|
I5 January 1994
re: SUBMISSION TO PARILLAMENT ON THE
COMMISSION ON GENDER
EOUALITY
While the Interim
Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee fundamental rights to all
citizens, including women, we feel strongly
that these principles need to become
active.
We have included copies of two letters which we have sent to
parliament in the past, highlighting the necessity for gender to be taken
seriously at a national level.
In addition to the information in
these letters, we would like to add the following:
Noting the importance
of education and training in the empowerment of women, we feel strongly that a
priority for the Commission on
Gender Equality should be to pressurise the
Ministry of education to institutionalise the "Gender Equity Unit" as tabled in
the Minister
of education's Draft White Paper on Education and Training
in September 1994.
The Gender Equity Unit, as quoted in the Draft
White Paper, would be detailed as follows:
25. The Constitution
recognises the specific nature of gender inequality by establishing a
Commission on Gender Equality.
26. The national
du-education system. .represents. The single largest organization in the
nation. By virtue of its educational function, it has great
potential influence on gender relations and on the respective career
paths of men and women. However, within the education system
there are worrying disparities between girls and boys, and many girls and
women suffer unfair discrimination and
ill-treatment
30. As a first step, the Ministry of
Education proposes to appoint during 1 a Gender Equity Task Team led by
a full-time Gender Equity Commissioner who shall report to the
Director-General. The terms of reference of the Task Team will be to
investigate and advise the Department of Education, initially with
seconded or attached staff. In co‑operation with provincial
Departments of Education, the Gender Equity Unit will study and advise the
Director-General on all aspects of gender equity in the education system, and in
particular:
(1) identify means of correcting gender imbalances in
enrolment, dropout, subject choice, career paths, and
performance
(2) propose guidelines to address sexism in curricula,
textbooks, teaching and guidance
(3) propose affirmative action
strategies for increasing the representation of women in professional leadership
and management positions,
and for increasing the influence and authority of
women teachers
(4) propose a complete strategy, including legislation, to
counter and eliminate se)sexism, sexual harassment and violence throughout
the
education system
(5) develop close relations with the organised teaching
profession, organised student bodies, the Education Labur Relations Council,
the
National Women's Coalition and other organisations whose co-operation would be
essential in pursuing the aims of the unit.
31. The Gender Equity
Commissioner will be expected to establish close working relations with the
national Commission on Gender Equality.
32. The Ministry of Education
intends to consult the Council of Education Ministers without delay on these
proposals, to request their
support for action on gender equity, and their
consideration for a similar line of action within the provincial
ministries.
In addition, we feel it is also a top priority for the
Commission on Gender Equality to investigate what form womews representation
in
parliament should take in the future, i.e. if a Cossion is sufficient or if a
separate Gender Ministry is required.
Please could you ensure that this issue
is taken up and please let us know of any progress that is made in this
regard.
Jean Westmore and Andre Hellberg
Olive
|
