{"id":2355,"date":"2022-08-31T10:13:26","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T08:13:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/\/?p=2355"},"modified":"2022-09-07T16:32:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T14:32:48","slug":"opportunity-for-mpsa-to-break-the-chains-of-dependency-for-women-in-rural-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dpsa.gov.za\/thepublicservant\/2022\/08\/31\/opportunity-for-mpsa-to-break-the-chains-of-dependency-for-women-in-rural-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Opportunity for MPSA to break the chains of dependency for women in rural areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ministry for Public Service and Administration has an exceptional chance to break the chains of dependency for women in the deep rural areas, townships and mining towns.<\/p>\n

These were the words of Public Service and Administration Director-General, Ms Yoliswa Makhasi, when delivering her opening remarks at the MPSA Women\u2019s Day commemoration recently.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the MPSA portfolio, we have a unique opportunity to make real changes in the lives of marginalised women in townships, rural areas, and mining towns. Ours is to focus on protecting and empowering women and girls to access the services that they need such as education, health and especially reproductive health services and being respected, believed and served by the criminal justice system from the police to the courts.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs officials and female public servants, we have a responsibility to ensure that there is an end to abuse, prevent these crimes in the public service and most importantly, ensure that there is an improvement in services.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdvancing women’s political, social and economic status is an important end in themselves, however, the eradication of discrimination due to gender and the promotion of women’s rights are an integral part to ensuring sustainable development,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The MPSA Women’s Month was commemorated under the theme of \u201cWomen\u2019s Socio-Economic Rights, Empowerment and Resilience\u201d.<\/p>\n

This theme according to Ms Makhasi, challenges those in the public service space to reflect on where they are with regard to the empowerment of women in the portfolio and in the public service.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dare all of us here not to take any of these challenges lightly. We should fight for a minimum of 50% Women representation at SMS throughout the portfolio without feeling any shame. We should set the bar for the rest of the public service and the country on this issue of women’s leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are, after all, duty bound within this portfolio to comply and develop programmes that strive for the empowerment of women,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\r\n