26/01/2008 15:26 - (SA)
Helping to build an inclusive society
Making sure government departments adhere to gender, youth and disability regulations is a tough job. But somebody's got to do it. VIVIAN MOOKI speaks to Doreen Senokoanyane who has this unenviable task.
DOREEN Senokoanyane reminds me of one of those no-nonsense teachers who scout the school grounds with a baton to uphold order.
This former nurse is after all chairperson of the standing committee on gender, youth and people with disabilities in the Gauteng legislature.
She makes sure provincial departments are implementing Gauteng’s gender, youth and disability policies.
The committee was established in June 2006 as part of a standing committee that dealt with gender equity.
“There was a women’s caucus . . . but a need arose to include the youth and people with disabilities because they are all regarded as vulnerable groups,” she says.
The committee includes members of opposition parties and
oversees and monitors all departments, including the legislature and premier’s office.
“We play an advocacy role whereby we monitor the implementation of policies on behalf of the public,” she says.
But playing an advocacy role, Senokoanyane stresses, has its challenges.
“When scrutinising reports, it emerges that women were only hired or given tenders in catering, flower arranging or as cleaners, but men are given bolder roles like in construction,” she says.
The 2006/2007 yearly reports of some departments revealed that they were not adhering to gender policies.
And upon analysing premier Mbhazima Shilowa’s 2006/2007 state of the province speech, budget speeches and yearly reports the committee was not convinced the premier’s office had in place adequate means to enforce the mainstreaming of women, youth and people with disabilities by all government departments.
As a result, the committee made recommendations, which the departments have to follow up and implement this year.
The recommendations for example suggest the legislature finalise all outstanding policies addressing gender, employment equity, disability and submit them to the committee by the end of March.
The committee also asked the legislature to develop a sound strategy for people with disabilities and submit a progress report on the same date.
“Some departments don’t do as we say, but most have improved . . . they can’t all be the same,” she adds.
The department of housing has performed well and awarded tenders to women, but the committee noted that the youth and people with disabilities were often overlooked.
Senokoanyane makes it clear she is not out to win a popularity contest.
“Our role is not to fight with departments but help them improve. Some departments are often unhappy with us but we have a job to do,” she says.
The committee also drops in at department offices and construction sites to “ensure what’s on paper is indeed a reality”.
And visiting other provinces helps forestall problems
.
“It helps a great deal engaging with committees in other provinces because in that way we learn of ways to avert problems like that of unqualified (traditional) surgeons at initiation schools and other issues that affect the youth,” she says.
Few people know the committee exists though.
But Senokoanyane says public hearings in the legislature and imbizos in various communities help give the public a voice.
“We sometimes have our hearings in townships like we did in Orange Farm last year, but most of the time we deal with community organisations that work in gender equity, with the youth and people with disabilities to raise awareness.”
Senokoanyane says the committee has not done much to educate the public about who they are and what they stand for.
“I can’t say we’ve done well in reaching out, but we are getting better,” she says.
When the legislature is not sitting the committee members do constituency work.
They visit institutions like schools for example to check on problems experienced by staff, pupils or any administration problems.
A comprehensive report
is then written and submitted to the Gauteng chief whip.
Subscribe to the print edition of City Press
|
