The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Director-General, Advocate Mikateko Maluleke, has called for the establishment of a policy environment that removes barriers to women's participation in trade and business, through policy advocacy and reform.
Maluleke made the call to representatives responsible for gender issues during a Southern African Region webinar on women economic empowerment.
The two-day hybrid webinar which started on Wednesday includes participants from regional representatives responsible for gender and economic inclusion, and secretaries responsible for gender issues in the Southern African Region.
Discussions are expected to include initiatives frameworks and agreement at national and regional levels centred on the trade economy and the economic empowerment of women, youth and people with disabilities.
In her opening remarks, Maluleke underscored the importance of empowering women, so that they take full advantage of economic opportunities within the region through capacity building and skills development.
"We must work together to create a policy environment that removes barriers to women's participation in trade and business, through Policy Advocacy and Reform," Maluleke said.
Maluleke also emphasised the role of technology and digital trade facilitation, noting that in today's digital age, access to technology is a "game-changer".
"Women access to digital trading platforms and e-commerce, are enablers to market access [and] for the women-owned businesses, networking and market access is vital. It is imperative to promote networking between women traders across the region to explore opportunities for visibility and access to markets, across the region.
"It has been proved through countless research, that to reduce poverty, we need to empower women economically. Without a doubt, women economic empowerment will lead to regional development and improved livelihoods in the region," Maluleke said.
Maluleke encouraged participants to share their experiences, good practices, knowledge and wisdom, on what has worked in their respective countries.
"At the back of our minds, we need to identify prospective areas of mutual interest and partnerships, geared towards the empowerment of women across the Southern African region.
Bonds of friendship
Director for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Economic Integration at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Msindo Andrew Maswanganye, said the primary objective of the webinar is to seek to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship between South Africa and countries in the region.
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This is through initiatives and programmes geared towards women economic empowerment and exploring ways in which countries in the region can build synergies on women empowerment issues.
Maswanganye also highlighted that South Africa has promulgated the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA) of 2000, adopted the National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality, the National Action Plan for Women in Peace and Security (2020-2025) and the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, among others.
"These and other programmatic measures are contributing towards the achievement of gender parity and women economic empower whilst shining a light on stubborn social stereotypes that continue to perpetuate Gender-Based Violence and Femicide," Maswanganye said.
