With reference to your call for submissions as published on www.parliament.gov.za, the CFCR welcomes the opportunity to make concise submissions to the Committee regarding the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill [B50-2013] (the Bill) and certain aspects of the Bill that we believe require revision or amendment.
It is not the purpose or intention of this submission to provide comprehensive legal analysis or technical assessment of the Bill, but rather to draw attention to key concerns in relation to the Bill, particularly in so far as it relates to constitutional values, rights and principles.
The CFCR welcomes the objectives of the Bill in so far as they aim to give effect to the letter and spirit of the Constitution, in particular the equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms by every person. We are, nevertheless, concerned about certain inadequacy in the Bill which may negate the objectives of the Bill and possibly fall short of certain constitutional values, rights and principles. This includes the application of the Bill; the manner in which the achievement of substantive equality is pursued; enforcement of the provisions of the Bill; and the Bill’s relation to the constitutional mandate of the Commissioner for Gender Equality.
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