It also places challenges on this key institution to be mindful of gender parity considerations in the choice of leadership for portfolio committees'. Although this is still well below parity, this places South Africa among the top ten globally, where diplomacy is still very much a 'men's club'. According to Mtintso, the major change came about during Dlamini-Zuma's tenure as minister of foreign affairs from 1999 to 2009: 'She made the push for women to enter politics. The conditions of diplomats are very difficult for women, especially married women, and then it becomes a revolving door - they come in, they stay for the four years - then they go out and they don't come back - and there is no consistent approach to make sure that when you lose one you also put another one in'.