Polokwane - Limpopo authorities will on World Population Day commit to redouble efforts to keep girls in school and enable women to earn a living.
World Population Day is celebrated annually on 11 July to raise issues of critical importance to the development of the world community, with particular emphasis on poverty, HIV and AIDS, unemployment, education, health, gender and youth development.
"During this time of economic downturn, the United Nations (UN) is calling on governments to protect women's ability to earn income, keep the girl child in school and provide reproductive health and family planning services to all women," said provincial Health and Social Development spokesperson Selby Makgotho.
Mr Makgotho said poverty and poor socio-economic conditions often affected women more than any other member of the community.
"Limpopo has high levels of poverty amongst women. Although government has made significant strides in terms of empowering women and establishing systems and programmes to improve the living conditions of women, poverty still remains a major challenge especially in women-headed households."
He said the conditions were fuelled by high unemployment levels, increasing levels of orphaned and child-headed households, and rising incidents of HIV and AIDS where most women become carers.
"We have programmes in place that are in line with the national priorities, which include declaring war on poverty and making women, mostly rural women, beneficiaries of the programmes and resources to eradicate poverty," he added.
He said a seminar would be held in Mokopane to focus on issues affecting rural women and efforts to intensify strategies and programmes of women development.
Municipalities will be given an opportunity to exhibit and market their projects on how women can generate an income.
The theme for World Population Day this year is: "Responding to the Economic Crisis: Investing in Women is a Smart Choice".
