The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, and Deputy President Paul Mashatile have called for the enhancement of efforts to achieve gender equality and inclusivity in South Africa. They were addressing the first day of this year’s Women’s Parliament yesterday, which was organised as part of the activities for the forthcoming P20 Speakers Summit to be held later this year as part of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
The Women’s Parliament is one of several sectoral parliaments held annually and this year it was held under the theme “Accelerating Equality, Sustainability and Shared Growth: Correcting the gender re-distributional bias of growth and development through the Women’s Charter, the MTDP and the 2025 G20 Development Priorities”.
Other participants in this year’s Women’s Parliament included Members of Parliament, government leaders, representatives of chapter 9 institutions, the United Nations Development Programme and civil society organizations.
Presiding over the morning session on the first day, the Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr Les Govender, said the P20 Women’s Parliament was a high level and strategic build up activity in line with the goals outlined in the objectives of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
In her official opening address the Speaker expressed concern that despite their contribution to the liberation struggle, women were not given enough recognition in South Africa. It is through the struggle of those who went before us that we are able to sit in tables where decisions are made. As we take stock, we must remember that women in the history of this country were bridge builders,” she said.
The Speaker also urged the participants to continue advocating for the advancement of legislation and policies that will improve the lives of women in South Africa. “We must prioritise our women and girl children before our own political parties, let us make sure the Ministry of Women works for women, ensure connection between women in legislatures and civil society and make sure that economic activities redress our ecosystem so that women do not become victims,” said Ms Didiza.
The Deputy President delivered the keynote address on the topic “Engendering South Africa’s Medium-Term Priorities: Advancing Equality, Transformation and Inclusive Governance”. He began by paying tribute to the women for contributed to the struggle for liberation from apartheid but acknowledged that the fight for gender equality continues. “Though we have made progress in establishing a democratic system and eliminating the apartheid legislative framework, we must question whether we are making progress towards gender equality and inclusivity.
“The reality is that despite an increase women representation in Parliament since 1994, most sectors of our economy remain male-dominated. This means that we have not fully realised the ideals of the Freedom Charter. We need to act decisively to ensure equitable representation in all areas of our society,” the Deputy President said.
He called on leaders to prioritise women empowerment to promote growth, reduce poverty and foster a just and equal society. Mr Mashatile believes that gender equality is not only a human right, it is essential to achieving sustainable development, promoting peace and security as well as fostering a just and prosperous society.
The Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, complained about the existence of patriarchal norms and policies that disregard gender equality. “Despite the setbacks, South Africa has made significant strides since the dawn of democracy, such as the meaningful representation of women in decision-making and the signing of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council Act to underscore efforts to prevent, eliminate and respond to violence against women and girls in all its forms and manifestations. We have come a long way, yet we remain far from where we should be,” she said.
Sakhile Mokoena
14 August 2025
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