More must be done to push back women’s systemic exclusion from economy: Chikunga
Chikunga’s calls come as government doubles down on efforts to ensure gender equality this Women’s Month.
Sindisiwe Chikunga. Picture: X/GovernmentZA
JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga said more needed to be done to push back on the systematic exclusion of women from economic participation.
Chikunga’s calls come as government doubles down on efforts to ensure gender equality this Women’s Month.
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She was speaking at the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU)’s political school on women’s emancipation on Monday night.
"By 2063, we must live in an Africa where full equality is reality – women sharing power equally in parliament, local government, corporate boardrooms and community leadership. By 2063, the measure of our success will not be in the number of policies we have passed, but in the lived realities of every woman - her economic security, her dignity and her ability to shape the future. We did not come this far to come this far."
Development economist, Phelisa Nkomo, said social biases against women and a lack of access to capital must also be addressed as part of broader interventions.
"Because we don’t walk into banks or financial institutions with a very strong social capital, we don’t have someone to vouch for us, we don’t have assets that are behind us. Once women are asked for collateral, we’re not able to produce that."