AGRICULTURE & LAND REFORM
social exclusions, escalating cases of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and the devastating effects of Covid-19. The country, as well as the department has been actively conforming to the international, regional and national treaties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which is the international bill on the rights of women, Beijing Platform of Action for Gender Equality (BPA), United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) and United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with
target for women. • Developed Women Empowerment Strategy in agriculture, land reform and rural development, in collaboration with UN Women, which awaits approval by DALRRD. • Introduction of Norms and Standards for the inclusion of designated groups that seeks to influence departmental programmes, including post-settlement programmes, such as CASP, to increase and mainstream women participation in the sector by adhering to the 50% target. • Blended finance, a financial support model, has
Disabilities (UNCRPD). The National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030 also explicitly accentuates the need for inclusive growth in the endeavour to eliminate poverty, reduce inequality and raise employment. The NDP envisions rural areas that are spatially, socially and economically well-integrated across municipal, district, provincial and regional boundaries where residents have economic growth, food security and jobs as a result of the Agrarian Transformation and Infrastructure Development Programme, and have improved access to basic services, healthcare and quality education. The Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) Bill calls for the progressive realisation of at least 50% representation of women in decisionmaking structures, improved and equal access to education and training, skills development and measures to promote women’s reproductive health, elimination of discrimination and harmful practices, including gender-based violence.
been introduced to reduce reliance on grants and increase access and affordability of loans by black producers. This model also emphasises the need to adhere to the 50% target for support to women.
Some of the policy instruments developed and still being developed by DALRRD include: • The introduction of the Beneficiary Selection and Land Allocation Policy, inter alia, 50% for women, as an intervention to unlock women’s access to land. • Draft National Policy on Comprehensive Development Support, which stipulates 50%
How will empowered female farmers help promote socio-economic development within society? Female farmers take responsibility for the wellbeing of the members of their families, including food provision and care for children and the elderly. Women from indigenous and grassroots communities are often also custodians of traditional knowledge, which is key for their communities’ livelihoods, resilience and culture. More so, promoting and ensuring gender equality and empowering rural women through decent work and productive employment, not only contributes to inclusive and sustainable economic growth, but also enhances the effectiveness of poverty reduction and food security initiatives.
How big a role does land ownership play in women empowerment? The issue of land access and ownership remains an important productive asset that women need. After the promulgation of the Native Land Act in 1913, women were at the forefront in waging struggles against land dispossession. The quest for
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