The 2026 Women’s Parliament has called for accelerated action to advance gender equality, strengthen accountability and translate commitments to women’s rights into measurable improvements in the lives of women and girls across South Africa.
The call followed two days of deliberations held in Kimberley, Northern Cape, on August 13 and 14, where 273 delegates from across the country assessed progress since the historic 1956 women’s march and examined persistent challenges confronting women.
At the end of the gathering, participants adopted a declaration urging stronger parliamentary oversight, implementation monitoring and public accountability to ensure that gender-equality commitments are effectively implemented.
The declaration reaffirmed the legacy of the women of 1956 and the continuing relevance of the Women’s Charter, Constitution, National Development Plan, Medium-Term Development Plan, Beijing Platform for Action, Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063.
A major focus of the declaration was the need for gender-responsive planning and budgeting, backed by stronger monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and consequence management where commitments are not fulfilled.
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The Women’s Parliament also called for greater economic empowerment of women through improved access to land, property, finance, water, agricultural support, markets and business registration. It further stressed the need to include women with disabilities and ensure meaningful participation of women from both rural and urban communities in policymaking.
On gender-based violence and femicide, participants demanded stronger protection against GBVF, poverty, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and secondary victimisation. The declaration called for gender-sensitivity training for South African Police Service officials, accessible survivor support across the criminal justice system, family-law reforms and stronger regulation of alcohol-related harm.
The gathering also highlighted women’s role in climate action, calling for greater participation in climate-change responses, disaster management, climate resilience and the oceans economy within a broader climate-justice framework.
Digital and educational inclusion emerged as another priority, with delegates advocating affordable broadband, access to digital devices and public digital services, as well as expanded opportunities for women and girls in coding, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data skills, STEM, technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship, scholarships and mentorship.
The declaration further emphasised stronger public accountability and participation through partnerships among civil society organisations, women’s empowerment groups and public institutions.
Participants noted that sectoral parliaments can serve as platforms for sharing lived experiences, monitoring implementation, reporting progress and identifying practical solutions.
The Women’s Parliament stressed that achieving gender equality requires more than policy commitments, saying practical action, adequate resources, measurable outcomes and accountable leadership are essential to delivering meaningful change.
