the delivery of services that improve the quality of life of families and in terms of legislative reform, we have made substantial progress. However, much works still remains to be done in creating work and rolling back poverty. As part of this effort, government has launched an Expanded Public Works Programme that encompasses the creation of job opportunities in the social services. This will focus on expanding home and community based care programmes and on early childhood development programmes.
Not only do these programmes address critical family needs and boost the number of learnerships in vital skills, they are also labour intensive and will create many job opportunities.
Before concluding my address, I want to highlight two other issues that were key elements of our yearlong programme of activities to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family. These are the issues of domestic violence and drug abuse.
Domestic violence and drug abuse are turning family homes into places that are not safe for women and children. This goes against everything we fought for and we have to intensify our campaigns against violence and abuse. What happens in the home has a direct bearing on and implications for our nation-building project. It has a direct bearing on and implications for our vision of an African renaissance.
It cannot be said that we do not already have the legislation, strategies, programmes, and projects in place to reduce domestic violence and drug abuse. All sectors of society have to be committed and work in partnership to ensure that sufficient resources are mobilised for the task.
Before closing this opening address, I would like to acknowledge the increasing amounts of primary research that is being done on families in our country. Across the board, the absence of time series data is still a problem, and for this reason Government has undertaken to start conducting three-yearly surveys of the dynamics of family and community life beyond the formal economy.
This micro level research on family and community life, will supplement existing research information on the macro social state of our nation. As indicated by President Mbeki in his recent State of the Nation address, based upon the identified macro social trends, discussions are being initiated in the national Cabinet on such issues as:
* Social structure and social mobility;
* Demographics trends in terms of such categories as race, Language, religion, gender, age and disability;
* Social organisation in terms of the family life and civic participation; and finally
* Issues of identity and social values.
Social cohesion is one of the critical challenges that need to be addressed in our Second Decade of Democracy, and the deliberations of this conference are an important contribution in addressing this challenge.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Mbulelo Musi
Cell: 082 904 3395
Issued by: Ministry of Social Development
1 March 2005
Source: Ministry of Social Development
Title: Skweyiya: International Conference on Families
Speech by Dr Zola Skweyiya, Minister of Social Development, to the International Conference on Families, Durban
1 March 2005
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Mr Sibusiso Ndebele
Executive Mayor of Ethekwini, Councillor, Mr Mlaba
MECs here present
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Let me begin by thanking the organisers of this international conference for bringing us together to reflect upon the research, policies and issues confronting families today, particularly on the African continent. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all our guest and visitors. You are in the midst of your brothers and sisters and we value the different insights you will bring to bear on our deliberations during this conference.
I would particularly like to single out the Minister of Family, Social Protection and Solidarity in Benin, Ms Lea Hounkpe, and participants from the African continent and the Diaspora because we see this conference as one more step in the implementation of the African Union’s Plan of Action for the Family in Africa.
Our deliberations, however, need to be enriched by the knowledge and experiences from all other parts of the world. This is not only because of the intrinsic value of such contributions, but also because the African Union’s Plan of Action for the Family in Africa was intended to be Africa’s contribution to the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family.
As the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family coincided with our celebrations of ten years of freedom and democracy in South Africa, I will use this opportunity to also reflect on what we have achieved with regards to families over the past ten years and also reflect on what are some of our outstanding challenges.
We used the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the family to intensify efforts aimed at engendering a spirit of solidarity, community, citizenship, and social activism in each and every family, neighbourhood and village in our country. In order to achieve this objective, government will continue to implement programmes that strengthen families and is committed to increasing its support for the mobilisation of community structures.
All our government’s programmes – which are broadly aimed at creating work, fighting poverty and promoting equality – are premised on the foundation of strong families. It is strong families that build and ensure a better life for children. Similarly, it is the process of living, working, worshipping and surviving together as a family that generates love, care, support, hope and happiness.
I would like at this point to commend the organisers of this conference for focusing the deliberations on the practical issues confronting families and the people who with families. There is a lot of diversity in family forms and there are questions about the correlation between families and households – the unit of analysis through which demographers understand families. Nevertheless, we probably all agree that the one feature of a family that is most telling about it is the way it cares for and supports its poorest and most vulnerable members.
The question before us is what have we done to support the poorest members of our families? In 1999, 45% of all female-headed households lived in poverty, compared to only 26% of all male-headed households. So it is very likely that the poorest members of our families are female-headed households. So a critical question is what have we done over the past ten years to support female-headed households as they adapt to their circumstances and develop coping mechanisms.
There is no way of avoiding the reality that the migrant system of labour employed in the mines and the extensive expropriation of land had a huge and continuing impact on families in our country. Rural to urban migration is a key dynamic reconfiguring the structure of our society and our families. It is also the case that our post-1994 integration into the global economy has also had an impact on families.
There is also no way of avoiding the reality that the HIV and AIDS have had a huge and continuing impact on families in our country. It is true that our people, in adhering to their cultural beliefs about family life and kin relationships, have continued to live in extended families. But we have to acknowledge that these extended family structures and relationships have been sorely tested by poverty, unemployment and HIV and AIDS. So, as we mark the end of the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family we also have to ask what have we done to support the most vulnerable members of our families – children, older people, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, child-headed households, and households affected by disasters?
Government, in its review of the past ten years has addressed these questions and we are proud of what we have achieved by working in partnerships with community-based organisations, the religious sector, NGO’s, organised labour, the business sector, traditional leaders, and international agencies.
At a macro level, government policies have freed resources for social expenditure by reducing the interest we have to pay on debit. This increased social spending has been redistributive in favour of poorer households.
There has also been significant progress in boosting the income of poor households through social grants. More than 9 million people in South Africa receive basic social protection from the state especially through the social grant system. These include amongst others, older persons, people with disabilities and most importantly, vulnerable children. As you all know, the Child Support Grant was implemented to address the intergenerational effects of poverty. Currently, over 5.5 million children are benefiting from the social grants.
Government has also made significant progress in broadening access to basic social services at the municipal level, in boosting ownership of assets and in improving access to opportunities.
Great strides have been made but widespread poverty continues affect too many of our people. It will always be impossible for us to say that we have fully restored the dignity of all our people as long as this situation persists. For this reason, the struggle to eradicate poverty has been and will continue to be a central part of the national effort to build a new South Africa.
Because of our particular history, the task of social integration remains in the foreground of our efforts. Many of the instruments used to prevent social exclusion are related to land issues that have been addressed through the tenure and land reform processes. In addition, the emancipation of women and gender equality has been promoted through the recognition of customary marriages, labour equity, maternity benefits, and affirmative action.
This process of legislative overhaul is almost complete but there are two pieces of social development legislation that are still awaiting parliamentary approval. These are the Older Persons Bill and the Children's Bill. Once passed, these Bills will go a long way in promoting and ensuring the rights of older people and children in families.
Similarly, the National Policy on Families, which forms part of the deliberations of this conference, well soon be finalised. This policy focuses on the preservation and strengthening of the family as an institution and on improving quality of family relations. The policy will guide service delivery to families.
Both in terms of the delivery of services that improve the quality of life of families and in terms of legislative reform, we have made substantial progress. However, much works still remains to be done in creating work and rolling back poverty. As part of this effort, government has launched an Expanded Public Works Programme that encompasses the creation of job opportunities in the social services. This will focus on expanding home and community based care programmes and on early childhood development programmes.
Not only do these programmes address critical family needs and boost the number of learnerships in vital skills, they are also labour intensive and will create many job opportunities.
Before concluding my address, I want to highlight two other issues that were key elements of our yearlong programme of activities to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family. These are the issues of domestic violence and drug abuse.
Domestic violence and drug abuse are turning family homes into places that are not safe for women and children. This goes against everything we fought for and we have to intensify our campaigns against violence and abuse. What happens in the home has a direct bearing on and implications for our nation-building project. It has a direct bearing on and implications for our vision of an African renaissance.
It cannot be said that we do not already have the legislation, strategies, programmes, and projects in place to reduce domestic violence and drug abuse. All sectors of society have to be committed and work in partnership to ensure that sufficient resources are mobilised for the task.
Before closing this opening address, I would like to acknowledge the increasing amounts of primary research that is being done on families in our country. Across the board, the absence of time series data is still a problem, and for this reason Government has undertaken to start conducting three-yearly surveys of the dynamics of family and community life beyond the formal economy.
This micro level research on family and community life, will supplement existing research information on the macro social state of our nation. As indicated by President Mbeki in his recent State of the Nation address, based upon the identified macro social trends, discussions are being initiated in the national Cabinet on such issues as:
* Social structure and social mobility;
* Demographics trends in terms of such categories as race, Language, religion, gender, age and disability;
* Social organisation in terms of the family life and civic participation; and finally
* Issues of identity and social values.
Social cohesion is one of the critical challenges that need to be addressed in our Second Decade of Democracy, and the deliberations of this conference are an important contribution in addressing this challenge.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Mbulelo Musi
Cell: 082 904 3395
Issued by: Ministry of Social Development
1 March 2005
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