Commission for Gender Equality: Hearing on Gender transformation in the workplace

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) is an independent state
institution established in terms of Chapter 9 of the Constitution Act
No. 108 of 1996 of the Republic of South Africa. The powers and
functions of the CGE are outlined in the Commission on Gender Equality
Act, No 39 of 1996. The CGE is charged with a broad mandate to
promote respect for gender equality and the protection, development
and attainment of gender equality, and to make recommendations to
Parliament on any legislation affecting the status of women in South
Africa. Furthermore, the CGE has the power to monitor, investigate,
research, educate, lobby, advise and report on issues concerning
gender equality, and is empowered to subpoena and litigate against
public and private sector entities where necessary.

Recent Employment Equity Commission (EEC), Business Women’s
Association (BWA) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) research
findings into transformation in the workplace reveals that both the
public and private sector are performing very poorly with regard to
transformation from gender and disability perspectives, despite a
comprehensive array of Constitutional provisions and mechanisms,
ratification of international and regional treaties, and domestication
of these into national legislation. In accordance therefore with its
powers outlined in the CGE Act, the CGE intends to convene a two-day
public hearing with a sample of Director Generals (DGs) from the
public sector, and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) from the private
sector, for them to account for the slow pace of gender transformation
in the workplace, and inadequate promotion of women with disabilities,
gender equality and women empowerment.

These hearings will also serve as a platform to establish what
challenges are being experienced and measures put in place by
government departments and the private sector, to comply with
employment equity requirements relating to gender and disability, as
provided for in the Employment Equity Act No.55 of 1998, and the
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act No.4
of 2000. The hearings will be convened during the period of 16 Days
of Activism on no Violence against Women and Children, in recognition
of the fact that discrimination in the workplace constitutes economic
abuse against women.

The CGE therefore invites you to attend this two-day public hearing,
to observe Directors-General and Chief Executive Officers from a
sample of state departments and private companies, appearing before
the Commission and accounting for gender transformation in their
institutions. We have created an opportunity within the programme for
participants to raise issues of concern in response to presentations.
We have enclosed for your information the programme for the hearing,
as well as the set of questions to which DGs and CEOs are required to
respond. Details of the hearing are as follows:

Date: 7-8 December 2010

Venue: Constitutional Court Auditorium Constitution Hill, Braamfontein, Johannesburg

RSVP: Ms. Letty Busisiwe Nxumalo

Tel: (011) 403-7182

Email: [email][email protected]