GENDER EQUALITY FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL ONE (NO POVERTY) IN SOUTH AFRICAN MUNICIPALITIES

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goal One demands the reduction of poverty, hence holds significance in the South African context where a high unemployment rate still prevails, hampering socio-economic development of the country as a whole. In addition, poverty is linked to gender inequality with female counterparts occupying fewer jobs in the South African labour market than men. This situation is even more dire at grassroots levels, where a lack of education and civic awareness, inadequate gender-based poverty alleviation policies, and inappropriate gender-based participation in pro-poor growth strategies, contribute towards the weakening of women’s empowerment. This article hypothesises that gender equality in poverty reduction strategies could have a positive impact in the realisation of Sustainable Development Goal One. In order to explore the gender equality measures in poverty reduction initiatives, the article utilizes a qualitative research approach with an exploratory design. This involved distributing a survey questionnaire to residents of Emfuleni Local Municipality as part of the Mainstreaming Gender Equality (MGE) approach to promote equal opportunities in poverty reduction programmes at grassroots level in South Africa. The responses showed that community members are changing their perspectives on gender equality, the role of gender in achieving Development Goal One, and the significance of gender-based contributions towards social-economic development. The article recommends that future research should focus on gender-disaggregated needs, gender-sensitive roles, gender-based demographic data, and gendermainstreaming, as policy options for socio-economic development at local government level in South Africa.

Keywords

• gender,gender equality,poverty,pro-poor strategies,sustainable development goals

References

1. African Development Bank (2014). Gender Equality and MDG. http://www.afdb.org. Accessed 2014/10/12.
2. Andrade, Maria de Lourdes (2014). Role of Technology in Supporting English Language Learners in Today’s Classrooms. University of Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
3. Antonopoulos, Rania (2008). Impact of Employment Guarantee Programmes on gender equality and pro-poor economic development: Policy brief case-study on South Africa. New York: Annandale-on-Hudson.
4. Bieri, Sabin and Annemarie Sancar (2009). Power and poverty. reducing gender inequality by ways of rural employment? Paper presented at the FAO-IFAD-ILO Workshop on Gaps, trends and current research in gender dimensions of agricultural and rural employment: differentiated pathways out of poverty. Rome. 31 March - 2 April 2009.
5. Business Tech (2016). The Richest and Poorest Hoepfl, C. Marie (2007). Choosing qualitative research: a primer for technology education researchers. Journal of Technology Education, 9 (1), 1-8.
6. Human Sciences Research Council (2010). Gender and Poverty Reduction: Voice, Dialogue and Targeting. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council.
7. Jones, Nicola, Rebecca Holmes and Jessica Espey (2008). Gender and the MDGs. London: Overseas Development Institute (ODI).
8. News24 (2013). More Women Struggling-Stats SA. https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/More-women-struggling-Stats-SA20130704. Accessed 2017/02/12.

9. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (1998). Gender Equality: A Key for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development. https://www.oecd.org/dac/gender-development/SDC_Gender%20Policy.pdf. Accessed 2017/12/11.
10. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2001). The DAC Guidelines Poverty Reduction. France: OECD.
11. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2010). Gender Equality and Pro-Poor Growth. OECD: Women’s Economic Empowerment Series. https://www.oecd.org/dac/genderdevelopment/47566333.pdf .Accessed 2017/12/09.
12. Orr, Liesl and Tanya van Meelis (2014). Women and Gender Relations in the South African Labour Market: A 20 Year Review. http://www.lrs.org.za/docs/BI2014-lowres_Chapt3.pdf. Accessed 2017/12/11.
13. Overseas Development Institute (ODI) (2008). Gender and the MDGs: a Gender Lens is Vital for Pro-Poor Results. UK: ODI.
14. Oxfam International (2014). Women and Poverty. UK: Oxfam House.
15. Poverties (2016). What is Poverty? The Stakes of a Good Definition. http://www.poverties.org/blog/what-is-poverty. Accessed 2017/12/03.
16. Republic of South Africa (1998). White Paper on Local Government, 1998. Pretoria: Government Printer.
17. Republic of South Africa (1998). Municipal Structures Act, No. 117 of 1998. Pretoria: Government Printer.
18. Republic of South Africa (2000). Municipal Systems Act, No. 32 of 2000. Pretoria: Government Printer.
19. Rodenberg, Birte (2004). Gender and Poverty Reduction: New Conceptual Approaches in International Development Cooperation. Bonn: German Development Institute.
20. Statistics South Africa (2016). Gender Equality: Have Municipalities Walked the Talk? Pretoria: Statistics SA.
21. Statistics South Africa (2017a). Poverty Trends in South Africa: An examination of absolute poverty between 2006 & 2015. Pretoria: Statistics SA.
22. Statistics South Africa (2017b). Quarterly Labour Force Survey Quarter 1: 2017. Pretoria: Statistics SA.
23. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (2002). Mainstreaming Gender Equality. https://www.sida.se/contentassets/836ce29b2d3942a5b632ebf60803302f/20021- mainstreaming-gender-equality_1894.pdf. Accessed 2017/11/07.
24. United Nations (2013). The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013. http://www.un.org. Accessed 2014/09/03.
25. Verloo, Mieke (2007). Multiple Meanings of Gender Equality A Critical Frame Analysis of Gender Policies in Europe. Budapest: Central European University Press.
26. Vyas-Doorgapersad, Shikha (2014a), Gender equality in poverty reduction strategies for sustainable development: the case of South African Local Government. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 29 (2),105-134.
27. Vyas-Doorgapersad, Shikha (2014b). Gender equality, pro-poor growth and MDG goal 1 in South African municipal governance: the case of Sedibeng District Municipality. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5 (21), 327-334.