SA can do more to broaden women's participation in economy - Ramaphosa

CAPE TOWN - President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa had made "impressive strides" in advancing gender equality over the last 30 years.

But he said the country still had a long way to go in broadening women’s economic participation.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that the country ranked the highest out of five countries surveyed in Africa when it comes to women's involvement.

The president was writing in his latest newsletter, where he reflected on Women's Day and the importance of women in society.
 
President Ramaphosa said that South Africa ranks the highest of the countries surveyed with respect to the rate of female participation in political decision-making.

The country also ranked the highest when it came to low rates of child marriage, and the participation and completion rates of girls in primary and secondary education. 

The survey included Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. 

But Ramaphosa said that of the countries surveyed, South Africa had the highest rate of unemployed women and women not in the workforce. 

The percentage of South African women considered to be self-employed or entrepreneurs was the lowest, at 5%. 

"In this respect, we lag behind the rest of the continent," said Ramaphosa. 

He said that according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), women constituted 58% of self-employed people across Africa.

Ramaphosa said that in a country such as ours, with a high unemployment rate, "entrepreneurship is an important tool to empower more women and broaden their participation in the economy".

He said through its various departments and entities, the state provided financial support to women to enable them to start their own businesses and to sustain existing businesses.