REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA COMBINED SECOND PERIODIC REPORT UNDER THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE`S RIGHTS and INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA relations between women, men, institutions and laws. It is about addressing gender oppression, patriarchy, sexism, ageism, and structural oppression, and creating an environment that is conducive to women taking control of their lives. 8. In 1994, South Africa became a constitutional democracy founded on the rule of law, the advancement of human rights and the principles of non-racism and non-sexism. Since then, South Africa has taken focused interventions and initiatives to promote and protect the rights of women in accordance with its international commitments, particularly as outlined in the African Women’s Protocol. 9. At the core of these efforts is a political commitment at the highest level of governance. Gender issues have consistently, since the dawn of democracy in 1994, featured in the various State of the Nation Addresses. 10. This commitment was further embodied in the President’s proclamation276 which provided for the establishment of a Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities. Vulnerable groups refer to, inter alia, women, children and people with disabilities. These groups constitute a significant proportion of the South African population and will continue to expand in absolute numbers as the population grows.277 11. Following the National Elections in May 2014, the President pronounced on a self-standing, dedicated Ministry for Women to be located in the Presidency. The mandate of this Ministry is to promote the socio-economic empowerment of women and the advancement of gender equality. This includes the promotion of women and girls’ empowerment; the achievement of substantive gender equality; and the protection of the rights, freedoms and dignity of women. This elevates the promotion of equality for women to Cabinet level and ensures that it features prominently on the agenda of both the public and private sectors. The location of the Ministry at the pinnacle of Government renders it authoritative enough to provide oversight, monitoring and evaluation on the progress made with respect to women’s empowerment and gender equality and to ensure that women are socio-economically empowered. It further gives effect to section 9 of the Constitution which outlines the right to equality, as well as its international commitments on the promotion of women’s rights. 12. The Census 2011 data indicates that the South African population is predominantly female. Women constitute 51.3% (26 581 769) of the population while men constitute 48.7% (25 188 791). Of the total population of 51 770 560, children (0-18 years) make up 36.8% and people with disabilities constitute 10.3%. Table 1 below presents a summary of the demography by gender for South Africa from 1996 to 2011, based on the latest Census survey (2011): 276 277 10th May 2009 Statistics SA: December 2011, Social Profile of Vulnerable Groups in South Africa 2002-2010 143