MONDAY,
07 August 2006: - “Women must be afforded equitable
participation and decision making in order to
meet the complex environmental challenges,” Deputy
Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi emphasized when she
called on women and men to become activists for
environmental change.
Environmental values should
be taught as an integral part of ones cultures,
Minister Mabudafhasi said, citing an example from
Jamaican culture, where an umbilical cord is planted
together with a seedling as soon as it falls off
a newborn child. As the child grows, her tree
is made known to her. For this reason children
in Jamaica always aspire to grow as tall and impressive
as the trees around them. This practice instils
a sense of love for natural beauty in children
as they grow up.
Acknowledging the critical role
women have to play in environmental management,
the challenge is to empower women in such a way
to contribute towards the economic growth and
social development stressed guest of Honour ,
Her Excellency Ms Thandi Shongwe during the key
note address adding that, “ We must answer how
we will raise long term productivity and ecological
sustainability of Africa’s land resources and
promotion of a sustainable, internationally competitive
and efficient agricultural sector focusing on
the need for women leadership in agricultural
and land management reform.
On the issue of gender and women
economic empowerment, Deputy Minister of Trade
and Industry, Elizabeth Thabethe highlighted the
key deliverables of the Strategic Framework on
Gender and Women economic empowerment. “Part of
the economic deliverables that will come out of
this strategy is the launch of the long awaited
Women’s Fund and the recently released women entrepreneurs
directory for procurement purposes”. The strategic
framework will also facilitate entrepreneurial
training of women , said Thabethe.
The 2nd Women and Environment Conference sees
over 400 delegates converge at the Ingwenyama
lodge in White River, Mpumalanga, with the youth
comprising 10 percent of the delegation.
Commending the participation
of youth in the conference, Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi
said youth are the future custodians of the environment
and need to be empowered to take care of the environment.
“It is therefore only logical that we should create
a window of opportunity for youth to participate
in environmental action,” said Mabudafhasi.
The conference will focus on
critical issues affecting women ranging from environmental
governance, economic development as well as water,
energy and agriculture projects. A capacity building
workshop on youth and environmental projects and
campaigns will also be convened.
Mava Scott
