NEWS RELEASE                                                                                             17 October 2001

MINISTER CALLS FOR SPECIAL FOCUS ON WOMEN IN POVERTY

Provincial Minister of Constitutional Affairs and Information Technology, Dr Audrey van Zyl has called for public and private sector poverty relief efforts to focus on especially the plight of women as "the most vulnerable and most neglected group in our society."

In recognition of the United Nations’ International Day for Poverty Eradication commemorated on 17 October, Dr Van Zyl stressed that it was particularly women who bore the brunt of the effects of poverty in any community.

"Instead of claiming their rightful role as curators of family health and community values and as respected citizens with equal rights under the Constitution," said Dr Van Zyl, "women are the first to fall victim to the effects of poverty and become the victims of such ills as illiteracy, unemployment, social dysfunction, violence, malnutrition and diseases like TB and HIV/AIDS. These are commonly found among our poorer communities" Dr Van Zyl is concerned that especially women from rural backgrounds who are ill-educated and even illiterate or suffering from some form of physical or mental disability, are vulnerable. They are seemingly often excluded from mainstream public and private sector poverty eradication programmes and initiatives.

"This is a fundamental human rights issue," said Dr Van Zyl. "I believe that we should place a special accent on rebuilding the community by uplifting and empowering women, through creating an enabling environment in which they can flourish and grow and reach their full potential."

"This means giving women full access to provincial government’s programme of removing barriers to the provision of social services, full and equal participation in the development process, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination against the poor.

"In this manner we can then create a new state of independence for impoverished women and their communities by ensuring their full inclusion into mainstream society," said Dr Van Zyl.

To highlight the commitment by the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape (PAWC) to the full meaning and spirit of International Day for Poverty Relief, an interfaith service was staged at St Georges Cathedral, Cape Town.