Women S Rights
latest news & developments
Stop calling survival empowerment
Every August, South Africa celebrates the strength of its women, often praising them for carrying burdens that should never have been placed on them. This article argues for a…
Cancel Women’s Day: South Africa’s annual insult to women
South Africa celebrates Women's Day, but for many, the reality is far from the promise of a life free from violence and discrimination. This article critically examines the gap…
When will she be safe? The continuum of violence in refugee and migrant women’s lives
While South Africa celebrates Women's Month, many refugee and migrant women continue to face a continuum of violence, from the trauma of forced displacement to xenophobia,…
The unfinished march: Why women's empowerment remains South Africa's greatest infrastructure challenge
The 1956 Women's March against apartheid pass laws was a pivotal moment for South African women. Decades later, the fight for true gender equality and economic inclusion remains…
The unfinished fight for South Africa's young women
Seventy years after the historic Women's March, South Africa reflects on progress while confronting the ongoing challenges faced by young women today, from healthcare access and…
Before 1956, there was 1913: The forgotten women of the first pass war
While South Africa celebrates the women of 1956, this article sheds light on the largely forgotten women of 1913. Exactly 43 years earlier, thousands of black women in the Orange…
Women should not have to perform wellness to be valued
South Africa celebrates women's strength, but for those with chronic illnesses like lupus, resilience can be a dangerous compliment. This article explores the hidden costs women…
Misogyny is in a smirk, a meme or in violence
Hatred of women persists, influencing them to internalise inferiority. Resistance is to challenge patriarchal norms and curated femininities
Female & Guardian | Andiswa Mengo and the judge who could not read between the lines
This week’s testimony explored whether Mengo’s WhatsApp replies reflected the careful diplomacy women use to reject senior officials without risking their careers
Women are the vanguard of justice and emancipation
Generations of women, from the United States’ Harriet Tubman to South Africa’s Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Uganda’s Winnie Byanyima have fought for human rights
Report finds female genital mutilation more prevalent than previously thought
At least 66% of recent cases were performed by healthcare professionals, in an attempt to legitimise the practice
Urgent need for clear policy on sexual harassment in legal sector
An independent, rigorous process for investigating complaints of abuse of power of a sexual nature must be set up to provide guidance for tribunal investigations
27s gang member sentenced to life for rape, murder of ex-girlfriend on 21st birthday
Calvin Cloete hacked Carmen Gouws to death with an axe and stomped on her back with such force that he left shoe imprints
The long and short of a 50-year artistic career
Sue Williamson’s new show opens in Joburg and a retrospective is coming soon
Women’s rights: Insidious discrimination an affront to collective humanity
It is up to actors at all levels of society to rescue institutionalised prejudice that undermines the freedom and dignity of women and girls