This year I led the South African delegation to the 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, and the theme was "The Empowerment of Rural Women and Their Role in Poverty and Hunger Eradication, Development and Current Challenges". In line with this theme and our national priorities, the department will focus on a multisectoral approach to the empowerment of rural women, including women with disabilities. In September the Deputy Minister will lead the South African delegation to New York to attend the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities conference of state parties in order to report on the progress in the disability sector.