1st Public Service Gender Indaba

Date: 18 & 19 August 2008
Venue: Birchwood Hotel & Conference Centre, Boksburg

Theme: Engendering Public Service Policy

Purpose

To support considerable effort that has been made to understand, support and promote the context of gender mainstreaming within the Public Service. The Indaba will provide participants with an arena to debate issues that are critical in ensuring that Public Service policies are gender sensitive and responsive.

Objectives

• To understand ways of mainstreaming gender in all policy formulation and implementation
• To share approaches of implementing gender initiatives into the public service plans
• Ensure that all sectors of government are held accountable for their commitment to implement 8 step principle action plans for women's empowerment and gender equality.
• To learn skills to successfully mainstream gender
• To support workplace gender initiatives

Intended audience

One Senior Manager responsible for Policy & Strategic Planning, Gender Focal point person.

Programme

Day 1

• Welcome and introduction
  Ms Colette Clark, Deputy Director General, HRM&D, DPSA
• Opening address: the role of woman in the development of the Public Service
  Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Minister for Public Service and Administration
• Keynote address Governments role in gender equality and the empowerment of women
  Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Deputy President of South Africa
• South African Public Service initiatives to promote Gender Equality and Womens Empowerment
  Prof. Richard Levin, Director-General the DPSA
• The importance and relevance of mainstreaming gender inthe African context
  Ms Litha Musiyimi Ogana, AU Commission Director of Woman, Gender and Development
• The SADC experience of policy formulation and analysis with a Gender Perspective
  Ms Ruby Marks, Department of Foreign Afairs, Chief Director Gender
• Gender mainstreaming in Public Service policy formulation perspective
  Ms Nomcebu Manzini: UNIFEM, Regional programme Director
• Commissions:
• Commission 1: Gender responsive budgeting
• Commission 2: Violence against woman and sexual harassment in the workplace
• Commission 3: Defining the role of woman in the Public Service Management cadre
• Commission 4: Strategies to implement the HOD's 8 Principles Action Plan with special reference to the attainment of the 50% target

Day 2

• Gender Equality as a fundamental Human Right
  Ms Matsolo Matooane, South African Human RightsCommission
• Case study: Burundi Experience in engendering Public Service Policy in the context of PCRD
  HE Ms Rose Nduwayo, Burundian Vice Minister of Human Rights and gender
• Civil Society Response to Public Service Delivery
  Ms Girlie Njoni, SAWID
• Donor Support for Gender Mainstreaming initiaves in Africa
  Ms Zarina Khan, GTZ
• Know your service rights campaing
  Ms Folusho Mvubu, Service Delivery Improvement branch, DPSA
• Summary of the conference
  Ms Ruby Marks, Department of Foreign Afairs, Chief Director Gender