23/02/2005: South Africa's
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism is ready to host the first ever
Women and the Environment Conference in
the country. Scheduled to take place between
6-8 March 2005, in the Misty Hills Conference
Centre in Muldersdrift near Krugersdorp,
the conference is expected to attract prominent
women organisations, professional bodies
and community organisations.
The Deputy Minister is emphatic about the
importance of the conference especially
for South Africa, “We have an excellent
opportunity, as a country to assess and
review the role that women have played in
environmental management”. She added that
such assessment would build on the challenges
and observations of the 10 year review that
was undertaken by government to assess its
performance in the last 10 years of democracy.
In addition to assessing the contribution
and role of women in this sector, the conference
also aims to showcase best practice in environment
management as pioneered by women in this
country. “Women have always been at the
cutting edge of development in this country
and abroad, we have to recognise those efforts
and promote them as good examples for future
reference”, she said.
Some of the key focus areas of the conference
involve thematic discussions on women and
waste management, women and fishing, women
and conservation etc. Deputy Minister Rejoice
Mabudafhasi says that these important themes
inform the co-mandate of the department
and they occupy a key position in the global
development agenda in this sector.
She added that the conference would set
the stage for a follow-up broader gathering
for the South African development community.
“We are laying the foundation here, for
the envisaged SADC conference on Women and
the Environment. But at the same time we
are building on the platform created by
Beijing.
The Deputy Minister concluded by encouraging
civil societies and communities to play
a key role in such conferences and pledge
the continued support of the department
in this regard. “We have thrived on the
strength of community participation and
once more wish to extend our hand for continued
support and commitment”, she said.
Members of the media are invited to attend
this conference which takes place at the
Misty Hills conference centre, Muldersdrift,
Johannesburg.
