As part of the Women’s Month programme, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu on Sunday addressed congregants at St. Paul’s Faith Mission International in Gauteng during the inauguration of the church’s third Archbishop.
Zulu’s address forms part of government’s ongoing efforts to promote collaboration between government and faith communities to address key challenges facing South Africa. These include alcohol and substance abuse, crime, child abuse, neglect, exploitation and gender-based violence (GBV).
The Department of Social Development is the Secretariat of the Presidential Interfaith Working Group, a structure set up to harness the potential of formations within religious groupings to promote matters of national interest, including interfaith dialogue and cooperation, solidarity, reconciliation, nation building and social cohesion.
The department noted that while women are in the majority in many faith communities, they are not adequately represented in leadership positions across all religions.
“It is in this context that Minister Zulu will talk about the role that faith communities can play in empowering women and gender equality, in tackling GBV and the scourge of social ills confronting South Africa today.
“This address comes at the opportune moment as South Africa celebrates the 63rd anniversary of Women’s Month under the theme ‘25 Years of Democracy: Growing South Africa Together for Women’s Emancipation’,” the department said ahead of the Minister’s address. – SAnews.gov.za
