Speech by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Honourable Prof. Hlengiwe Mkhize

During Consultative Roundtable on SDG 5: Achieving Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls
At Cape Town Lodge Hotel
14 September 2016 

Introduction

Programme director allow me to first recognise and congratulate the organisers of this session, Ilitha Labantu. This is an important session which gives us all an opportunity as representatives of various sectors of our society to consolidate our contribution towards gender equality and women empowerment.

The South African Economic Outlook

The South African Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as measured by production, grew by 3,3 percent in the second quarter of 2016. The main contributors to the GDP growth rate were the manufacturing, and mining & quarrying industries.

Manufacturing increased by 8,1%, largely as a result of higher production in petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products; and motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment. Mining and quarrying grew by 11,8%, largely as a result of higher production of platinum group metals.

This is the fastest quarter-on-quarter rise in economic activity since the fourth quarter of 2014. Year-on-year growth in the second quarter of 2016 was 0,6%. The pertinent question to ask will be, what is the total percentage of women in this two sectors?

Women Representation in Municipalities
Gender equality is one of the founding principles set out in the Constitution. The Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill in particular indicates a target to achieve 50% representation of women in various spheres of society. As government and other sectors of our society such as the business and civil societies we need to be constantly guided by this so as to always be on the same page when it comes to addressing issues of gender equality.

Coming out of the local government elections let me paint you a picture of women representation at the provincial government using data provided by Statistics South Africa in August this year focusing on mayoral, managerial and councillor positions.

In May 2015, South Africa had 2782 municipalities nationally and 277 of these had a sitting mayor, 106 (38%) of whom were women, according to Stats SA’s latest Non-financial census of municipalities report. Limpopo had the highest representation, with 18 of its 30 (60%) municipalities headed by a female mayor.

The province with the lowest representation was Western Cape with 8 of 30 (27%) municipalities headed by a female mayor. Gender representation amongst those wearing the chain of office has fallen since 2011, from 42% to 38% in 2015. Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo were the only three provinces to experience a rise in the proportion of female mayors.

According to Statistics South Africa, there are more women than men in South Africa, with women making up just over half of the country’s 55,6 million people. Despite this, men still dominate positions of authority in many parts of society, in particular management. Women held 31% of management occupations in the labour force and 40% of senior public-sector management posts in 2014, according to Stats SA’s gender series report on economic empowerment.

Statistics South Africa reports that a third of officials holding municipal management posts in 2015 were women holding 3 612 of the total of 11 014 posts. A clear gender disparity exists if this figure is disaggregated by rank. Women were less represented in directorship posts in all provinces compared with lower management, with the exception of Free State. Nationally, only 26% of directors representing 413 of the total of 1 567 posts were women, compared with 34% of lower management representing 3 199 of the total of 9 447 posts. In contrast to mayoral posts, there was an increase nationwide in the proportion of women holding management posts (directors and lower management) at a local level, up from 28% in 2011 to 33% in 2015.

Elected every five years during municipal elections, councillors sit on the municipal council, which is the decision-making and political body directing the mandate of the municipality. According to Statistics South Africa, in 2015, there was a total of 9 676 councillors nation-wide, 3 792 (39%) of whom were female. Mpumalanga and Limpopo led with the highest proportion of female councillors with a total female representation of 43%, while Western Cape with 35% and KwaZulu-Natal with 33% had the lowest female representation. This calls for our joint effort as government, business and the civil society to ensure that women are equally represented at all levels of government leadership more importantly so because most of the decision making in terms of who should lead us is made by ourselves.

Challenges to the Internet economy and sustainable development

While the opportunities of the Internet seem endless, challenges also abound such as quality, reliable access to broadband at an afford price. The roll-out of broadband to all regions, in particular to rural areas, which often lack connectivity due to lack of economic competition, is critical in achieving sustainable development and leaving no one behind.

One other critical aspect is to use available data from the implementation of MDGs to inform the SDG implementation plans. This will assist us to determine the baseline for effective progress monitoring. Statistical model-based and data driven analysis can assist with monitoring and implementation mechanisms to ensure that we are on track to achieve the SDGs

The Link between ICTs, Sustainable Development Goals and Women Empowerment

It has been recognized that when you empower a woman you empower the nation. In most developing countries women are the ones who hold the families and communities together in spite of the little resource that they might have access to.

ICTs and the Internet were not identified as a specific goal, but were referred to the ghost goal, which underpins the achievement of all 17 goals. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the internet, are key enablers of development and a catalyst for accelerating the outcomes of all three pillars of sustainable development, i.e. economic development, social inclusion and environmental protection.

The goal that focuses on women and girl child is Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girl. In countries across the entire globe, there is recognition of the potential of ICT’s and the Internet as a tools for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. In the same breath, a “gender divide” has also been identified, that reflects the low access and usage of ICT services by women compared with men. This gender divide has to be addressed, as there is a risk that ICT may exacerbate existing inequalities between women and men and create new forms of inequality. If, however, the gender dimensions of ICT, in terms of access and usage, capacity-building opportunities, employment and potential for empowerment are explicitly identified and addressed, ICT’s and the Internet can be a powerful catalyst for political and social empowerment of women, and the promotion of gender equality.

When women and girls have access to ICT’s and the Internet they can have access to not just educational information but information on health, employment opportunities etc. Information that they would not ordinarily have access to.

Establishing localized ICT Hubs is one of the tools, which can be used to create digital opportunities, which, will curb unemployment. This can be done through e-skilling programs, which will encourage the women to participate actively in the ICT sector through innovation as well as enterprise development, in particular, in peri-urban and rural areas. This will require partnership with private sector and NGO’s.

SDG 3 on Good Health and Wellbeing. When women have information that can enable to make informed decisions about their health and in particular about their sexual health, they are then empowered to decide their fate rather than have someone else deciding for them. Access to ICT’s and the Internet can give the women the information they need, the choices they have etc.

Focusing also on the internet economy, what we find is that in rural areas women make artefacts that they sell to middlemen for a fraction of what the middlemen will sell them for. It is important to develop online platforms where women can sell their wares and get the full benefit of the products they sell. This will uplift their lives and contribute to the internet economy.

Conclusion

All the 17 SDG’s are important but SDG’s 3, 4, 5 and 8 are pertinent to women empowerment. Ensuring that these are achieved even before 2030 would mean that development moves at a faster pace as it is inherent in women to always push for a better life for themselves, their families and the community. If they are given the tools necessary, they can do wonder.

I thank you.