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PROMOTING OPPORTUNITIES: Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulama Xingwana is promoting opportunities for women in rural, urban and informal settlements. Photo: Martin Rhodes

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DISCRIMINATION and violation of human rights remain a harsh reality for most women in South Africa, says Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana.

"Women continue to be marginalised and discriminated against in terms of economic opportunities, the labour market as well as access to land, credit, and finance," Xingwana said.

She said her department was promoting opportunities for women in rural, peri-urban and informal settlements to participate in green economy projects such as solar energy, water purification, agriculture, construction, waste management and tourism.

"We will continue to encourage women's companies and organisations to register on government entities' and departments' supply chain databases," she said at the launch of Women's Month in Pretoria.

"We are also facilitating financial support and training for women farmers and women's co-operatives with our national and international partners."

Xingwana said a process of developing women's empowerment and gender equality policy that would lead to the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill was at an advanced stage.

"The policy is proposing guidelines for promoting women's empowerment and gender equality. The draft bill will be tabled before Cabinet during the 2012/13 financial year," she said.

"This will help enforce compliance in both government and the private sector." August was declared women's month as a tribute to the women who marched on August 9, 1956 to protest against the extension of pass laws.

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Tue May 21 12:20:58 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 2, 2012

G-ruff

Man are not suffering heeH?
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Aug 2, 2012

beautiful4

G-ruff men are not suffering that my opinion!!
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Aug 2, 2012

Ment'o

This portfolio is creating gender inequality, Ministry of Women and children, against who, men? When will men be given deservedly recognition? who said men abuses women and children? women use our children for their selfish interests, why the government doesn't create ministry of men and children so that our kids can enjoy both securities from either side? why take a girl child only to work? where do our young boys should be taken, correctional services? women are getting better treatment from the system for what? we all know how evil women can be, from creation they were a good channel to sin to men and the generations there after.
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Aug 2, 2012

Papage

What is new? we heard that since Eve wronged God in the Garden of Eden, they will continue to suffer if they dont repent. It is not our fault, we can only help to pray with them. Economic Oportunities for them were blown away in the Garden of Eden. They must forgive themselves and work hard to redeem themselves.
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Aug 2, 2012

Acengcobo

Depending on where one stands, the reality is of the matter is that - women and children are still by far the most marginilized and discriminated grouping in SA. This in spite of an array of legislative and policy frameworks ever proponded in SA in the post apartheid dispensation. Whilst I afree in principle with Minister Xingwana, on the state of women in this country, I conted that as a nation we lack a coherent or systematic revolutionary theory to guide our decisions, specifically pertaining to women empowerment and growth.

As a young and aspiring African intellectual - I believe that women's economic development and empowerment is a prerequisit to sustainable human development and growth. However, this can always remain a pipedream, so long as men (who are mostly central to the women marginalization ans systematic exploitation) are excluded in the process.

Different studies show beyond reasonable doubt that, in most societies in the globe, men tend to excercise unprecedented power in every sphere of life, ranging from personal decisions regarding matters of sexuality, legislative and personal development.

Undoubtedly, achieving gender equity and women's empowerment will require the systematic and structured support of men.
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Aug 2, 2012

Acengcobo

What we see sometimes depend where we stand.
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Aug 2, 2012

Ndona

You said it all Ment'o.
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Aug 2, 2012

Umla-Que

Acengcobo we really need African brothers like you, women economic development and empowerment for human development and growth shall never succeed with patriarchal behaviour.

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Aug 2, 2012

Umla-Que

Ment'o your comments are really from a bad personal experience and i dont see how are they of any relevance to the improvement of the rest of our Sisters lives
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Aug 2, 2012

THEmadame2BBBEE

that Bl@@Dy serpent who gave eve the apple created this inequality
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