Thoko Didiza calls for women's perspectives at the P20 Summit
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National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on Wednesday urged South African women to ensure their deliberations on the theme of the P20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit were from their perspective.
Speaking at the P20 Women's Parliament in Cape Town, Didiza said women should make sure that the G20 Summit of Heads of State and Government not only speaks about the economy, the environment, and other issues, but must also talk to them.
'So as you engage with the P20 theme from the women's perspective, I'm sure that you will be able to deliberate on those issues, so that when you host the other women a day before that Speakers' Summit, you'll be able to say, as South African women, not as ANC, PAC, EFF, but collectively as women of South Africa, we can say, this is what we want for an inclusive, sustainable world.
'This is how we want to act in solidarity in the world. I hope you will utilise today and tomorrow effectively to advance the women's lot as our foremothers and great grandmothers had done in the past,' she said.
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The two-day Women's Parliament was convened as part of preparations for the G20 Summit and the P20 Parliamentary Speaker's Summit to be held in September and October.
Les Govender, deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, said the historic session was being held to give women from all important spheres of society the opportunity to meaningfully participate in international policy and legislative deliberations.
'The P20 Women's Parliament is positioned as a high-level and strategic build-up activity in line with the goals and the priorities of South Africa's G20 Presidency,' Govender said.
He also said the Women's Parliament sought to enable a purposeful focus on the implementation of South Africa's transformation agenda.
'The P20 Women's Parliament seeks to provide a platform for all South African women to clearly delineate gender-responsive and developmental priorities for targeted oversight by Parliament over the medium term.
'This session seeks to further institute institutionalised three-sphere government, governmental preparations, and cooperation oversight mechanisms to oversee implementation of the key gender transformation priorities.'
Govender stated that a key aspect of reflection will be to evaluate the implementation of the 2021 Women's Charter for accelerated development.
'We must assess the progress made, identify the gaps, and outline actionable steps to ensure it lets us therefore use this platform to challenge existing norms, share innovative solutions, and forge alliances that will propel us towards a more equitable future,' he added.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who delivered the key address, said he was pleased that Parliament convened a series of build-up activities under South Africa's G20 Presidency's thematic priorities and objectives.
Mashatile said the alignment of P20 Women's Parliament with the ambitions and objectives of the G20 Presidency and P20 priorities was commendable.
'This will ensure strategic emphasis on the acceleration and implementation of South Africa's transformation agenda.'
He urged the P20 Women's Parliament to consider partnering with relevant G20 working groups to advocate for the prioritisation of women empowerment programmes.
'Structures like the Empowerment of Women Working Group and Women20 Engagement Group, which are chaired by South Africa, should be used as conduits to advance women empowerment programmes, especially within the African continent.
'These working groups are specifically focusing on strengthening discussions around gender equality and supporting G20 countries in addressing gender inequalities,' Mashatile said.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za
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