Minister, although the strides made by South Africa regarding the education of women and girls can be acknowledged - as you also said today - their disabled counterparts, however, lag behind significantly. What engagements have you had with the Ministers of Basic and Higher Education to increase school attendance of girls and young women with disabilities? Thank you.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Chairperson, firstly, there is an engagement that is going on currently in terms of ensuring that the targets, as I have indicated earlier, are met. Secondly, there is a commitment by government to ensure that our children access education.
I also want to go back to other creative measures that we are discussing, including the 1Goal campaign that was launched during the Fifa World Cup last month, to ensure that children with disabilities are able to access the opportunities in education and, in fact, go to school like other children.
So, in terms of basic education, there is a programme that outlines how children with disabilities need to be assisted to ensure that they too access educational opportunities. Thank you.
Hon Minister, something that is seriously working against these goals at this present moment are the strikes and protest that are disrupting services and impacting on women, children, the disabled, the aged, etc. For example, yesterday and today, in Witbank where my constituency's offices are, protesters stormed the building and took over the offices of the South African Social Security Agency, Sassa, and all other offices. People were intimidated by protesters who were carrying sticks, threatening and removing the women who were working there. They removed and destroyed the files, and completely trashed the offices.
There are going to be a lot of people expecting grants to be paid, and there will be no information to be able to work with. This is going to be seriously disruptive.
The police responded extremely weakly and are still not responding with any enthusiasm to the situation. What would your department be able to do in terms of exerting pressure in this situation now to ensure that people who choose to go to work and the surrounding offices where people are not meant to be at work are actually protected? Thank you.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Hon Chairperson, the summit of disability that I referred to earlier on in my earlier presentation seeks to address all such questions that arise from concerns about what we need to do in terms of ensuring that we implement the UNCRPD, including children.
With regard to that, hon Chairperson, we want to ensure that South Africa develops a plan of action which will take forward the UNCRPD and also promote the rights of all children, including those with disabilities.
So, there is a programme in place, which we are working on. Hopefully, on 2 and 3 December, we will be having such a summit which will also help us to deliberate on measures that we need to put in place to reach the target that we set for ourselves for people with disabilities in the labour market as well. Thank you.
Hon Minister, my observation is that this is a very important subject. However, every time we listen to responses on the matter, we hear broad responses, not scientific and empirical evidence as to how many people and what percentages we have in each and every sector. Are we really making a very strong impact? Are the various government departments called upon to come up with evidence of transformation regarding the gender equality?
Hon member, I think your question is a new question. Nevertheless, I will allow the Minister to respond if she wants to do so.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Hon Chairperson, it is an important question. I want to state that there is evidence. There is evidence on the participation of women in the public sector and in terms of the private sector. The information that we don't have as yet is how far civil society goes to ensure that they too come to the party in terms of womens participation.
In terms of the programme that we have, I hope that, soon after having gone through the necessary processes, Parliament later this year will discuss the question of the Gender Equality Bill, which we believe will take us forward in the struggle for women's empowerment and gender equality in our society.
We need to engage with these matters and appreciate the progress that the country has made since 1994. Evidence is there, but we need to move beyond what we have achieved and achieve even more, especially in the private sector as well as in civil society. Thank you.
Thank you, hon Minister. Hon members, that concludes the time for questions. The replies that have been received will be printed in Hansard.
See also QUESTIONS AND REPLIES.