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Progress in Achieving the 2014 Government Goals, Particularly
the Quality of Life and Status of Women NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR
ORAL REPLY DATE: 24 August 2005 QUESTION NUMBER:
17 Ms J L Fubbs (ANC) to ask the Deputy President: How far has South
Africa progressed in achieving the 2014 goals set by the Government, in particular
as they relate to improving the quality of life and status of women? N1735E REPLY: The
United Nations agreement is to review the Millennium Goals in 2015, but the ANC-led
government has committed itself to meeting these goals by 2014 so as to allow
proper preparation for reporting to the UN. The Millennium goals and the Beijing
Platform of Action are an integral part of our policies and programmes. We
have already made considerable progress in providing comprehensive social security;
meeting the housing demand; providing universal access to electricity; providing
access to clean water and sanitation; providing primary health care; broadening
access to and improving the quality of education, to mention just a few. We have
also made significant strides in ensuring that women are represented in high positions
in government as well. To list detail some of the progress made so far:
* Already in 2003, 63% of households had access to sanitation while 85%
of households had access to clean water.
* In housing since 1994, R50 billion
has been transferred to the poor, the majority of whom are women, through transfer
of deeds in houses that people have occupied in townships.
* Through land
reform and restitution, over half of subsidies approved were allocated to female-headed
households.
* The electrification programme is one of the biggest achievements
of our country and unprecedented internationally, as 3.5 million homes have been
electrified and this translates into over 435 000 homes per annum.
* In education
we have seen an increase in the enrolment rate of female learners in Maths, Science
and Technology.
* On the economic front Government has instituted a number
of measures to equalize opportunities for women in the workplace and has also
facilitated programmes to ensure women have access to finance.
* On health
the government is bringing primary health care to the communities. However,
in spite of these progress much more still needs to be done and I urge all South
Africans to work together to ensure that Equality between men and women is in
fact real equality.
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