Question NW1248 to the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
25 October 2024 - NW1248
Spies, Ms ERJ to ask the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
What measures will her department put in place to ensure that women, youth and persons with disabilities in rural communities benefit from the economic opportunities created through government initiatives such as the Expanded Public Works Programme and the Community Work Programme, which aim to promote employment and economic growth and address their specific needs?
Reply:
The DWYPD is responsible for ensuring that the economic empowerment of women, youth, and persons with disabilities (WYPD) is mainstreamed across all sectors of government. However, it does not directly implement programmes like the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) or the Community Work Programme (CWP). Instead, it plays a coordinating and oversight role by supporting the work of implementing departments responsible for these initiatives.
To ensure that rural WYPD benefit from these government programmes, DWYPD will take the following actions:
Coordinating with Implementing Departments:
The DWYPD will work closely with relevant departments such as the Department of Public Works (responsible for EPWP) and the Department of Cooperative Governance (responsible for CWP) to ensure that the specific needs of WYPD in rural communities are addressed. This includes advocating for these groups to be prioritized within the frameworks and budgets of these programmes.
Inclusive Policy Frameworks:
The DWYPD will support implementing departments by providing policy guidance on how to ensure that economic opportunities in these programmes are inclusive. It will advocate for the removal of barriers that prevent rural WYPD from participating, such as access to training, information, and transportation.
Capacity Building and Skills Development:
As part of its coordinating role, the DWYPD will facilitate partnerships with other government entities to ensure that rural WYPD receive the necessary skills development and training to participate in EPWP and CWP projects. The department will also promote workplace-based learning opportunities to improve employability.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
The DWYPD will coordinate with implementing departments to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework that tracks the participation of WYPD in rural areas. This includes the collection of disaggregated data by gender, disability, and location to ensure that the impact on rural communities is measured and addressed.
Advocacy and Resource Mobilization:
The DWYPD will engage in advocacy to secure the political and financial support necessary to implement inclusive economic policies for WYPD. It will coordinate with key stakeholders to mobilize resources and leverage partnerships to enhance the reach of programmes like EPWP and CWP in rural areas.
Awareness Campaigns:
Through its coordinating role, the DWYPD will drive awareness campaigns aimed at changing attitudes and reducing discrimination against WYPD in rural areas. This will ensure that the implementing departments and communities are sensitized to the unique challenges and opportunities for rural women, youth, and persons with disabilities.