Human rights organisation welcomes nominations to Women’s Ministry

The organisation promoting human rights and the empowerment of women and girls has praised the decision to appoint new Minister for Women, Youth and Disabled Persons Sindisiwe Chikunga and Deputy Minister Mmapaseka Steve Letsike to the position.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointments of Chikunga and Letsike in an address to the nation on Sunday evening. The minister and deputy minister are members of the national executive of the seventh administration under the principles of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Former Transport Minister Chikunga takes over from former minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who was appointed Minister in the Presidency with responsibility for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities from 6 March 2023.

Letsike is the Executive Director and Founder of Access Chapter 2 (AC2), a nonprofit organization (NPO) and public benefit organization (PBO).

The aim of AC2 is to promote the human rights and empowerment of women and girls and LGBTI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people in all their diversity, and to facilitate the participation of civil society organisations at local, national, regional and international levels by creating spaces and coordinating platforms for engagement in governance, policy and accountability processes.

Access Chapter 2 praised the appointment of both directors, noting that Letsike’s appointment as Deputy Minister is a testament to her competence, passion and commitment to public service.

“We have no doubt that they will bring the same level of commitment and innovation to their new roles and we look forward to their positive impact on policy and decision-making at the highest levels of government.

“We are confident that (Letsike) will continue to be a strong voice for diversity, equality and justice in her new role and we wish her all the best as she begins this exciting new chapter in her career,” said AC2 spokesperson Clement Mampane.

Meanwhile, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities also welcomed the appointment of Chikunga and Letsike, stressing that its mandate is to lead socio-economic transformation and implement mechanisms for the empowerment and participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities through mainstreaming, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation.

“Guided by the principles of partnership and cooperation, the new administration will continue to promote progressive laws that seek to address the legacy of apartheid by confronting gender inequalities perpetuated by a lack of meaningful economic participation and representation across multiple socioeconomic sectors,” the department said. SAnews.gov.za