GENDER UNIT ESTABLISHED IN THE DEPT OF JUSTICE

Issued by: Department of Justice

MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE GENDER UNIT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

A Gender Unit has been established in the Department of Justice in line with the National Machinery for the Advancement of women which is co-ordinated at the Office on the Status of Women which is situated at the office of the Deputy President.

The Department of Justice is committed to implement tow international documents namely the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women which was ratified on 15 December 1995 without reservation and the Beijing Platform for Action adopted at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

THe function of the Gender Unit are two fold namely:

• To ensure that women have access to justice at community level; and
• TO promote gender equity and the advancement of women within the department.

To reach these goals the gender unit will perform the following tasks -

• Review departmental policy and planning in line with the National Gender Policy as co-ordinated by the Office on the Status of Women;
• Work closely with the Commission on Gender Equality in integrating a gender perspective in departmental policy;
• Develop strategies to ensure integration of gender policy and planning;
• Co-ordinate gender training and education of personnel within the department;
• Monitor and evaluate projects;
• Establish mechanisms to liaise with NGO's and utilise the support and skills of NGO's in training;
• Close links will be formed with other line departments, Office on the Status of Women, Commission of Gender Equality, Human Rights Commission, Public Protector, NGO's and civil society.

Development this far, in this regard, includes:

• A Gender Policy Considerations document has been drafted for submission to the Minister of Justice for consideration;
• The Deputy Minister of Justice, Dr M E Tshabalala-Msimang is in charge of Gender and Children's Issues and played a pivotal role in the assimilation of the Gender Policy Considerations document and in facilitating its presentation to the United Nations Gender Theme Group on 23 September 1996 in Pretoria;
• The Deputy Minister of Justice has appointed a task team to refine and revise the draft Gender Policy Considerations document.

As soon as the Gender Policy Considerations document has been revised, workshops will be held country wide with a view of obtaining inputs on the document, and civil society and NGO's will play an imminent role in the eventual production of the Gender Policy for the Department.

For further information please contact MRs Z Moletsane - Gender Co-ordinator, Department of Justice at tel 012-315 1111 x2071, fax 012-326 0991.

ISSUED BY THE CHIEF LIAISON OFFICER: DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PRETORIA 1 November 1996

Enquiries: Mrs Z Moletsane Tel: (012) 315 111 x2071 Fax: (012) 326 0991