National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has received an award for her efforts in championing support gender equality and women empowerment through the South African Parliament.
The award was made by the Southern AfricanDevelopment Community Parliamentary Forum.
In a written message, Mbete, who did not attend the awards function on Friday night, said that “on behalf of the South AfricanParliament, I extend my gratitude for the recognition to myself and the millions of women of our nation.”
“This award coincides with our Parliament's commemoration of the 20 years of the Constitution and the establishment of theNational Council of Provinces. In this regard, we have reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to deepen gender equality and women’s empowerment,” she said.
Mbete said that the reform of the apartheid legislative architecture in the last 23 years of democracy had not only been underpinned by racial equality but also the liberation of women, who have historically suffered the triple oppression of classism, sexism and racism.
“Gender equality and the advancement of the rights of women, which continues to be an integral feature of our legislative and oversight work, is at the heart of the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom enshrined in our Constitution,” Mbete said.
“South Africa's blueprint for socio-economic transformation, the National Development Plan, stresses women’s peace and security and affirms gender equality as a permanent feature across all the spheres of the South African Government,” she said.
The 41st SADC-PF Plenary Assembly Session was held in the Seychelles from 3 to 15 July.
It meets twice a year and is attended bySpeakers of national SADC (Southern African Development Community) member states, up to five Members of Parliament of these states, observers andresource staff.
