Latest news with #Chikunga
IOL News
7 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Minister Chikunga advocates for women's financial inclusion and care economy at G20 forum
Minister for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, said conventional financial systems continue to exclude women. Image: File / Independent Media Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has called for urgent and targeted action to dismantle long-standing structural barriers that continue to marginalise women in economic and social spheres. Speaking at the G20 Women Empowerment Working Group, Chikunga emphasised three critical priorities for South Africa: financial inclusion for women, recognition of the care economy, and the fight against gender-based violence and femicide. In a frank and impassioned address, the minister highlighted how conventional financial systems continue to exclude women, particularly when it comes to access to credit. 'If you're going to ask for collateral to access credit, yet women historically haven't owned property, you're excluding them from the start,' she said. 'That is not just a gap, it is a structural injustice.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Chikunga said her department has been engaging financial institutions, including major banks, urging them to design financial products that account for the lived experiences of women. 'We've asked them to create tailor-made solutions that don't assume a level playing field when clearly, one doesn't exist,' she added. She also turned the spotlight on the unpaid care work overwhelmingly carried out by women in households and communities, from looking after children and the elderly to cooking, cleaning, and providing emotional support. While this work forms the backbone of society and enables the formal economy to function, it remains undervalued and largely invisible in economic policy. 'Without someone ensuring that meals are cooked, uniforms are ironed, and children are cared for, the formal economy would come to a standstill,' said Chikunga. 'The care economy is the silent engine of our societies, but it is not recognised, not accounted for, and certainly not rewarded.' She noted that while some developed countries have begun accounting for unpaid care work in their GDP calculations, South Africa has yet to do so. Her department is currently drafting national policy aimed at formally recognising both paid and unpaid care work, to secure labour protections, leave entitlements, and economic value for carers, most of whom are women. She also raised the alarm about the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence and femicide, calling for a stronger, coordinated response at both national and international levels. Backed by local research from the Human Sciences Research Council, Chikunga stressed that South Africa's approach is grounded in evidence, not anecdote.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
Chikunga urges stronger GBV fight as stats paint grim picture
The Saps recorded 969 women murdered, over 11 000 rape cases, and nearly 15 000 assault cases involving women. Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has called for a 'more deliberate partnership' between government and the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund to combat the ongoing scourge of violence against women. Chikunga delivered these remarks during a recent engagement with the Fund's leadership in Sandton, Johannesburg, where she stressed the urgency of aligning public and private responses. 'Let today mark the beginning of a more deliberate partnership, one rooted in shared responsibility, mutual respect, and an unwavering commitment to justice,' said Chikunga. 'Dire' statistics demand urgent action The minister warned that gender-based violence and femicide remain a national and global crisis. According to Chikunga, between January and March 2025, the South African Police Service (Saps) recorded 969 women murdered, over 11 000 rape cases, and nearly 15 000 assault cases involving women. 'Each of these numbers is a tragedy [and] a call to action,' she said. 'Violence continues where women should feel safest — in homes, workplaces, and places of worship.' Chikunga also drew attention to the plight of women with disabilities, noting that many experience violence without access to justice. 'These are the hidden faces of gender-based violence and femicide.' ALSO READ: 'Declare Limpopo a GBV disaster zone' – ANCWL GBVF Fund praised The GBVF Response Fund, which has reached over 772 000 people nationwide, was lauded for its efforts. However, Chikunga stressed the importance of coordination. 'We believe this is a critical moment to strengthen alignment… to ensure that survivors across all communities are supported with care and dignity.' Fund leadership, including interim CEO Zanele Ngwepe and Board Chairperson Faith Khanyile, joined the engagement with officials from the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. ALSO READ: Protection orders and police 'failing victims of GBV' National Council reforms in the pipeline Chikunga confirmed that the long-awaited National Council on GBVF will be operational by April 2026 and will anchor implementation of the National Strategic Plan. She also announced the expansion of Thuthuzela Care Centres, a GBVF Dashboard, and 100-Day Challenge models to boost frontline responses. 'This work is not easy. But it is a non-negotiable because there can be no freedom… where women and LGBTQIA+ individuals live in fear,' said Chikunga. She concluded by inviting the Fund to support ongoing legislative efforts, including the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) Bill. NOW READ: Are police winning the war on gender-based violence?
Eyewitness News
12-06-2025
- Eyewitness News
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disability laments rising reports of femicide in SA
JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has lamented the rising reports of femicide in the country. In a statement released on Thursday, she mentions that about 7,3 million South African women have experienced physical abuse, with more than two million having been sexually violated. Chikunga says she believes these statistics are propelled by the harmful social norms that discriminate against women and girls. ALSO READ: Govt must declare GBV, femicide a national disaster, say activists According to the National Library of Medicine , an academic article, South Africa's femicide rates are five times the world's average. In the most recent incident on 1 June 2025, 14-year-old Likhona Fose was found murdered in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg. A week earlier, Olorato Mongale was found dead in Lombardy, also west of Johannesburg. She was last seen alive reportedly with a man she had been dating. Chikunga agrees that the country's femicide rates are high. Department spokesperson Cassius Selala said, "The murder of women and girls is the most extreme form of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), with South Africa being known for having one of the highest rates of femicide in the world. Women, who make up 51.5% of South Africa's population, face ongoing violence or femicide.' Chikunga has also challenged men to commit to changing harmful norms and toxic masculinity.
The Citizen
06-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
She PowHer summit 2025 sparks dialogue about menstrual dignity in Sandton
The She PowHer Foundation hosted its landmark She PowHer Summit 2025 on May 29 at Artistry in Sandton, under the powerful theme: Invest in Human Capital. The summit brought together leaders in government, corporate South Africa, education, and development to reframe menstrual health as a matter of public investment, economic justice, and human rights. The event was held a day after World Menstrual Health Day, which was a rallying call to make menstrual equity a national priority. Keynote speaker, the Minister of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, delivered a passionate address, calling for greater accountability and transparency in how menstrual dignity funds are spent across provinces. 'This ministry must be the one to answer questions around how provinces are spending the money, whether or not they are buying sanitary pads from women-owned companies. It is not about women's issues; it's about dignity, equity, and basic human rights.' Also read: SAOA encourages women to take care of their eye care Chikunga confirmed that, through national treasury allocations, the department distributed sanitary pads to schools across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Free State, and the Northern Cape in 2024, focusing on quintile 1–3 schools and disadvantaged communities. She also highlighted the implementation of the Sanitary Dignity Framework, which prioritises free, quality, and SABS-compliant menstrual products in public institutions. The summit featured dynamic speakers, including representatives from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Aspen Pharmacare's Dr Stavros Nicolaou, and humanitarian Yavi Madurai, all echoing the urgent need to shift menstrual health into the mainstream of development discussions. Read more: Women Investment Network ignites movement for gender equity in investment landscape At the helm of the movement is Dr Ruth Apostolov, founder of the foundation, whose advocacy has resulted in the distribution of more than 30 000 menstrual cups across Southern Africa. 'This is more than a summit; it is a movement. We are saying Africa doesn't need to import solutions, we manufacture them.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Star
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
South Africa, UN Women host G20 stakeholder engagement meeting on inclusive growth
JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) hosted a stakeholder engagement in Johannesburg on Monday to promote inclusive growth under the country's Group of 20 (G20) presidency. As part of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group sessions, the G20 Stakeholder Engagement meeting was themed "Advancing Inclusive Growth for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities through South Africa's 2025 G20 Presidency." "Our G20 platform must center the lived realities of women, youth, and persons with disabilities, not as a footnote, but as a foundation for recovery and growth," said Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga. According to her, with South Africa's economy growing at just 0.7 percent annually, well below global averages, economic opportunities also remained deeply unequal, with two-thirds of South Africans living in poverty and 40 percent of adults, primarily young people and women, either unemployed or discouraged from looking for a job. Chikunga said South Africa's G20 leadership should go beyond ceremonial participation. "This is not only South Africa's G20. It is Africa's G20, and it must be the People's G20, shaped by those most affected by policy decisions, yet least represented in decision-making spaces. In short, this is a call to elevate our presidency from event-based diplomacy to outcome-driven action -- and to shape a legacy that lives far beyond our leaders' forum that will be seated later this year." Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike said the country's G20 leadership role also aims to drive systemic transformation in favor of women, youth, and persons with disabilities worldwide. "Our presidency is an opportunity not only to influence international dialogue but to lead by example in implementing real, impactful, and measurable change for those who have historically been excluded," Letsike added.
