Cape Town - Woman, Children and People with Disabilities Minister Lulu Xingwana will have the power to intervene when government departments do not meet gender equity targets, if proposed legislation is passed.
She said on Thursday that SA was a step closer to achieving gender equality after the draft Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill was gazetted on Wednesday.
Xingwana - who was speaking at the Women’s Parliament in Cape Town - said the draft bill was open for public comment for the next 30 days.
She said women in SA were challenged by poor implementation of laws affecting them and the lack of accountability for this.
Women had limited access to decision-making in the public and private spheres, in addition to limited economic independence.
There was a “lack of understanding on what gender mainstreaming is and a lack of know-how to implement it”, she told delegates.
Cape Argus