_: As part of Women’s Month, Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele will officially launch the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Women’s Network, to ensure that female officials overcome challenges that the long male-dominated environment poses.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Women’s Month programme is being celebrated under the theme, “Addressing Inequality and Empowering Women Officials and Offenders in the DCS: Together Contributing towards a Progressive Future for Women”.
Details of the launch are as follows:
Date: Friday, 24 August 2012
Venue: Grootvlei Correctional Centre, Bloemfontein, Free State
Time: 9h00 for 9h30
Journalists attending must confirm attendance with your name, mobile number and email address by no later than 16h00 on Wednesday, 22 August 2012, to:
Tshifhiwa Magadani: Tshifhiwa.Magadani@dcs.gov.za; Tel: 012 307 2925 Cell: 073 936 5405.
The Corrections and Prisons Sub-Committee, at its 2011 meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, took a decision that member states establish a Regional Women’s Network for Correctional Services officials. Subsequent to the Lusaka decision, the Women’s Network was further discussed at a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting from 7 to 9 December 2011 in Johannesburg.
The objectives of the Women’s Network include the following:
To create a platform where women are able to share their observations and concerns, find ways of problem solving and promote unity and cooperation among the female corrections and prison population, both in South Africa and SADC.
Expedite realisation of the representation targets agreed upon on recruitment, retention and advancement of female corrections and prison officers.
Ensure gender parity during training and deployment of Correctional Services personnel for peace keeping and enforcement missions.
Ensure that DCS South Africa enjoys similar benefits through the SADC Women’s Network.