Entries open for Gender Mainstreaming Awards

The awards are divided into nine categories for the private sector and three for government, with an overall Gender Mainstreaming Champion Award.

The closing date for entries is 17 June 2013. There is no cost to submitting an application, and all applications are done online on the website.

Private sector awards

• Woman on Boards Award
• Equal Representation & Participation Award
• Diversity & Transformation Award
• Women Empowerment in the Workplace Award
• Economic Empowerment Award
• Mainstreaming Gender and Disability Award
• Gender and Poverty Alleviation Award
• Investing in Young Women Award
• Empowerment Initiatives

Government awards

• Women Empowerment in the Workplace Award
• Mainstreaming Gender and Disability Award
• Equal Representation & Participation Award

Award evening, sponsors

The first of an annual awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 22 August 2013 at the Johannesburg City Hall. The keynote speaker is the chair of the African Union, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the Gauteng Premier will also attend.

Edith Venter of Edith Unlimited is managing the awards on behalf of Business Engage. Major media partners include CNBC/Forbes Africa.

The naming rights sponsor is PwC and current secondary sponsors are the South African Institute of Professional Accountants, the Institute of People Management and the African Women Chartered Accountants Forum. Business Unity South Africa has endorsed the event.

South Africa needs to up its ranking

Gender diversity is currently a major topic worldwide with numerous reports and academic studies being published on an ever-increasing basis.

It is however still new, with Norway leading the way having started legislation in 2003. For most countries this issue has only started to be taken seriously over the last three or four years.

The recent World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index ranked South Africa 16th out of 135 countries. However, that was due to a high political ranking (7th). Economic participation was 69th, so there is still plenty of improvement to be made.

Funds raised from the event will be used to expand on the work undertaken by Business Engage concerning pipeline development, board development, dialogue sessions, thought leadership, gender best practice, gender audits together with meaningful gender surveys and analysis.

For more, go to www.genderawards.co.za