Dr Auxilia Ponga
Representative, UN Women Multi Country Office, Pretoria

Date:  Tuesday, 28 July   

Time: 12:30  – 13:30

Venue:    VCRs, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban

PRESENTATIONS

The HSRC seminar series is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The views and opinions expressed therein as well as findings and statements of the seminar series do not necessarily represent the views of DST.

Since 1994, first democratic elections, the Republic of South Africa have been consistent in developed legislative and policy framework to strengthen gender equality and promote women empowerment in society. Mechanisms have been put in place to promote the inclusion, participation and benefit for women into mining sector including the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Act (2002) and the Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter albeit with lower targets’. South Africa has performed very well in putting in place legislative and policy frameworks, but inequalities remain and challenges represent obstacles to improving women’s ability to participate and benefit from the mining sector and benefit from the opportunities it generates.

The slow change has meant that there has been little progress preventing equal and equitable opportunities for women in the mining sector.Women still make up 16.4% of labour force in mining sector and representation in both professional and management levels is way below the 50% mark.

There is therefore a need for policy makers in both public and private sector to revisit the commitments made, deepen understanding of the challenges in order to develop address the social, cultural, economic and political barriers women face in the mining sector. The seminar is facilitating a space for engagement to reflect on the current achievements, and challenges on the situation of   women in mining in South Africa and exploring areas and opportunities to promote gender responsive policy and practice mining responses. ‘The seminar which has been co-organized by HSRC and Women will provide space for engagement to reflect on the current achievements, and challenges on the situation of   women in mining in South Africa and exploring areas and opportunities to promote gender responsive policy and practice mining responses’

The seminar may be attended in Pretoria, Cape Town or Durban

RSVP by 27 July
Cape Town: Carmen August (021) 466 7827, caugust@hsrc.ac.za   12th Floor, Plein Park Building, Plein Street, Cape Town
Durban: Ridhwaan Khan (031) 242 5400, rkhan@hsrc.ac.za   1st Floor, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, Pods 5 and 6, Cato Manor
Pretoria: Arlene Grossberg (012) 302 2811, acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za  1st  Floor, HSRC Building, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria