President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday launch South Africa’s Women Economic Assembly (WEA) which will put major sectors under the spotlight to evaluate the level of participation of women-owned businesses.
Addressing the nation in his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa said the inaugural WEA would bring together delegates from government, civil society and the private sector to develop a common plan of action for advancing women’s economic empowerment with renewed agency.
The economic empowerment of women is expected to bring the country closer to its constitutional aspiration of meaningful equality between men and women, he said.
He noted that although other sectors like justice, sports and culture have been making progress to level the playing field between men and women, “economic empowerment – a key milestone in realising equality – still remains elusive.”
The president said delegates from government, civil society and the private sector were expected to come together at the assembly “in an effort to develop a common plan of action for advancing women’s economic empowerment.”
“The Women’s Economic Assembly will consider how supply chains can be used to benefit women-owned businesses, address the policy impediments to women’s economic empowerment, and improve access to financing for women-owned businesses, especially rural enterprises,” Ramaphosa said.
According to the South African leader, “a number of economic sectors, such as automotive, agriculture, mining and energy will present commitments and action plans to enhance the participation of women-owned businesses.”
The gathering would in the end consider how supply chains could be used to benefit women-owned businesses, address the policy impediments to women’s economic empowerment, and improve access to financing for women-owned businesses, especially rural enterprises, he added.
NM/jn/APA