Women’s Charter Review Conference: “Assessing Progress for Women since Adoption of 1954 Women’s Charter and 1994 Women’s Charter for Effective Equality”

Parliament, Friday 17 August 2018 – Parliament will host a Women’s Charter Review Conference on Monday, 20 August. The conference will serve as a launching pad to engage women, across all sectors of society, on the most pertinent challenges still facing women today. These inputs will culminate in adoption of a contextually relevant Women’s Charter in March 2019,

The Women’s Charter, adopted by Women in 1954, is widely held to be the cornerstone of the Women’s Charter for Effective Equality, adopted by Parliament in 1994.

Dialogues on Monday on the conference theme: “Assessing progress for women since the adoption of the 1954 Women’s Charter and the 1994 Women’s Charter for Effective Equality” will focus, among other things, on:

1. Equality, law and the administration of justice
2. Health and social services
3. Advancing inclusive economic growth, development and infrastructure
4. Violence against women
5. Education, training and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Stakeholders expected to participate in the review include Members of Parliament, Members of the Executive, Institutions Supporting Democracy, Local Government and civil society organisations.

Some of the more tangible outcomes expected from the conference include:

Creating a platform to report back on the status of women in South Africa, with particular reference to processing resolutions coming from Women’s Parliament events hosted during the fifth Parliament.
Review and adoption of a thematically relevant women’s charter, which will thematically focus on the advancement and implementation of the most catalysing policy imperatives, to accelerate vast improvements in women’s quality of life. The reviewed charter will also take into consideration common issues, which women have raised since the inception of sector parliaments in 2004.
The newly adopted women’s charter will underpin the work of the Multi Party Women’s Caucus in the sixth Parliament, as a guiding manuscript and mandate to meaningfully accelerate the women’s transformation agenda.

Media wishing to attend the conference should send their details to Masego Dlula (mdlula@parliament.gov.za, 081 715 9398) and Manelisi Ntsodo (mntsodo@parliament.gov.za, 081 716 2021). Please also indicate if you would like to interview any of the participants.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo 082 370 6930

PROGRAMME: WOMEN’S CHARTER REVIEW CONFERENCE, 20 AUGUST 2018

Time	Activity
8h00 – 9h00	Registration and Tea
9h00 – 9h15	Opening and Welcome	Hon Morutoa, Chair of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus
9h15 – 9h30	Locating the review conference	Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Hon J Tau
9h30 – 10h00	Keynote Address: Living the Legacy of the Women’s Charter – Successes and Challenges	Chair of the Commission for Gender Equality, Commissioner Nare
10h00 – 11h00	Facilitated dialogue with a panel of experts focusing on the road travelled since the adoption of the 1994 Charter for Effective Equality	Bafana Khumalo, Paula Assubuji, Ashanti Kunene and Joy Lange in conversation with Viv Lalu
11h00 – 11h30	Tea
11h30 – 12h15	Plenary Discussion
12h15 – 13h30	Breakaway groups discussions	Chaired by: Hon C Majeke Hon D Robinson Hon G Tseke Hon N Khunou Hon S Thembekwayo
13h30 – 14h30	Lunch
14h30 – 15h30	Plenary Report Back
15h30 – 16h15	Plenary Discussion
16h15 – 16h30	Charting the way forward	Hon S Nkomo
16h30 – 17h00	Cultural activity
17h00 – 17h30	Group Photograph
18h00	Dinner and entertainment