WOMEN EMPOWERMENT UNIT IS TO BE ESTABLISHED

Issued by: Gauteng Legislature

18 February 1997

A Women's Empowerment Unit is to be established following the signing today of an agreement between the Speaker's Forum and the Swedish Government.

The Unit aims to promote gender equity in South African legislatures through programmes of training and development. Programmes will target both male and female MPs and MPLs to create a working environment in which women and men contribute equally to the legislative process.

The specific objectives of the Unit will be:

• to provide women parliamentarians with specific information, skills and knowledge to enable them effectively carry out their parliamentary duties, including their work in constituencies,
• to also target men MP's and MPL's to help transform national and provincial legislatures,
• to ensure that the long term training and development programmes of parliament and provincial legislatures are gender sensitive and integrate the specific need of women in their content and processes.

The Agreement provides support amounting to Swedish Kroner (SEK) 6,000,000 (R 4 million) over three years. The initial phase, over 6 months, will see the establishment of this unit, the appointment staff and a needs assessment study. The results of the needs assessment will determine the training programmes and materials required.

A task group appointed by the Speaker's Forum will guide the work of the Unit. The task group will be led by Ms Lindiwe Zulu, Deputy Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature and includes Ms Baleka Kgositsile, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. Ms Ethne Papenfus, Speaker of the Northern Cape Legislature, Mr Willies Mchunu, Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu Natal Legislature and Ms Koti Nyama, Deputy Speaker of the Northern Province Legislature.

Issued by: Office of the Speaker National Assembly

For more information please contact the Deputy Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, on (011) 498-5502 or 082 555 2054