Civil society must advocate for access to human rights

Civil society must, in real terms, advocate for the advancement of access to human rights, which will lead to the socio-economic development of those most vulnerable to society’s ills.

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, made the remark when addressing global civil society organisations and movements united (C20), held at Lakefield, Benoni on Tuesday.

The Civil 20 (C20) has been an official Engagement Group of G20 since 2013.

Since then, the C20 initiative has grown stronger every year, to ensure that world leaders listen to the recommendations and demands of organised civil society, to protect the environment and to promote social and economic development, human rights, and the principle of leaving no one behind.

In her address, Letsike argued that a woman is paid less for work of equal value than a male counterpart.

“A young girl who identifies outside the binary understanding of gender identity and sexual orientation in a ‘conservative society’ must not fear to walk the streets because there is a threat of corrective rape or even victimisation from a legal system that criminalises relationships outside the binary.

“Census data should no longer paint the face of poverty, inequality, and unemployment as young, Black and female.”

Letsike emphasised that financial systems’ lending practices must not disenfranchise women, thereby enabling an emergent female entrepreneur in any part of the world without collateral because of historical, social, and cultural structural barriers to access to finance at affordable rates.

“Access to basic services and amenities should not be gendered. Education, healthcare, safe drinking water, sanitation, housing, food security, safety and transport should adopt a gender responsive lens that will ensure women have equitable access.

“This is the ideal, where all people, including women, girls, LGBTQIA+ [ lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more] persons, persons living with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds have an inherent right to access whatever amenities are necessary to participate meaningfully in all areas of human endeavour,” Letsike explained.

Disproportionate challenges facing women

The Deputy Minister also acknowledged the disproportionate challenges faced by women including a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report which revealed that approximately one woman or girl is killed intentionally every 11 minutes globally.

Meanwhile, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) report showed that women are considerably less likely to access finance on account of collateral requirements such as land and property as men have a disproportionate control of these assets in most societies.

“The global conviction rate for rape stands at about 5% or less, meaning that the vast majority of cases that are reported do not lead to a conviction. Many more cases go unreported. Women in the LBGTQIA+ community continue to face compounded discrimination on account of their social indicators such as being Black women, persons with disabilities, or women from lower socio-economic backgrounds. These intersections intensify the challenges faced, as we experience both racism, ableism, or classism alongside homophobia,” Letsike said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also estimated that around two billion people lack access to safe drinking water, with women and girls disproportionately affected by the burden of water collection.

The organisation further reported that in low- and middle-income countries, women face barriers to healthcare access, with one in three women lacking access to essential health services, particularly reproductive health services.

“With the advancements in modern medicine, it is appalling that so many women continue to experience higher mortality rates related to childbirth.”

The C20 initiative aims to secure increased investments for the Global Fund (GF) and prioritise the health needs of communities on the global health agenda.

The upcoming C20 process hosted by South Africa in 2025 presents a crucial opportunity to amplify civil society voices on issues critical to global health and make a call towards the G20 member states to commit ambitious financial pledges towards the 8th Global Fund Replenishment.