9th+Congress,+Organisational,+2+of+5,+Quota+System+in+Federation

Draft Adopted Resolutions of the 9th COSATU National Congress

 * (For advance study purposes only. Wait for the printed edition, or refer to the official [|COSATU web site]for the authoritative version)**

Organisational Resolutions, 2 of 5
=2.2 Quota system in the Federation=


 * Noting:**

1. The 2003 Congress resolved that the quota system applicable to the Federation should be set by the CEC and quota systems applicable to affiliates should be set by affiliates. It said that affiliate quotas should be based on the share of women in membership and the need to rapidly develop women leadership.

2. The CEC of the Federation has never set a quota for itself, and many affiliates have not met their own quotas. The public face of the federation remains almost exclusively male.

3. Women continue to be marginalised in the Federation and its affiliates. Gender equality isn’t just about numbers and quotas but also about eliminating the psychological, economic and social oppression that women have to endure as a result of male chauvinism and patriarchy.


 * Resolve:**

1. to reaffirm the 8th Congress Resolutions on Gender.

2. COSATU must raise a developmental path that will not only talk to representivity but also be able to address situations in which ordinary women are affected. We must reaffirm empowerment of women in all Federation policies.

2. By the next congress an assessment be done regarding achieving balanced gender representation taking into account the proportion of women members in the union. By 2015 where applicable all affiliates should have 50% quota of women at all leadership levels. Women workers must be encouraged to participate in all decision making structures of the Federation. Taking into account sectoral dynamics.

3. Affiliates and COSATU should develop a guide to report with regard to women development on scorecards and annual audit. All the affiliates of COSATU must conduct thorough audits of their gender programmes and take concrete steps to ensure that their members are not polluted by the fashionable elitist, right wing and capitalist philosophies which only serve to entrench gender inequalities, no matter how sweet sounding and well intentioned they may be.

4. The Federation and its affiliates must implement capacity building programmes for women workers that remove the stereotypes and indoctrination of the past and debate the issues of patriarchy and stereotypes within our structures.

5. COSATU must take practical measures and steps, through the production and running of a national gender programme, to instil in all members a working class and scientific Marxist-Leninist attitude to the question of gender. The gender programme must include education and teachings on revolutionary culture, socialisation, sexuality and relationships. It must combat male chauvinism, the culture and practice of the patriarchy, and all social and psychological aspects which perpetuate inequalities and exploitation and oppression between the sexes.

6. COSATU and all its affiliates must always seek to understand, and explain to the masses, how the current capitalist accumulation path continuously produces and reproduces the historic exploitation, oppression and domination of women. In particular, COSATU needs to urgently conduct research to audit the extent to which BEE has negatively impacted on the struggle to liberate women from class, gender and national oppression and exploitation.

7. Resource should be allocated to build capacity of women and enable gender structure to carry out their work.

8. NALEDI to conduct research on women representation and submit findings to the CEC for consideration.

9. Within male dominated sectors gender discrimination should be vigourously addressed and equity plans should be implemented.

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