Gender Equality at the Forefront
The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women was held in Beijing, the capital of China, on 13-14 October. South African Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga, attended the event. ChinAfrica spoke with her in an exclusive interview about the messages she brought to the meeting, South Africa’s progress in women’s empowerment, how the G20 presidency can contribute to this cause, and China’s role. An edited excerpt of the interview follows.
ChinAfrica: What key messages is South Africa bringing to the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women?
Sindisiwe Chikunga: The message that we are bringing to this important global summit is that women’s empowerment is not a thing of the past or something that we can ignore as nations. It is right for us to pursue women’s empowerment.
It is important that we bring women on par with their counterparts, so that they can catch up and be in the same position as their counterparts. This requires us to do more in ensuring that we implement the 12 priorities and principles of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Countries can also share their experiences, because there will be a country that is doing well, for instance, in economic empowerment of women, while another country will be doing better in dealing with the issues of poverty. We can always share those experiences, and create platforms to account for the work that we are doing as different countries.
So, our message is that women’s empowerment is about the rights of women, which are human rights.
What progress has South Africa made in strengthening women’s leadership and participation in decision-making?
I think we have done very well in South Africa. We established the Department for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities in 2009 so that there is a dedicated institution responsible for advocating for women, for mainstreaming gender issues, and for monitoring what the public service, government, private sector, civil society, and even academia are doing. It also evaluates the impact of these efforts, because the impact of women occupying positions of authority must also be felt by other women. That is what we have done.
We have actually transformed the representation of women in South Africa. For instance, women made up only 28 percent of Parliament in 1994, but today that figure has risen to 43 percent. In 1994, we had only two female judges; now we have 115, with the Chief Justice of South Africa being a woman. We believe that is a significant achievement on our part.
If you look at ministers and deputy ministers, 43 percent of them are women. So, we do have women who are leading departments that in the past were known to be men-friendly. Women are leading the upper and lower houses, too. So, I think we’ve managed to put women in strategic positions where decisions get taken, particularly within the public sector.
In the state-owned companies and the private sector, we now have quite a number of CEOs that are women, and boards that are chaired by women.
We are beginning to feel the impact of that. For instance, we have a department for women where, if we need support from companies, we are able to talk to women CEOs and they are willing to support.
So, with regards to ensuring that women occupy decision-making structures, I think we have done relatively well. We can always improve.
As South Africa prepares to host the G20, what opportunities do you see to elevate women’s empowerment and gender equality on the G20 agenda?
There are 15 working groups within the G20, alongside several sector-specific engagement groups. Women’s issues cut across these sectors. Whether it’s Business 20, Youth 20, or Women 20, women should benefit from all initiatives.
In our case, we’re leading the Empowerment of Women Working Group. We’ve identified key priorities, one of which is financial inclusion. Specifically, we’re looking at how women access land, markets, and both financial and technological support.
The legacy we hope to create through women’s empowerment is one of mutual benefit. We’re asking: How can G20 member countries not only empower their own women, but also support women from South Africa and beyond? What can we learn from other G20 countries like China or the UK? One area of focus is equipping women with skills to run their own businesses. A person may be running a business, but without proper knowledge of how to manage it effectively, she is likely to fail.
We’re also engaging with financial institutions to address barriers that women face. For example, many banks still require collateral for loans, but most women don’t own property, creating a significant obstacle. We are urging banks to reconsider these requirements. Research in South Africa shows that women borrowers are more likely to repay loans, which suggests they should be given equal access to financial resources.
If that’s the case, there should be no hesitation in lending to women. However, it’s also crucial that repayment conditions are fair and not so burdensome that they endanger the businesses they’re meant to support.
These are the issues we’re addressing, and we believe financial institutions are beginning to understand. If we succeed, we’ll create financing options better suited to women’s needs. This will not only improve their access to funding, but also help them to own land and other assets, ensuring a lasting legacy for our G20 presidency.
What role can China, as a major G20 partner, play in supporting South Africa’s women-focused priorities during its presidency?
When we look at China, particularly in areas like education, entrepreneurship, and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and coding, it is significantly ahead of us. These are the types of skills we can learn from China, and we are already engaging in these discussions.
We’ve signed numerous agreements with China, and the key now is to ensure these agreements go beyond the paper stage and are effectively implemented. This was the central topic of our discussion with the vice president today.
Take the ocean economy, for instance. We know that China is advancing in areas like vessel construction and ship repairs. These are sectors where South Africa can learn from China, while also creating opportunities for women to get involved. Often, women express interest in joining the ocean economy, but the challenge lies in figuring out how to support them and where they can enter.
The focus is, therefore, on ensuring the successful implementation of our existing cooperation agreements with China. Today, President Xi Jinping announced a plan to create 50,000 skills development opportunities over the next five years. As part of BRICS, we in South Africa are eager to share in these opportunities.
It’s also important to remember that our bilateral relationship with China dates back to the 1980s, during the apartheid era, when we could always count on China’s support for our struggle for liberation.
