Dear Members

This programme is subject to the time the Committee has available. As this programme stands it is extremely ambitious. If we are able to achieve at least two key priorities that would be wonderful. The priorities identified by the Committee are violence against women, customary law, the economic empowerment of women and the proposed green paper on a national gender policy document.

Pregs Govender

ANNUAL REPORTS

1. Follow up letters to be addressed to ministries in respect of reports requested by the Committee last year to be submitted by February 1998

2. Obtain reports from ministries

3. Scrutiny of department's individual reports which were incorporated into the govt's 1997 CEDAW report submitted to the United Nations

4. Draft report to be drawn up and discussed by Committee

5. Finalise the Committee's (independent) report and table to Parliament in August

B. COMMITTEE REPORT

1. Draft Committee's annual report

2. Circulate to Committee members

3. Finalise report

4. Table report to Parliament

5. Popularise:

5.1 Different sections/issues the Committee has dealt with
5.2 What has been achieved to change the quality of life and status of women through the work of this Committee and Parliament

HEARINGS

1.1 Hearings: 17 March, 1998
1.2 Joint Hearings with selected relevant committees

2. Joint Hearings with Justice Portfolio Committee: 20 March, 1998

3. Hearings in the Northern Province: 21 March, 1998

4. The Green paper on Women's Policy: May, 1998

5. Joint Hearings with Education Portfolio Committee inviting members of the Gender Equity Task team: 10 March, 1998

LEGISLATION AND POLICY

2. Arrange workshop with Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) re legislation scan

3. Decide what legislation and policy papers to focus on arising out of the workshop

4. Liase with Human Rights Commission in respect of anti-discrimination legislation

5. Pressurise Law Commission to submit final reports to cabinet in respect of Violence and Customary Law and liase with Dept of Justice in regard to this

6. Ascertain who will do local and provincial gender scans on legislation Liase with Constitutional Affairs and the South African Local Government Association in this regard.

7. The Green Paper on Women's Policy: determine when it will become an enforceable policy framework and how this should happen

8. Consideration of the Maintenance Bill being introduced by Dept of Justice

WOMEN AND WORK

2. Prioritise tasks arising out of the workshop

3. Decide on strategy around the Employment Equity and Skills Development Bills, UIF restructuring (to take into account maternity pay)

4. Explore strategy on employment creation - Trade and Industry, Labour, Agriculture, Public Works

5. Explore issues around access to credit and finance

6. Table a report on the relevant issues pertaining to women and work

WOMEN AND EDUCATION

2. Take proposals forward through joint work with the Education Committee and through a Committee report to the Ministry to be tabled in parliament

NATIONAL MACHINERY

2. Draft questions to be addressed to all ministries in regard to the status and budget of gender desks and their policy and programme.

3. Table a report to Parliament on Committee's findings.

4. Address a letter to the Human Rights Commission requesting a progress report on cases taken up.

BUDGET AND ECONOMIC POLICY

2. Hold Joint Hearings with specific committees e.g.: Health, Land, Housing, Agriculture, Welfare, Trade and Industry (including Khula, Ntsika, SMME's), Finance, Justice, Science and Technology, Education, Arts and Culture

3. Finalise questions relevant to a gender analysis of the budget and circulate to committees to assist them in integrating a gender analysis of the budget.

4. Produce pamphlet on Women and the budget: what the concerns are and what questions to ask

5. Incorporate the Central Statistical Service in the budget hearings in relation to the disaggregation of statistics by gender and unpaid labour

6. Obtain progress report on the Commonwealth pilot project to engender economic policy and budgets from gov't

7. Host a meeting with the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Finance: how to read a budget

8. Host a meeting with the banks, including the Women's Development Bank, in conjunction with the CGE

PUBLIC MEETINGS

MISCELLANEOUS:

1. Follow up on Electoral Act: Use state funding for promoting participation of women in political parties

2. Call in Government Communications Services: How are women informed of their rights and how are they accessed

3. Organise meeting with the Dept and with organisations working in the area of local government to identify which regulations discriminate against women, for example housing

4. Follow up on gov't funding for NGOs and whether this is reaching women's NGOs

5. Host seminars on issues important for women

6. Media: Investigate the criteria used by the SA Advertising Standards Bureau in relation to women

7. Call the Public Service Ministry before the Committee

8. Call the Finance and Fiscal Commission before the Committee

9. Secretary General of PAWA and member of Ecosoc to speak to the Committee

10. Address issues around women and medical aid

11. Consider women and the Security of Tenure and Water Services Bills

FORMALISATION OF THE COMMITTEE AS A PERMANENT COMMITEE

2. Permanent status of the Committee to be written into the Joint Rules

3. Identify members of the Committee

4. Elect chair of the Committee

5. Draw up a budget for the Committee

6. Address letter to Chairs of Portfolio Committees to ensure that at least two members of each committee are dedicated to ensure a gender perspective on legislation, policy and the budget.

URGENT ISSUES THAT ARISE