Speaking to OFM News regarding Parliament's review sessions of the 1994 Women’s Charter, Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and the former Northern Cape premier, Sylvia Lucas, confirmed these are among the key challenges during consultative processes with women in the province. 

This, coupled with concerns over a lack of economic opportunities for women and escalating cases of gender-based violence.

Lucas says the review sessions are not only aimed at assessing the impact of the charter and how women’s lives have improved since the dawn of democracy, but also at shedding light on the plight they still face. 

She says she is therefore pleased that they’ve received valuable input from women and various organisations in the province.

She adds that the review session that have now been held in four of the province’s districts, have also drew attention to digital connectivity and infrastructure challenges still experienced in the province.

Lucas says in addition to service delivery and job creation needs, more still clearly needs to be done to improve the lives of women in the province.

To address some of these challenges, Lucas says a collaborative effort between both the public and the private sector is required and has made a call to private companies to play a part.

Lucas has alluded that although the review sessions are held virtually to curb the spread of the coronavirus, they are aiming to take it to at least 40 districts across the country, and will try to achieve this before the end of August.

She says the next province after the Northern Cape is likely to be the Free State.

OFM News