South Africa: Development, Gender Awareness Go Hand in Hand

April 8, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The importance of taking the gender issues into consideration when addressing issues of development have been highlighted by the Minister for Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.

Speaking at a Gender Roundtable in Bujumbura, Burundi on Monday, Ms Fraser-Moleketi said in post conflict countries the work of government and civil society should unite to address development and empower people.

This is how they can take issues of gender seriously, she said.
"Conflict and wars affect men and women differently, therefore there should be a concerted effort to understand these different realities," she said, adding that policies put in place to address specific areas in an attempt to rebuild a nation would impact on men and women differently.

The roundtable was held in preparation for the Pan-African Ministers of Public and Civil Service two-day seminar. Elaborating on the seminar's theme of "Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development" (PCRD) and its implications for the public service, the minister said it was critical that the gender roundtable precede the seminar.

Minister Fraser-Moleketi said that the challenge for any government that has been through conflict and war was to establish a new order which was accountable and responsive in order to ensure that there is true transformation and consideration to peace, reconstruction and development.

She said: "In order to achieve growth in the public service, gender perspectives have to be mainstreamed in every developmental imperative so as to achieve an efficient, economic and effective service that responds to the need of every citizen."

The roundtable acknowledged the persistence of male dominance and incidences of gender based violence in post-conflict situations.

Minister Fraser-Moleketi honed in on the debate and discourse on PCRD which has largely focused on the two areas of peace and security on the one hand and economic and fiscal reconstruction on the other hand.

She said the gender, political and governance dimensions of post conflict reconstruction and development have thus far have not received much attention.

The Bujumbura roundtable marks the beginning of efforts towards the development of a framework and action plan for the gender-politico-governance dimensions of post conflict reconstruction and development.

The minister stressed that an understanding of the PCRD context in Africa, and the roundtable on gender would help to strengthen the growing international awareness of the importance of the role of women in the maintenance of peace and security and in peace building.

Several ministers including the Burundian Minister for Women's Affairs Rose Nduwayo and Minister for Public Services Clotilde Niragira were present at the roundtable.

Also in attendance were high level delegations from Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, the Commission for Gender Equity and various gender organisations.

The roundtable agreed to take a number of issues through to the seminar including among others promoting and protecting the rights of women and ensuring that action is taken to remove structural and legal barriers such as inaccessibility to productive resources and employment.

From:http://allafrica.com/stories/200804080717.html