Economic and Social Rights from A Feminist Political Economy Perspective: An introduction Savi Bisnath, PhD International Consultant Visiting Scholar, ICM Cornell University

Women’s Rights and Sustainable Development South Africa recognises the “interdependences between economic growth, social equity and environmental integrity” Long term planning for employment creation (contribution to OWG, DESA, 2013)

Women’s Rights and Sustainable Development Violence Against Women The 2013 CSW agreed conclusions highlight intersections between economic, social and cultural rights and violence against women and call for comprehensive, coordinated, interdisciplinary, accessible and sustained multisectoral services and programmes and responses at all levels for all victims and survivors of all forms of violence against women and girls (RM’s 2014 Report).

Women’s Rights and Sustainable Development Health for All. “Mainstreaming of gender into budgeting processes is critical to the building of equal societies. Therefore gender responsive budgeting should be incorporated at all levels of budgeting planning processes across all spheres and levels of government.” South Africa’s Statement at OWG 4 (SDG) cuments/3668southafrica.pdf

South African Budget The legal framework for transparency in the South African budget process is underpinned by a range of laws and regulations: the 1996 Constitution the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) of 1999, the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) of 2003 government’s obligations under the IMF Standards of Data Dissemination (National Treasury, 2012)

South African Budget The PFMA and MFMA set stringent transparency requirements for the budget process in the national, provincial and local sphere. These include provisions on budget reporting, the scope and usefulness of budget information, as well as the clear assignment of budget accountability at all levels of government (National Treasury, 2012).

South African Budget Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities The media, civil society and the public generally have little knowledge of who in government can be held accountable for what (National Treasury, 2012).

South African Budget Women, Children and People with Disabilities Aim Drive, accelerate and oversee government’s equity, equality and empowerment agenda on women, children and people with disabilities, especially in poor and rural communities (National Treasury, 2012)

South African Budget Women, Children and People with Disabilities Programme purposes Programme 1: Administration Purpose: Provide effective leadership, management and administrative support services to the minister and other branches in the department. Programme 2: Women, Empowerment and Gender Equality Purpose: Facilitate the translation of national and international instruments into empowerment and socioeconomic development programmes. Oversee and report comprehensively on the national realisation of women’s rights and the progressive realisation of equality (National Treasury, 2012)

South African Budget Women, Children and People with Disabilities Strategic overview: 2008/09 – 2014/15 The Ministry for Women, Children and People with Disabilities established 10 May The department’s mandate is to advance, develop, promote and protect the rights of women, children and people with disabilities through mainstreaming, lobbying, advocacy, awareness raising, empowerment and monitoring compliance in government and all relevant sectors (National Treasury, 2012)

South African Budget Women, Children and People with Disabilities Outcomes and strategic priorities The overall goal of the department’s strategic plan for 2012/ /17 is to promote the achievement of equality and eradicate discrimination against women, children and people with disabilities. The strategic plan is aligned with government’s priorities, and with an outcomes and rights based approach to gender, disability and children. The priority outcomes are: improved quality of basic education (outcome 1); a long and healthy life for all South Africans (outcome 2); all people in South Africa are and feel safe (outcome 3); a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path (outcome 5); an efficient, competitive and responsive infrastructure network (outcome 6); vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities with food security for all (outcome 7); sustainable human settlements and improved quality of household life (outcome 8); an efficient, effective and developmental oriented public service and an empowered, fair and inclusive citizenship (outcome 12) (National Treasury, 2012)

South African Budget Women, Children and People with Disabilities Outcomes and strategic priorities In realising these outcomes, the department creates opportunities for strategic collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders and implementation partners (National Treasury, 2012)

South African Budget Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities The provincial budget preparation process is a series of consultative meetings, workshops and seminars at both a national and provincial level between relevant stakeholders such as the Executive Committee (EXCO), Provincial Treasury (PT), provincial departments, National Treasury (NT), the Budget Council, and the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) (Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury)

South African Budget Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities Departmental budgets for the 2015/16 financial year are aligned to government’s strategic policy priorities for the electoral cycle as indicated in the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), Provincial Medium Term Strategic Framework (P-MTSF), Apex priorities, National Development Plan (NDP), the President’s 14 Outcomes, the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the Premier’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) (Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury)

South African Budget Provincial Budget for Eastern Cape 2015/16: This budget further translates its interventions in ensuring a better life for all through the following: Continued intervention in struggling municipalities; Mobilisation of resources towards the eradication of poverty by improving food security through agriculture; Skilling and improving the provincial human capital through quality education; Ensuring increased access to and the improvement of basic health services; and Improving access to basic services especially rural roads (Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury)

South African Budget Provincial Budget for Eastern Cape 2015/16: In 2015/16 and over the 2015 MTEF, the majority of the budget is allocated to the social sector departments, which consist of the departments of Education, Health and Social Development. Their share of the provincial budget amounts to R billion, R billion and R2.230 billion, respectively (Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury)

South African Budget Provincial Budget for Eastern Cape 2015/16: The composition of the regional economy is dominated by the services sector, especially Retail and Wholesale - most of which supports and sustains the provincial informal sector. The primary sector of agriculture, despite the relative abundance of agricultural land in the former homelands, remains largely under-developed (Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury)

South African Budget Provincial Budget for Eastern Cape 2015/16: Low levels of human capital and skills within the province has marginalised or excluded a high number of workers from gaining or maintaining good jobs. As a consequence, a large number of workers in the province still occupy low-skilled and low paying jobs (elementary occupations, services workers and domestic workers) (Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury)

South African Budget Budgeting exercise