I think he intends giving you more time to look at the question! My apologies there. According to this Question Paper, yes, it is Question 88: Ms M F Tlake to ask the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities.
Measures to reach and uplift women in rural areas
88. Ms M F Tlake (ANC) asked the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities:
What measures do her department intend to implement in order to reach and uplift women in rural areas through its mandate to develop and empower women? NO2332E
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Thank you, Chair. The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities held a national Rural Women's Summit on 13 and 14 May 2011 in Tzaneen, Limpopo. More than 450 delegates representing women from different provinces, organisations and other relevant stakeholders attended the summit. The purpose of the summit was to create a platform where rural women could articulate their challenges, concerns and needs in a collaborative way. Rural women also made an input during the National Women's Conference that was held from 1 to 3 August 2011.
The department will be running road shows in different provinces, where we will inform rural women in particular about departmental programmes and plans. We will also have provincial summits, starting from September this year. Here, rural women will be able to come out and make an input in regard to the plan of action for their empowerment. We will be working with the Departments of Rural Development and Land Reform, Agriculture, Social Development, Energy, Water and Environmental Affairs, and Transport in order to address some of the key priorities and concerns that have been raised by rural women, both at the summit and at the national conference.
The areas of concern are: access to finance; access to land; access to markets for their products; and access to energy, water and roads, particularly rural roads. We will be working with the Department of Trade and Industry to encourage rural women to set up co-operatives and small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, that will assist them in creating jobs.
We are working with the Department of Economic Development to ensure that women also benefit from the job opportunities that will be created in the various sectors that have been identified in the New Growth Path, and also in the job fund that was announced by the President in his state of the nation address. I thank you, Chairperson.