Transition to equality? Gender relations and democratic change in South Africa

Since coming to office in 1994, the government of South Africa has made strong, legally binding commitments to uphold and promote gender equality. But what are the challenges in achieving gender equality in South Africa’s transition to democracy? An Institute of Development Studies BRIDGE report examines the gender implications of crafting an institutional environment for democracy to address social and economic disadvantage in an unequal society. To reduce poverty and boost gender equality, suggests the report, policy must tackle inequalities such as race, class, location and age, rather than focus on women alone, as a uniform target group.

Gender can be viewed as a set of social relations and processes embodied in a variety of institutions, such as families, communities, markets or legal systems, that underpin everyday life. Gender relations are thus dynamic and context-specific. In South Africa, historical processes of colonialism, capitalism and apartheid have all left their mark, as have the socio-cultural norms that define gender identities.

How does the institutional environment create gender-equitable or gender-biased outcomes, asks the BRIDGE report? It also examines how individuals, households, organisations and social movements can change the way in which gender relations are defined and experienced. Gender-based inequality in South Africa is inextricably linked to race and class: inequality on the basis of race outweighs gender differences on almost every indicator. The following findings are gendered dimensions of disadvantage, which should be considered in poverty reduction

• Labour markets are segmented and discriminate against women: most black African women are concentrated in low-paid and vulnerable jobs, such as casual agricultural labour, domestic work and informal sector activities.
• Rural women in particular have little spare time due to heavy workloads to take advantage of livelihood opportunities.
• Household arrangements are diverse and complex, and composition varies over time. For example, high rates of female-headed households prevail, particularly amongst black African women.
• Inequalities in resources and power exist within households, with women lacking secure access and claims to resources such as land and income, as well as between households in a community.
• Increasing levels of violence have increased women’s fear and vulnerability, and made it difficult for women to take up social and economic opportunities

A widely available information base would be an important tool for formulating specific policies and programmes to deal with the complexities involved in poverty reduction and specific initiatives to promote gender equality. Specific future action should include:

• Encouraging black African women and men to develop research skills on gender issues to correct their lack of voice in existing data.
• Correcting the bias in existing data towards urban and formal sector activities, and legal and political focus.
• Providing knowledge on how gender relations shape livelihood strategies, particularly in the context of institutions and practice of customary law.
• Capacity building for local governments to address gender issues and support women’s access to resources and community political participation.
• Addressing issues of childcare and parenting as families change.
• Providing analysis and training to improve mechanisms of service delivery and accountability for gender equality programmes at the government level.
• Assessing the likely impacts of economic change, including trade liberalisation, privatisation and public sector reform, on gendered employment patterns.
• Mobilisation, organisation, training and advocacy for labour and welfare rights of low paid and insecure workers (mostly women).

Source(s):
‘Country gender profile: South Africa’ BRIDGE Report # 45 prepared for the Swedish International Development Office (SIDA) South Africa by Sally Baden, Shireen Hasim and Sheila Meintjes (1998) Full document.

Funded by: Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)

id21 Research Highlight: 20 November 2000

Further Information:
BRIDGE
Institute of Development Studies
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9RE
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 678243
Fax: +44 (0) 1273 621202
Contact the contributor: bridge@ids.ac.uk

BRIDGE Briefings on Gender and Development (IDS)

Other related links:
Search Eldis for sources on gender