Women Military Veterans call for easy access to benefits

09 March 2014

The two day workshop held to celebrate International Women’s Day held on the 08th and 09th, at the Royal Elephant Hotel, has called for easy access to benefits by Women Military Veterans as stipulated in the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011.

The meeting which was attended by over 200 delegates falling under affiliated to formations falling under the South African National Military Veterans Association, was yesterday 08 March addressed by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula.

The two day workshop which was attended by representatives from Cuba, Vietnam, Palestine, Algeria and Zambia resolved on the following:

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans issue an instruction to the competent officials to draft a policy that would allocate certain services to be supplied by military veterans, and in particular, by women military veterans.
That an Inter-Ministerial Committee be constituted to regularly address and assess progress on the deliverables as obligated by the Act.
Establishment of an Investment Committee, which would be represented at all levels within SANMVA and which would explicitly focus on assisting, regulating and assessing progress in women empowerment initiatives. This investment Committee should include partnerships with public, private and civic organisations.
The investment Committee should focus on domestic, regional and international economic empowerment initiatives of women military veterans.

A Military Veterans Act Review Commission to be established

The completion of the creation of a credible database of military veterans be expedited created as a matter of urgency;
An on-going awareness campaigns on the Act, the Regulations and benefits for Military Veterans be undertaken;
That the DMV expedites the establishment of provincial offices as a matter of urgency in order to ensure effective communication; easy access by military veterans in general and women military veterans in particular, to benefits and services;
That a Gender Desk, within DMV, SANMVA and all other relevant structures be established
That there be proper women military veterans’ representation in all relevant regional, continental and international Military Veterans forums.
There must be women appropriate military veterans representation in SANMVA nationally, provincial and regional executive committees.
A Proclamation by the Patron in Chief of the Military Veterans be prioritized in NSFAS as well as other skills development, education and empowerment funding institutions;
A Proclamation be made by the Patron in Chief, that all Government Departments, State Owned Enterprises include Military Veterans in their targeted vulnerable groups;
The five Cubans arrested in America be immediately released;
We shall support the quest for the people of Western Sahara in their quest for independence;
We shall support the people of Palestine for peace and independence and call upon all conflicting parties to observe all the protocols agreed upon to bring about peace in that region.