AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS WOMEN’S LEAGUE PROGRAMME OF ACTION

BACKGROUND

The strategic task of the ANC WL remains the mobilizing of women behind the vision of the ANC, which is the creation of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. The ANCWL also has the responsibility of playing a vanguard role in the championing of women’s interests in South Africa.

The core responsibilities for the ANC WL remain the emancipation of women form social, political and economic oppression.

The WL derives its strategic goal and policies from the ANC. It is autonomous in terms of its organizational structures and finances, but its structures have to be realigned with those of the ANC to effect co-ordination and synergy. The ANC has completed its re-alignment process following the Mafikeng resolutions of the 50th conference.

The program of action of the ANC WL is thus based on the resolutions adopted at the WL Consultative conference held in October 2001 and on the ANC resolutions adopted at its 51st Conference held in December 2002 and resolutions adopted at recent ANC WL 4th National Conference held in August 2003.

TASKS ARISING FROM THE 51ST NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The 51ST Conference of the ANC reaffirmed that “as a discipline force of the left, the ANC ‘s policies are rooted in the needs and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of South Africans, many of whom are poor. Their interests are at the heart of the ANC’s agenda. To this end conference reaffirmed the perspective that the central challenges remain the eradication of poverty and inequality through economic growth and development, job creation and social equity. The legacy of the past still impose a heavy burden on South African society, especially on the poor, on women, youth, children, the elderly and people with disabilities. We are also confronted with many new challenges, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

More than ever before, the ANC must intensify the mobilization of the whole of South African society, behind a programme of fundamental change”.

The major areas identified for focus in the next period are:

• Consolidating democracy and ensuring that we involve people in the transformation of their lives.
• Strengthening the system of local government and the role, place of traditional system of government.
• Economic growth and development, social equity and job creation.
• The eradication of racism and sexism, the advancement of vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the youth, elderly and children.
• The resolution of the land question and integrated, sustainable rural development.
• The eradication of urban slums and ending the apartheid patterns of human settlement.
• A comprehensive social security system and human resources development.
• The struggle against TB, HIV/AIDS, and other threatening health conditions and creating the social-economic conditions necessary for us to realize the goal of health for all.
• The RDP of the soul and the fight for the safety and security of all our people.
• Responding to the challenge of an inclusive language policy and the development of a new patriotism.
• The accountability of the public sector institutions and personnel, the accountability to the movement of our cadres deployed in these institutions.
• The development of a broad front for reconstruction and development, the consolidation of our relations with civil society organizations.
• The strengthening of the alliance, including our relations with civil society organizations. The strengthening of the alliances, including SANCO and the proper exercise of ANC leadership of the national democratic revolution.
• Responding to the challenges of development, peace and stability on our continent.
• The strengthening of multilateral and the building of a just, and equitable world order.
• The reaffirmation of the internationalism character of our movement and our specific responses to global questions of the day.

SPECIFIC TASKS OF THE ANC WL ARISING FROM THE 51ST ANC NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The ANC conference has identified women as a target group and adopted the following resolutions:

• Continue to build a strong ANC WL.
• Design a comprehensive strategy on our programme to build a non-sexist society and provide a guide for the integration of gender in all aspects policies and programmes.
• Ensure that the one-third representations of women in all structures of the movement is seen as a minimum, to be progressively increased in order to match the demographic profile of SA, coupled with political education and capacity building programmes.
• Strengthen the gender machinery and mechanisms at all levels of the public and private sectors.
• Look into legislation that would ensure one-third representation of women in all legislatures.
• Play a critical role in accelerating efforts to build a national women’s movement.
• Strengthens disciplinary measures in the ANC to address the issue of sexual harassment, abuse and violence against women and children. In addition the NEC should establish a special committee under the national disciplinary committee composed of gender sensitive person to deal with such offences.
• Ensure that the Sexual Offence Act must be finalized as a matter of urgency.
• Take forward discussions with a view to effect amendments and changes to customary and religious practices, including laws that govern the right to inherit which are inconsistent with the Bill of Rights and other laws of our country.
• Explore the establishment of a developmental women’s fund and strengthen initiatives such as the Malibongwe Project to assist with creating and enabling environment for those women at the bottom end of the country.
• The Pan African Women ‘s Orgnisation must be transformed and restructed in order to meet the current challenges women face on our continent such as those identified within the AU and NEPAD.
• The ANC further reaffirmed the decision of its 50th conference to host and to support the holding of PAWO conference in SA.
• The ANC WL should develop a structured relationship with the Office of the Status of Women and the Commission on Gender Equality at national and provincial levels, through a programme that aims to reduce the impact of poverty on rural women based on the principles of sustainability and empowerment.
• Specific programmes should be developed that bring rural women into the mainstream of the economy.
• Capacity building and skills development is actively pursued through the relevant skills development institutions and structures including SETA’s.

KEY CHALLENGES FACING THE WOMEN’S LEAGUE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

1. Building the organization
   • Build strong, vibrant and united Women’s League.
   • Ensure that the Women’s League is a women’s vanguard leading the struggle for women’s emancipation and gender equality.
   • Develop a new cadre of the ANC and the League that shall participate in the life of the organization.
   • Build a second layer leadership.
2. Deepen the culture of Human Rights
   • Ensure that the League occupies the centre stage in campaigns aimed at deepening the culture of human rights.
   • Build partnerships with community based organizations and communities on matters of human rights.
   • Ensure that women participate actively in the organs of civil society.
   • Build a strong progressive and dynamic women’s movement that shall ensure that women speak as a strong and united voice.
3. Economic Development and Empowerment
   • Ensure that women are intergrated into the economic mainstream and also that the Black Economic Empowerment has a special bias towards women.
   • Investigate the possibilities of establishing a Women’s Development Fund which is going to focus on skills training more particularly entrepreneurship skills for women who are in the SMME sector.
4. Strengthen the hold of the ANC over the levers of power.
   • Mobilize women and communities in general to vote for the ANC so as to ensure that the ANC wins elections with overwhelming majority.
   • Ensure that within the framework of participatory democracy women participate actively in structures aimed at strengthening democracy e.g. Community Policing Forums, Ward Committees etc.
   • Continue to work hard in ensuring women representation on all spheres of government and that generally all representatives of the ANC on all spheres of government are credible comrades who want to take the struggle of the people of South Africa forward.
5. Build a better Africa and World Order.
   • Ensure that the League plays a leading role in the struggles of women in the continent and further a field.
   • Host the PAWO Regional Conference in the year 2004 and PAWO Continental Conference before the end of 2006.
   • Build partnerships with sister organizations in Africa and Internationally.
   • Continue to participate in the Socialist International Women and the Women Federation of Democratic Women and ensure that the work of these Organisations impact positively on the life of ordinary women.