Why South Africa?

Clouds over the ‘Rainbow Nation’

South Africa’s peaceful transition to democracy and black majority rule in 1994 was heralded as a unique success story throughout the world. Heading his ‘Rainbow Nation’, Nelson Mandela epitomised a new style of political leadership – his charismatic diplomacy promising a much needed bridge between Africa and the West and between the continent’s diverse peoples and politics.??

However, the intervening years have proved a mixed renaissance for South Africa. While there have been – and continue to be –genuinely transformative changes and progress, the legacy of chronic poverty, inequality and violence – particularly towards women and children – combines with the HIV/AIDS pandemic to render the country’s progress slow and problematic.

In June 2005, President Mbeki appointed his country’s first woman Deputy President – Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; a move which raises hopes that South Africa may – perhaps when the President steps down in 2009 - become the first country in the continent to have a woman Head of State.? But despite this appointment and the high number of women elected to both the National and Provincial Legislatures, there remains significant discrimination against – and obstacles to – women’s full, active participation in the decision making process both at grassroots and national level.

Violence against women in South Africa today is widespread and deeply rooted, damaging lives and preventing women from taking an equal part in their own and their country’s development.

Fact File:

A woman is killed every 6 hours by an intimate partner
147 South African women are raped every day
52,107 rapes and attempted rapes were reported to the police in 2002
Over 40% of rape victims were girls under 18 in 2002-03
14% of rape victims were 12 or younger in 2002-03
13% of women aged 15-49 have been victims of physical violence at some time in their marriage or partnership
By the end of 2003, the rate of HIV/AIDS in South Africa was 21.5%
An estimated 5.3 million South Africans are ‘living positively’
This is the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS anywhere in the world
Women make up 57% of those living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa
Only 5% of pregnant women living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2004, had access to healthcare services which would prevent transmission to their unborn child

A heavy burden - women’s position in South African society

The South African government has made a strong commitment to the principle of equality between men and women. They have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); begun implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action; are working towards addressing women’s issues within the Constitution, as well as reformulating policies and legislation regarding the protection of women. The introduction of the Domestic Violence Act 116 in 1998 heralded a significant step forward on issues of violence against women. By broadening definitions of domestic violence, the Act gives women – in theory at least – more accessible recourse to law and protection by the justice system. However despite such progressive reforms, violence against women in South Africa remains a major factor in preventing women from playing their full, active part within their families, their community and their country.
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In addition, the heavy burden of HIV/AIDS falls disproportionately on women - both as sufferers and carers.? Almost 60% of those infected are women; while AIDS is the leading cause of death amongst women aged 15-39.?? Limited healthcare resources to cope with the country’s pandemic have resulted in most care for the sick taking place in family homes,? the primary burden of which falls upon women in their traditional role as carers. Older women in rural areas of South Africa frequently find themselves caring for HIV positive family members returning from towns and cities.? Very often they do so with extremely limited support from – or access to –? state funding, health care and training.??

As the AIDS crisis in South Africa worsens, the burden of care is also falling on much younger shoulders. Despite the government’s efforts to support the UN’s Millennium Development Goals ensuring an increase in educational opportunities for South Africa’s girls and young women, more and more girls are being forced to leave school. For some their decision is caused by poverty, fear of violence or poor local education provision.? For others there is no choice – they must care for a family member with AIDS – or as AIDS orphans, assume the entire burden of the household’s responsibilities themselves.

The links between poverty, vulnerability to HIV and the widespread prevalence of violence against women are all too well known by South Africa’s own women’s organisations. Today, they are also being acknowledged internationally:

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Violence and HIV are linked on three levels: direct transmission through rape, indirect transmission due to childhood trauma and fear of the threat of violence. Women in violent relationships often do not feel comfortable negotiating sex and therefore are at risk of contracting HIV because they fear the consequences of talking about condom use empty

(HIV/AIDS and Violence Against Women and Girls: Southern Africa, UNAIDS Fact sheet 2004)

South Africa’s women also face significant challenges in terms of employment, particularly for those workers in the informal economy. Many of the country’s poorest, most marginalised women work as domestics, agricultural workers or vendors. In most cases they do so without any form of contractual protection, nor any means of redress in cases of exploitation or discrimination.

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