Submissions to Parliament on the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill

Women in South Africa, from birth to death, continue to face numerous challenges, discriminations and violations across the settings of their lives. In spite of the efforts of government and civil society, very little has substantially changed in the lives and circumstances of most women in South Africa.

The high levels of violence continue unabated. While at the same time challenges to access to justice persist in spite of reforms in the justice system. Conviction rates remain low and the victimisation of women and and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex (LGBTI) people at the hands of state officials tasked with upholding the Constitution and the law continue.

The Community Law Centre welcomes efforts by the state to address the significant gender inequalities and violations of the rights of women, girls (LGBTI) people’s that persist in South Africa. The Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill [B50-2013] (the bill) represents another step in that direction. However, the centre is concerned that while the bill claims and sets out to achieve much in this regard. In its current form, it will achieve very little to address the inequality and disempowerment of women and of gender non-conforming groups in South Africa.

The centre’s Parliamentary Programme saw it fitting to deliver a submission to the Portfolio Committee on Women, Children and People with Disabilities on the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill.

View the Community Law Centre submission
Shukumisa Submission
Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre
WEGE Bill Survey Report