Department of Political Science

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Browsing Department of Political Science by Author "Adams, Ubanesia Lolita"

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    Promoting gender equality in the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape : an appraisal based on perceptions of gender focal persons and the Head of the Western Cape Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-12) Adams, Ubanesia Lolita; Gouws, A.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African government has committed itself to the promotion of gender equality in the national constitution and also with the signing and ratifying of regional and international documents. Examples of a regional document is the Southern African Development Community Declaration on Gender and Development and international document the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action. The Gender Machinery in South Africa was created at a national level to promote gender equality on all levels of government through structures on provincial and local government levels. This study focused on the provincial level and more specifically on the gender focal persons and the Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality in the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape (PAWC). The study was done with the aim to assess progress on the promotion of gender equality in the PAWC. Information was gathered through interviews with members of Gender focal units and the Head of the Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality. Interviews were conducted with seven of the nine departments in the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape. Findings on the promotion of gender equality indicate that a long road lies ahead. Limited Progress is seen, however, and can be attributed to the work of dedicated gender focal persons and the Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality. Specific to the work of dedicated gender focal persons this study finds that within the context of financial and other constraints relating to an absence of specified expectations and a double workload, progress is still made under these circumstances. Based on the findings the following recommendations are made. Firstly, broad scale gender awareness training is required for the personnel of the provincial administration. Secondly, there is a need to develop a job description for gender work and if reasonable to integrate this into the line function of gender focal persons. Thirdly, the gender focal units need to have a specific budget for gender-related work, as this will facilitate planning for gender-related projects. Finally further training is required for the gender focal persons regarding gender mainstreaming and how to translate the goals of gender mainstreaming into action in the respective departments.