V.
construction of forty-five (45) new Courts and the finalisation of two (2)
remaining High Courts in Limpopo and Mpumalanga enhancing citizen's
access to justice;
VI.
enactment and amendment of several legislations recognising religious
marriages concluded under any tradition, system of religious, person or
family law;
Vll.
voter education initiatives and numerous registration drives undertaken by
the Independent Electoral Commission to promote citizens' participation in
the electoral process and increase in the number of registered voters and
voting stations;
Vlll.
measures and programmes undertaken to ensure participatory democracy
including the Presidential Hotline, Public Liaison Offices and other outreach
activities such as Taking Parliament to the People Programmes which gives
South Africans the opportunity to make their voices heard by participating
in parliamentary processes and understanding how Parliament operates;
and
IX.
provision of free legal aid service to ensure that indigent people receive
competent and adequate legal representation in Court and litigation
services through the nationwide network of Justice Centres run by Legal
Aid South Africa.
Women and Children's Rights
13. The Commission commends the:
i.
protection of the rights of women through the enactment of various laws
and policies geared towards combating discrimination against women
and protection, empowerment and development of women;
11.
in.
establishment of the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit in
the National Prosecuting Authority and other similar units/departments
to fight against violence against women, integrate gender equality and
prioritize the prosecution of crimes committed against women;
re-establishment of the Family Violence, Child Protection Units in the Police
Service, Thuthuzela Care Centres, the Gender-Based Violence Help Line; as
well as, forty-three (43) Sexual Offences Courts with about thirty-three (33)
regional courts upgraded into sexual offences courtrooms to fight violence
against women;
IV.
various programmes initiated to curb incidences of sexual violence, the
practice of abducting young women as unwilling brides into forced
marriages known as "Ukidthwala and other gender discriminatory
practices;
9 | Pa g e