Govt takes gender bill around the country

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Pretoria – A road show to promote the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) Bill will get underway tomorrow.

The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities will take the WEGE Bill around the country in an effort to get stakeholders ready to make valuable and informed inputs during Parliament’s public participation period.

The bill aims to give effect to Section 9 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, as far as the empowerment of women and gender equality is concerned.

It also seeks to establish a legislation framework for the empowerment of women, and the appointment and representation of women in decision making positions and structures.

The road show will take place from 22 – 27 January. It kicks off tomorrow at Sun Coast Hotel in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and Protea Hotel in Witbank, Mpumalanga. 

On 24 January, the bill will be taken to Protea Hotel, Sanlam Plaza in Bloemfontein, Free State as well as Klerksdrop, Protea Hotel in Gauteng/North West.

The bill will on 27 January be taken to the Western Cape/Northern Cape, University of Cape Town and Eastern Cape, East London, at Premier King David Hotel.

All the road shows will start from 10am to 4pm.

The WEGE Bill was consulted widely within the country, published in the government gazette in August 2012 and negotiated with National Economic Development and Labour Council between January and May 2013.

In October 2013, Cabinet approved the bill for parliamentary process. -  SAnews.gov.za