SOUTH AFRICA: COUNTRY REPORT

Strengthening Women Capacities in Administration, Governance and Leadership:

20-22 February 2012. Tangier, Morocco

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Presentation Outline

• South Africa: Background• Vision for Women’s Empowerment• International Obligations• Political Will• Legislative Framework to Domesticate International

Instruments• South African Public Service• Gender Equality Strategic Framework for the Public

Service• Leadership Development Management Strategic

Framework for the Public Service• Other initiatives in the SA Public Service

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South Africa at a glance

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South Africa: Background

• President of the Republic: Mr. Jacob Zuma• Deputy President: Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe• Legislative Capital City: Cape Town and Administrative:

Pretoria• Population: 48 687 000 (Source: Statistics South Africa, July

2008)• Population groups: African, Indian/Asian, Coloured & White• Provinces: 9 (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu

Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West & Western Cape)

• Official Languages: 11 ( English, Afrikaans, Setswana, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, SePedi, Sesotho, isiSwati, isiZulu, isiXhosa & isiNdebele)

• Estimated women in the total population: 52.2 %• Economically Active Population among women is 45.8%

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Vision for Women’s Empowerment

• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996– In the founding provisions, Chapter 1: 1.(a) states that SA is

founded on “Human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms”; 1(b) on “Non-racialism and non-sexism”

– In the Bill of Rights, Chapter 2: 7 (1) states that the “Bill of Rights is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom”

– Bill of Rights, Chapter 7, 9 (1) to 9 (5) refers to the clause on Equality

– The Constitution regards equality as a non-derogable right to protection against unfair discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or social origin, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy religion, disability or language

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International Obligations

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)-1975

• The Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action, 1995• United Nations Millennium Declaration and its Development Goals

(MDGs)• The International Convention on Population Development• AU Heads of States Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in

Africa• SADC Heads of States Declaration on Gender and Development

and its Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children

• The Commonwealth Plan of Action on Gender Equality 2005-2015

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Political Will

• President Mandela (the first demographically elected president) stated in his Inaugural Speech April 1994:– “It is vitally important that all structures of

government, including the President himself, should understand this fully: that freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. All of us must take this on board, that the objectives of the Reconstruction Development Programme (RDP) will not have been realised unless we see in visible and practical terms that the condition of women in our country has radically changed for the better, and that they have been empowered to intervene in all spheres of life as equals with any other member of society”

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Legislative Framework

• South Africa has put in place a forward looking legislative framework regarding protection of women’s rights

• Legislation geared towards advancing women’s rights include: – The Constitution, 108 of 1996– The Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995– Basic Conditions of Employment Act,75 of 1997– The Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998– The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair

Discrimination Act, 4 of 2000– The Promotion of Administrative Justice Act,2001– The Skills Development Act, 97 of 1998– White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service,1995

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Policy Environment• The development of the National Policy Framework for

Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality – Cabinet Adopted in 2000

• The Minister for Public Service and Administration is mandated to transform the Public Service and in line with this, the transformation of the Public Service includes meeting the needs of the State towards a non-racist and non-sexist society

• Minister for Public Service and Administration adopted the Cabinet approved target of 30% representation of women in Senior Management positions, in line with the SADC target of 30% women in political and decision-making positions

• In 2005, Cabinet reviewed this target to 50% women in Senior Management positions in the Public Service by March 2009

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Government Policies

• Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 75 of 1997 specifically deals with conditions of employment and benefits in terms of equal pay, and leave for:– Paid Maternity Leave- 4 months– Family Responsibility Leave -5 Days

• Skills Development Act and the Employment Equity Act deal with issues related to Special Measures for Women Advancement

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South African Public Service

• National Departments: 37

• Provincial Departments: 104 Departments (in 9 Provinces)

• Government Employees: (Dec 2008)- 1 241 047

• Women employees constitute 55.6%,

• Women at Senior Management 34.3%

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Gender Equality Strategic Framework

• The Gender Equality Strategic Framework is a concerted effort to advancing and fast tracking the achievement of set targets through addressing several challenges faced by women in the workplace.

• This Strategic Framework for the Public Service is aimed at achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality in the workplace.

• The strategy strongly emphasizes the advancement of women in the belief that gender equality cannot be achieved until and unless women have been empowered.

• The Strategic Framework is premised on increasing representation of, and participation by women in all work place activities, and also increasing access to opportunities for employment, skills development and upward mobility in the workplace.

• It encourages the removal and elimination of all barriers to entry, advancement and development of women in the Public Service.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

To create a transformed, inclusive Public Service that is free of discrimination, inequalities and barriers to self reliance.

Enabling Environment

Equality of opportunities

Mainstreaming of Gender

Barrier free Workplace

4 Critical Pillars of Action for Promoting Gender Equality

10 Core Principles underpinning Gender Equality

CREATING A NON-SEXIST, NON-RACIST AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SERVICE

A VISION FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S

EMPOWERMRNT

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK AS A FOUNDATION

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Purpose of the Strategic Framework

• Achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality in the workplace and removal of barriers of access to upward mobility for women employees

• Ensuring a better life for all women through improved and accelerated service delivery by the Public Service through ensuring that the needs of women have been included in the mainstream of activities

• Ensuring an inclusive Public Service through the achievement of equity/parity targets based on the premise of “beyond just numbers” and the location of women’s empowerment and gender equality at the core of the transformation process within the Public Service

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10 Core Principles Underpinning the Strategic Framework

• Focus on all levels of employment,• Responding to the needs of women,• Representation of women,• Equality and non-discrimination,• Healthy integration and embracing change,• Building Government capacity,• Addressing diversity of needs,• Human dignity, autonomy, development and

empowerment,• Barrier-free Public Service, and• Collaborative partnerships

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4 FUNCTIONAL PILLARS

• Enabling Environment – Creating an enabling environment that is conducive for promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality.

• Equality of Opportunities – Ensuring the achievement of equity in the Public Service through the equalization of opportunities and treatment, as well as adherence to Affirmative Action measures.

• Gender Mainstreaming – this involves mainstreaming gender issues into all policies, projects, programmes and day to day work of government.

• Barrier-free workplace – Creating a barrier free workplace to ensure that women are provided with equal chances for empowerment and develop through the removal of physical, attitudinal, social, economic and psychological barriers.

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4 Process Pillars from the HRD Strategy

• Capacity Development Initiatives (individual): These initiatives are represented in those activities which add value in strengthening the ability to build human capital.

• Organisational Systems and Support Initiatives (institution): The success of the Gender Equality Strategy in the Public Service depends on the extent to which pertinent organisational support structures and systems in place are properly utilised.

• Governance and institutional arrangements Initiatives (horizontal and vertical network): Refer to the manner in which the Gender Equality Strategy will be promoted, governed and supported in the Public Service. It is the manner in which strategic leadership will be provided in order to ensure successful implementation of the Strategic Framework.

• Economic Growth and Development Initiatives (regional; continental and global network): These are programmes and initiatives undertaken in skills development, in response to driving the development agenda forward, to increase employability and, in turn, increase the possibility of economic growth to the country.

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Head of Department’s 8-Principle Action Plan

• Transformation for non-sexism• Establishing a policy environment • Meeting equity targets• Creating an enabling environment• Gender mainstreaming• Empowerment• Providing adequate resources• Accountability, monitoring and evaluation

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Leadership Development Management Strategic Framework

• Purpose of the Leadership Development Management Strategic Framework: – Promote, support and implement the National Skills Development

Agenda and the HRD Strategy. – Institutionalise the Organisational Performance Management System

(OPMS) with emphasis on the Performance Management Development

– Ensuring a steady supply of “Home Grown” leadership and management skills and their absorption and retention into the public service organisations.

– To establish the leadership pipeline in the Public Service with targeted training programmes and to predict and identify leaders of tomorrow through a systematic process.

– Enable an adequate level of human capital performance in Public Sector organisations that ensures effective service delivery in meeting development imperatives.

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Leadership Development Management Strategic Framework

• Purpose of the Leadership Development Management Strategic Framework( continued): – To provide a Leadership Development framework which

is aligned with the roles and responsibilities of SMS members in the Public Service.

– To integrate and link the various human resource processes in order to ensure contributing and productive Public Service in all spheres of government.

– To increase the quality, quantity and diversity of people available for leadership roles at all the SMS levels especially targeting the Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs) such as Women and People with Disabilities at SMS levels.

– Develop a focused implementation plan which includes external strategic control points.

Strategic Control Points and Compliance mgt

CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVES

Conduct Management

ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND COHERENCE

Talent Mgt, leadership pipelines/

nominations for APs

Professional services

Technical/Professional skills development programmes

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

CENTRE

ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Continuity through all

Levels of Government

Promoting the Agenda

of Developme

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Building Learning

Communities &

Organizations

Responding to Sectoraldifferences

Maintaining a

Performance Focus

Recognizing Contextual Differences

Flexibility & AdaptabilityCohesivenes

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Responding to Needs of

Designated Groups esp. women and

people with disabilities

Focus on SMS and MMS

Performa Levels of Employment

10 CORE PRINCIPLES INFORMING IMPLEMENTATION OF SMS STRATEGY

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK AS A FOUNDATION

A Highly Competent, Dedicated, Responsive and Productive Leadership Cadre of the Public Service

A VISION FOR SMS

GOVERNANCE

OrganisationalLeadership Dev programmes

Pillar 1Pillar 2

Pillar 4Pillar 4

FOSTERING EFFECTIVE MONITORING, EVALUATION AND IMPACT ANALYSIS

Financial and ProgrammePerformance and compliance mgt

Vacancy Management

Retention Management

Individual leader development programmes

Competency Framework & Policy/ PDP mgt/ Essessment

Governance and Mgt Structures and Performance

MISSION: BUILDING SENIOR LEADERSHIP CAPITAL FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE AND ENHANCED SERVICE DELIVERYECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF CAREER INCIDENTS

Pillar 2 Pillar 3

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Junior management service (JMS) - managing selfASD (LEVELS 9/10)

DD (LEVELS 11/12)

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LEADERSHIP PIPELINELEADERSHIP PIPELINE

DDG & DG (LEVELS 15/16)

D &CD (LEVELS 13/14)

Short term progMedium term progLong term prog

Induction/ orientation/mentoringJMDPTechnical prog / research work

Middle management service(MMS) – Managing self and others

Short term progMedium term progLong term prog

Induction/ orientation/mentoring/ Khaedu 1MMDPTechnical prog / research work

Senior Management Service (SMS) –Managing a function

Short term progMedium term progLong term prog

Induction/ orientation/coaching/ Khaedu 2SMDPExchange prog / research work

Executive management service(EMS) – Managing the

corporation

Short term progMedium term progLong term prog

Induction/ orientation/coaching/ Khaedu 3EMDP/GEDPSabbaticals/Exchange prog /research work

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Annual Public Service Women Management Week

• These are Women Management Meetings targeting all SMS Women in each department in order to ensure that the 8 principles of the Head of Department’s Action Plan are institutionalised through:

– Giving women in management a voice and platform to raise barriers to access and entry into management positions, which affect the attainment of the 50% target and hinder the promotion of gender equality, with the Head of Department (whether male or female)

– Ensuring that the strategic plans and policies of the department reflects the 8 principles espoused to facilitate gender mainstreaming

– Ensuring that this becomes an Annual Event where women managers have a platform to report-back and measure progress against the institutionalisation of the 8 principles in planning and service delivery within their departments

– Annual Women Manager’s Award recognising women achiever’s

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Women Manager’s Forum

• The purpose of the Women Manager’s Forum is to create the space for women managers to share experiences, challenges and best practices into and across management within the Public Service.

• The following activities are encouraged through such a forum:– Counselling for leadership skills– Networking, providing opportunities for women to network with their

peers, exchange views on current trends, identify opportunities to improve service delivery.

– Providing resources for each other and building on such.– Mentoring and coaching– Advocacy– Career development– Continuing professional development– Sharing ideas about the importance of work- life balance

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THANK YOU