The National Gender Machinery launched its 50/50 national campaign, which aims to increase equal representation of women in decision-making positions, on Thursday.
Government is considering a law that will force companies and the state to implement 50/50 gender equity, according to the Minister in the Presidency Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
South Africa has soared to third place, behind Rwanda and Sweden, in global rankings on women representation in Parliament after last week's elections, a report released by Gender Links on Tuesday has revealed.
South Africa's newly elected president Jacob Zuma has appointed 14 women ministers with 12 as deputies. According to media reports in the country, Zuma made sweeping changes to the cabinet making almost half of the ministers he announced on Sunday.
Women are still strikingly underrepresented in the world’s parliaments: their share of representatives is less than a fifth. However, the situation shows signs of progress in developing countries.
Chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula called on Friday for a quota system to improve women's representation in the public and private sector. She said the Independent Electoral Commission was not happy with the number of women candidates in local government elections to be held on May 18.
Since the first democratic elections in 1994, women representation in Parliament has soared, owing partly to the ruling party's 50/50 principle at national and provincial spheres of government.
Victoria Zanele KaMagwaza-Msibi admits she is no angel. But for 30 years she’s navigated through South Africa’s tough political landscape, mainly as a member of a male-dominated party, and now as the leader of her own political party.
South Africans will take to the polls on May 18 to vote in the country’s fourth local government elections but women’s issues are glaringly absent from many of the party manifestos, observers say.