Cape town: Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has announced that the government will continue to develop policies designed to create opportunities and support sustainable livelihoods for women. Chikunga emphasized the challenges women face, particularly in rural areas and the informal sector, such as exclusion from land, credit, capital, markets, procurement, and the digital economy.
According to South African Government News Agency, Chikunga addressed the media ahead of her department’s Budget Vote at the Imbizo Centre in Cape Town. She highlighted the difficulties women in rural areas face, including limited access to the internet, information, transportation, and necessary documentation. Chikunga called for the development of simpler, more inclusive systems that cater to the needs of women.
A significant portion of the department’s budget is allocated to uplifting women, youth, and people with disabilities. Chikunga mentioned a proposal for establishing a Disability Inclusion Working Group, which will be discussed further at the G20 level by countries that will take up the chairship. This initiative aims to make the G20 more inclusive and reflective of the lived experiences of South African women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
The department has engaged with communities in Taung and Mkhondo as part of a national process to ensure that the voices of women, youth, and people with disabilities inform South Africa’s G20 contributions. These consultations are part of South Africa’s approach to its G20 Presidency, emphasizing the spirit of Ubuntu and the need for solidarity.
Chikunga stressed that safety is integral to empowerment, stating that no economy can thrive when women are unsafe in their daily environments. The department is focused on strengthening governance and legislative responses to gender-based violence and femicide. Over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period, attention will be given to coordinating national responses to gender-based violence, protecting the rights of people with disabilities, and promoting economic participation for women, youth, and people with disabilities.
An estimated 76.6% of the department’s budget over the medium term is allocated for transfers and subsidies to the National Youth Development Agency and the Commission for Gender Equality. Additionally, R5.3 million is earmarked for G20 women empowerment working group meetings, with further allocations approved for the department’s baseline to support operations, including public wage increases.