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MEDIA STATEMENT
16 August 2010
Women’s Parliament highlights women’s plight
WOMEN from across Capricorn district got a special unique opportunity to voice out their plight to be given more economic opportunities in order to break the morass of poverty and underdevelopment. This came out during the 3rd district women’s parliament which was held on 14 August 2010 at Aganang community hall in Molejtie Ceres.
During debates, speaker after speaker decried the scant opportunities accorded to women in the socio-economic development of the district. In the last financial year, the municipality awarded tenders to 47% of women and the parliament resolved that the number should be increased in order to benefit more, especially those in rural areas. “This is because the burden of poverty and underdevelopment falls unfairly on shoulders of women and we must do more to lift this burden off so that more women can fend for their families”, said speaker of the day, Ms Paulina Makgatho.
The parliament took place against the backdrop of women’s month and in the main, it gave them opportunity to voice out their concerns and share experiences and ideas on various issues that affect their lives. It was part of CDM’s social transformation programmes that aimed at working harder and smarter with women in order to support and champion gender equality and improve women’s lives.
At the end of the sitting, they adopted resolutions on all matters under discussion including rural development, food security, HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and skills development for the municipality to implement and improve their lives.
The Executive Mayor Lawrence Mapoulo made a commitment to the women that the municipality will consciously and consistently increase participation of women entrepreneurs in municipal procurement. “We should, however, first acknowledge that more can be done if we follow the right approaches”, he said. Mapoulo said the district’s IDPs will also make significant emphasis on gender and women in order to adequately tackle women’s needs for gender equality, empowerment, safety, access to employment and social development. “This is because women are always in the majority in our IDP consultations, council outreach programmes and other public participation drives, therefore they deserve better and more”, Mapoluo said, further enthusing that “we know women in our district are not short of energy and zeal to search for lasting solutions to challenges they face”.
Issued by the Office of the Executive Mayor.
Contact person: Moffat Senyatsi, public relations officer at 082 417 2759.
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