SA Women in Dialogue urges gender representation in proposed GNU

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South African Women in Dialogue has called on the county’s proposed government of national unity (GNU) to be inclusive and to focus on implementing the constitution.

A collective of women has presented a petition to political parties on the outcome of the elections and the future governance in South Africa.

The collective has reminded political parties that women are majority voters and that the result is a mandate to share power.

Former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, elaborates. “And if we’re talking about inclusivity in the seventh administration, we really have to call for better representation of women by all the political parties. Because women are the majority of voters, and they were the majority of those who came out to vote for this administration that you are getting into.”

Gender parity 

Gender experts say it is disappointing that gender parity in Parliament is deteriorating.

Last week, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo handed over the final party lists to the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George.

Gender rights activist at the WISE advocacy group, Advocate Brenda Madumise, has slammed some political parties’ party lists for falling short of gender parity.

Parliament’s Secretary, Xolile George says officially, gender parity for the seventh democratic parliament is at 43.5%, down from 45.6% in the previous term.

Meanwhile, Head of Sustained Dialogue at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Felicity Harrison, says while South Africa has been a leader in the field of women’s representation in Parliament, the decline in women’s presence in the 7th Parliament is disheartening.

VIDEO | Gender parity regression lamented:

-Additional reporting by Zalene Merrington