CDM Municipality
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THE efforts of community-based organisations and others dealing with empowering victims of gender-based violence were recognised and awarded.
The Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) hosted the District Gender Justice Summit recently and various departments, municipalities, community and faith based organisations, Gender Links, representatives from the Commission on Gender Equality, and non-government organisations attended the event in Polokwane. The conversation centred on gender equality, gender-based violence and the role of the CDM in furthering the struggle for equality in society.
CDM MMC Cllr Patricia Mahlo said the objective of the summit was to create partnerships and networking opportunities by bringing the stakeholders together. Stakeholders came from various sectors including those dealing with HIV/aids, community care workers, drop-in centres, crèches, victim empowerment centres, dis-abled care and training centres and men against abuse organisations were among those represented at the summit. Parallel sessions were held whereby judges listened to presentations of various organisations.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Mayor, Mahlo said “our delight is that today we have seen contributions and efforts by all represented role players from varied sectors towards the struggle for gender equality, the impact of HIV/Aids on gender violence, the effect of economic imbalances in gender equality and leadership by participants”.
“We believe whatever conversations, discussions and debates they had will help us chart a way-forward towards a solution of just, equality society”, he added. She said CDM was therefore interested to move swiftly and free more of our people from the clutches of domestic abuse and violence.
“It would seem obvious that to violence, we must, among other things strengthen the capacity of law enforcement including the CPF’s to identify, and expose domestic violence and arrest the perpetrators, support the efforts of the District Municipality and other like-minded role players to apply social development frameworks to promote moral regeneration, foster life skills programmes and fight substance abuse, crime and other social ills”, she said.
According to Mahlo, CDM has embraced Madiba’s vision of gender equality in society and in workplace. It is for that reason that in CDM and local municipalities today, gender representation in council and at management level is fairly balanced and we want to do more to transform the demographic composition of the district and reflect the character of our society.
“On the economic front, we are worried that there is increasing number of women looking for work, but we are delighted that a significant number of those seeking employment are youth, skilled and educated which thus enhances their chances of employment”, she said.
Mahlo stated that strides are being made in the employment of women within different areas of work with marked emphasis on the training and learnerships and internships for young women. These cover mainly areas previously dominated by men. “As I speak now, we have advertised internship opportunities to give young people on-the-job experience”, she reported. “In short, we have made massive progress in changing the lives of women, more still needs to be done by all of us to eradicate the legacy of gender discrimination”.
She commended Gender Links, Commission on Gender Equality, Khuseleka One Stop Centre, our local municipalities, SAPS for the partnership and its commitment to fighting gender based violence. She congratulated the winners of awards in recognition of the work they were doing and urged them to continue doing the good work.
The following organisations won awards:
Climate change – Anna Molala
Economic development – Rejoice Chokoe
Leadership – Rachel Ramodike
Gender based violence – George Makgaloane
HIV/Aids care – Edwinah Nkawane
