The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will host an awareness-raising workshop on the empowerment of women, youth and persons with disabilities in the waste management sector, in collaboration with the Nkangala District Municipality on Friday, 13 May 2022.

The workshop is a build-up towards the Presidential Imbizo to be held in Carolina, Mpumalanga, in the Gert Sibande District Municipality, on 20 May 2022. Minister Nkoana-Mashabane is the District Development Champion for the Nkangala District.

The main objective of the consultation is to encourage women, youth and persons with disabilities to pursue economic opportunities in previously male-dominated fields, increase their participation within the green economy and especially in the waste management sector.

In March, the department hosted the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) which considered “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes” as its priority theme.

The consultation, therefore, builds on the discussions and commitments emerging at CSW66 to ensure that women, youth and persons with disabilities not only take lead as change agents, but also benefit from economic opportunities presented by climate change.

The workshop will introduce the waste management sector to participants, as well as understanding value chains and the work of government in the green economy and waste management.

Source: Government of South Africa