The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were established in an effort to set measurable global standards for development, and in turn, encourage countries to accelerate their own development efforts. Ensuring that South Africa achieves its targets in this regard is not only the responsibility of the Executive, but of all stakeholders in development. Parliaments, in particular, play a central role in monitoring Government action and progress on attaining the goals, and ensuring that the voices of ordinary South Africans are reflected in the outcomes of MDG-related interventions.

To this end, the South African Parliament has, in accordance with its constitutional mandate, embarked on a process to evaluate its institutional contribution in reaching the MDG targets through its legislative measures, oversight activities, as well as its public participation initiatives. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the MDGs through a

gendered lens and to present the perspectives of women in civil society on progress made in this regard. This is done through the work of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus (MPWC or “the Committee”), which is a joint committee constituted by all female Members of both Houses of Parliament.