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The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ms Nomalungelo Gina has welcomed the assessment report on the Empowerment of Women in the Green Industry Policy. Gina addressed the virtual launch of the report today. The report is the result of the collaboration between the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), and United Nations Women, and the German government. 
 
The report is part of the global joint programme called, “Economic Empowerment of Women in Green Industry” (EEWiGI), whose purpose is to advise policymakers and practitioners on the establishment and implementation of a policy framework to integrate gender and green industry policies. The aim of the programme is to effect change and empower more women to take leadership roles and participate in green industry as entrepreneurs or industry professionals.
 
“As South Africa, we welcome the Empowerment of Women in Green Industry Policy Assessment Report. It is an important step towards developing an informed, coherent and co-ordinated policy and implementation framework. The data collected on opportunities, constraints and possible measures to increase women's leadership and participation in  the green industry and green entrepreneurship in South Africa will prove invaluable in charting the way forward for us as a country. It will also provide evidence base to enable a national dialogue on how to formulate or reformulate existing gender responsive green industrial policies, as well as adopt and implement them,” said Gina.
 
She added that trom the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it was clear that gender equality was intertwined with sustainable development as reflected in the nexus identified between SDG 5 and SDG 12. 
 
“The transition from a linear to a circular economy needs to be inclusive and collaborative in all its aspects, including the participation of both genders. the dtic has captured this synergy in its joint performance indicators focusing on the promotion of transformation to enable greater inclusion and growth; and empowerment of designated groups, using the range of public tools such as procurement, incentives, technical support and enabling opportunities and the Green economy,” said Gina
 
Gina also said that the sector-specific master plans that have been produced by government contain clear commitments for transformation, as well as women empowerment and inclusion.
 
“Through the Master Plans that have already been finalised such as those in of the poultry, sugar, steel, and leather and footwear sectors, we will make sure that there is transformation and that women are empowered to play an important role in the growth of the economy of our country. There are also opportunities that will open up for women beyond our borders as a result of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement that we should take advantage of,” added Gina.
 
Gina urged all participants to ensure that issues raised in the report about the empowerment of women in the green industry should be shared with all women who are interested in entering the sector.
 
“We are approaching Women’s Month in August wherein a sharper focus would be on women issues. The issues that have surfaced here today ought to be carried through by all stakeholders during this month so that, they do not remain within the elite and highly educated women only. The entrance of women entrepreneurs to this new space of green energy and just transition must be widened and be spoken in the most simplest of languages, beyond boardrooms so that we take along as many women as we can in this direction,” concluded Gina.
 

Issued by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)