Chairperson and Deputy President, the ACDP commends women as pillars of society who need greater support in their difficult and crucial role as mothers and breadwinners and who maintain the labour force and inspire the right values in children.
There are many challenges that hamper the furtherance of decent work for women. Traditional perspectives of gender roles that would seek to discourage women from reaching their full potential in more diverse areas of work are but one of them. The changing social, economic and political roles of women should serve to ensure that they, too, have equal access to employment opportunities and the same wages as that of their male counterparts.
In terms of access to education, last year's Gender Parity Index showed that girls do not experience significant discrimination in access to school. As an example of what access to good education can do for girls, I want to applaud an able, brave and courageous woman who has made South Africans proud and more confident in her office. This courageous woman is the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, who is a qualified human rights and constitutional lawyer.
The ACDP is delighted that she is neither afraid nor intimidated by even top policemen when discharging her constitutional mandate. We commend her for conducting all investigations, whether big or small, with fairness and justice as she endeavours to entrench good values in public administration.
When it comes to science and technology there is still a serious disparity between boys and girls. We need to encourage girls' interest in these subjects from Grade 1 and ensure that they have enthusiastic and skilled educators who are able to teach the curriculum in a way that will inspire girls to take, enjoy and pursue these subjects.
Surveys point out that science and technology teachers are mainly men, accustomed to teaching mostly boys and men. But this trend must shift and be adapted to target and include girls too, as we need more women scientists and technicians. The ACDP urges government to find funding for the national plan for teacher education and development and accelerate its implementation. I believe that there are thousands of girl learners who are capable of higher education.
Sadly, this ideal will not be reached unless serious intervention is made. Social surveys cite teenage pregnancy as the number one reason for the dropping out of school of girl learners, of whom few return to school or to their studies. Those who drop out for other reasons are 10 times more likely to become pregnant than those who are still in school, so school has a protective function.
In this regard, our young people need guidance. There is a desperate need for interventions such as the Silver Ring Thing, a project which transforms the attitudes of young people and celebrates sexual abstinence and safe living. The ACDP believes that, given the opportunity, many women can do a better job than men. We believe in our women, that is why women are in the majority on the ACDP national executive council. [Time expired.]