Committee Reports: adoption

JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE ON IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND STATUS OF WOMEN
14 November 2006
COMMITTEE REPORTS: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Ms M R Morutoa (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Draft minutes of proceedings from 26 May 2006 to 3 November 2006.
Annual Report of Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women January to December 2006 available [available later at Committee Reports]
Report on Evaluation of the Implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework in offices on the status of women and in local government departments: July 2006
South African Women Entrepreneurs: A burgeoning force in our economy: A Special Report 2005
Report on gender Focal Points and Local Governments 2005/06, Deliberation on the resolution adopted at the conference of the African Parliamentary Union held in Dakar, Senegal on 4-5 December 2005 entitled “Violence against women, abandoning female genital mutilation: The role of National Parliaments
Committee sessional report for March, June and September 2006 [available later at Committee Reports]

SUMMARY
The Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women dealt with the consideration and adoption of a number of its reports and minutes at this meeting. The Committee agreed unanimously to all reports without amendment.

MINUTES
Consideration of Draft Minutes of Proceedings from 26 May 2006 to 3 November 2006
The Committee did not find major problems in the minutes. However concerns were raised with regard to the Sudanese delegation visit in the minutes of 3 November 2006. Some Members were concerned that not everything discussed at that meeting was included in the minutes. Members agreed on the minutes from 26 May 2006 to 3 November 2006.

Consideration of Committee Report on the Financial Statements of the Commission for Gender Equality for 2004/05
The Committee agreed unanimously on its report

Consideration of Committee Report on Special Report from the South African Women Entrepreneurs: A burgeoning force in our economy for 2005 for consideration and report
The Committee agreed to the report.

Consideration of Committee Report on Gender Focal Points and Local Governments 2005/06
The Committee agreed to the report.

Deliberation on the resolution adopted at the conference of the African Parliamentary Union held in Dakar, Senegal on 4-5 December 2005 entitled “Violence against women, abandoning female genital mutilation: The role of National Parliaments & Discussion of Committee sessional report for March, June and September 2006.
The Committee agreed to the report.

Consideration of Committee Annual Report for 2006
The Committee agreed to the report.

Discussion
Ms S Botha (DA) was concerned about the minutes of 3 November 2006. An extensive number of questions was raised, but not reflected in the minutes.

Ms E S Mabe (ANC) said during the meeting the Sudanese delegation did not raise questions only but also engaged in discussions and provided answers to the questions raised.  There were Members that responded to some of the questions that were raised in the meeting.

The Chair asked the Committee Secretary, Ms S Pauw to clarify the matter.

Ms Pauw responded that the reason for only including the questions was that they sufficed as a record of the meeting. If the Committee felt the entire discussion should be minuted, this would be done.

Ms Botha said that Ms Pauw had a valid point because it was unnecessary to have a word for word transcription of what was said.

The Chair said minutes have in the past been compiled like this. If Members were dissatisfied, Ms Pauw would have to rewrite the minutes.

The meeting was adjourned.