South Africa

WOMANKIND has been supporting women in South Africa for 15 years. Our programme covers both the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, where we work in partnership with a number of South African women’s organisations to address issues regarding violence against women and HIV and AIDS.

Our focus is on supporting women and young girls who have experienced violence, sexual abuse or rape — and working with communities to change attitudes that tolerate and condone this widespread abuse.

WOMANKIND’S partnership programmes touch the lives of thousands of South African women each year, providing practical resources and assistance to:

Challenge and change attitudes, myths and behaviours regarding violence against women
Support and counsel women and girls who are victims of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence
Teach women about their rights and to help them lobby for change at community and country level
Encourage and support government to make their legal and constitutional commitments to reducing violence against women a reality.

Our programmes have already resulted in significant change:

An innovative approach to preventing domestic violence is already changing attitudes — and the lives of some of the country’s most marginalised women.
Over 2,500 women farm workers in the Stellenbosch wine growing area now have their own trades union, Sikhula Sonke (We Grow Together).
The links between women’s vulnerability to HIV, poverty and violence have been acknowledged at the national and international level. WOMANKIND and partners are now working to ensure that violence is addressed as a core part of all HIV and AIDS prevention strategies.
Collaboration with and training for members of South Africa’s Police Service has increased officers' understanding of and sensitivity towards women’s experiences of violence — so services have improved.

But, there is still much to do.

Why South Africa?

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