The need to carry out an analysis of gender issues in development stems from a concern about the persistent inequalities surrounding African rural women. Women assume social and economic roles inside and outside the household but their contribution does not receive due recognition. Having being excluded from crucial decision making processes, their productive roles have been secondary to their reproductive responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to highlight the negative impact imposed by gender oppression on women's economic and social progress. This necessitated an in-depth review of literature that included journals, books, newspaper articles and general publications. The review reflected that women have undisputedly faced social, cultural, economic, political and educational barriers and that simple rhetoric has not done much to alleviate women's subordinate position and dependency on men. Finally a suggested plan- of action followed to provide an axis around which gender issues in development should revolve. / Development Studies / M. Admin. (Development Administration)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African government has committed itself to the promotion of gender equality in the national constitution and also with the signing and ratifying of regional and international documents. Examples of a regional document is the Southern African Development Community Declaration on Gender and Development and international document the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action. The Gender Machinery in South Africa was created at a national level to promote gender equality on all levels of government through structures on provincial and local government levels. This study focused on the provincial level and more specifically on the gender focal persons and the Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality in the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape (PAWC). The study was done with the aim to assess progress on the promotion of gender equality in the PAWC. Information was gathered through interviews with members of Gender focal units and the Head of the Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality. Interviews were conducted with seven of the nine departments in the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape. Findings on the promotion of gender equality indicate that a long road lies ahead. Limited Progress is seen, however, and can be attributed to the work of dedicated gender focal persons and the Office on the Status of Women for Gender Equality. Specific to the work of dedicated gender focal persons this study finds that within the context of financial and other constraints relating to an absence of specified expectations and a double workload, progress is still made under these circumstances. Based on the findings the following recommendations are made. Firstly, broad scale gender awareness training is required for the personnel of the provincial administration. Secondly, there is a need to develop a job description for gender work and if reasonable to integrate this into the line function of gender focal persons. Thirdly, the gender focal units need to have a specific budget for gender-related work, as this will facilitate planning for gender-related projects. Finally further training is required for the gender focal persons regarding gender mainstreaming and how to translate the goals of gender mainstreaming into action in the respective departments. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die regering van Suid Afrika het met die nasionale grondwet, streeks dokumente en internasionale dokumente 'n verbintenis gemaak om geslagsgelykheid te bevorder. Voorbeelde van streeks dokumente is die "Southern African Development Community Declaration on Gender and Development" en internasionale dokumente is die "Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women" en die "Beijing Platform for Action". Nasionale strukture in Suid Afrika is saamgestel om geslagsgelykheid te bevorder op nasionale, provinsiale en plaaslike regerings vlakke. In hierdie studie was die fokus op die provisiale vlak en meer spesifiek die geslags fokus eenhede en die Kantoor vir die Status van Vroue vir Geslagsgelykheid in die Provisiale Administrasie van die Weskaap. Hierdie studie is gedoen met die doel om die vordering met betrekking tot geslagsgelykheid te evalueer. Inligting vir ontleding is ingesamel deur middel van onderhoude met geslags fokus persone en die hoof van die Kantoor vir die Status van Vroue vir Geslagsgelykheid. Onderhoude was gevoer met verteenwoordigers van sewe uit nege departmente van die provinsiale administrasie. Bevindinge rondom die bevordering van geslagsgelykheid toon dat daar nog 'n lang pad vorentoe is, maar dat daar wel beperkte vordering binne die provisiale administrasie gemaak word. Hierdie vordering kan toegeskryf word aan die werk van vasbeslote geslags fokus persone en die hoof van die Kantoor vir die Status van Vroue vir Geslagsgelykheid. Spesifiek tot die werk van vasbeslote geslags fokus persone wys die studie dat binne finansiële en ander beperkinge daar wel steeds vordering rondom geslagsgelykheid is binne sekere departmente. Gebaseer op die bevindinge word voorgestel dat daar eerstens ten volle bewussmakingssessies oor geslagsgelykheid gehou word vir alle personeel van die administrasie. Tweedens, dat daar 'n posbeskrywing geformuleer word vir mense wat binne die geslags fokus eenhede werk en indien moontlik moet daar gekyk word of dit deel van die lyn funksie van die geslags fokus persone gemaak kan word. Derdens moet dat daar aan die verskeie geslags fokus eenhede 'n begroting gegee word sodat projekte vir die bevordering van geslagsgelykheid beter beplan kan word. Laastens is dit belangrik dat die lede van die geslags fokus eenhede verdere opleiding kry met betrekking tot "gender mainstreaming" en die omskrywing hiervan in spesifike aksies.

Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 1995. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates womens' perceptions of social power, as illustrated by their experiences of rape. In the first chapter the principles of subjective feminist research are analyzed against the background of feminist critique on so-called objective science. This introduction also discusses the feminist research methodology used in the study. This is followed by an examination of mainstream political science's conception of "power". How mainstream political scientists conceptualise "power", how they define "the exercise of power". Analyses of the feminist critique against the mainstream conception of "power" are discussed. The account of Foucault's ideas on "power" is, to some degree, a link between mainstream political science's views and feminists views. An examination of patriarchy, the three main dichotomies present in our society that determine female/male relations and gendered sexuality follows. It is against the aforementioned background that the literature study moves into a practical research stage. The next chapter analyses womens' conceptions and experiences of "power" relations by looking at the feminist theory of rape. This is followed by an analysis of the research data and a discussion of the popular rape myths in our society. A historical overview and analysis of the current rape law is then given, while the last chapter examines a feminist alternative conception of "power"relations by re-visiting "power" and by providing a feminist vision of women-power. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek vrouens se persepsies van sosiale mag soos geïllustreer deur hulle ervarings van verkragting. In die eerste hoofstuk word die beginsels van subjektiewe feministiese navorsing geanaliseer teen die agtergrond van die feministiese kritiek teen sogenaamde objektiewe wetenskap. Dit verskaf 'n bespreking van die feministiese navorsingsmetodologie wat in die studie gebruik is. In die daaropvolgende hoofstuk word hoofstroom politieke wetenskap se konsepsie van "mag" ondersoek deur te kyk na hoe hoofstroom politieke wetenskap "mag" konseptualiseer, hoe dit "die uitoefening van mag" definieer en deur die analise van feministiese kritiek teen hoofstroom politieke wetenskap se konsepsie van "mag". Die opsomming van Faucault se idees oor "mag" is in sommige opsigte 'n skakel tussen hoofstroom politieke wetenskap se sieninge en die van feministe. 'n Ondersoek na patriargie, die drie belangrikste tweeledighede ("dichotomies") in ons samelewing wat die verhoudings tussen vrouens en mans bepaal en geslagtelike seksualiteit ("gendered sexuality") volg. Dit is teen die agtergrond van die voorafgaande dat die literatuurstudie gevolg word deur 'n praktiese navorsingsfase. Daar volg'In analise van vrouens se konsepsies en ondervindings van "magsverhoudinge" deur eerstens na die feministiese teorie van verkragting te kyk. Hierna volg 'n analise van die navorsingsdata en In bespreking van populêre verkragtingsmites in ons samelewing. In aansluiting by bogenoemde volg 'n historiese oorsig en analise van die huidige verkragtingswet en vrouens se ervarings daarvan. Laastens volg 'n feministiese alternatiewe konsepsie van "magsverhoudinge" deur 'n her-analise van "mag" voor te stel en deur 'n feministiese visie van vroue-mag ("women-power") te verskaf.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As early as the unification of South Africa in 1910 enforced discrimination in the military has been an issue that affected both race and gender. The advent of democracy in South Africa has brought fundamental changes in spheres of governance. One of these changes is the transformation of the public service of which the Department of Defence, in particular the South African National Defence Force, is part. The constitutional and judicial imperatives stipulated to the government departments to be representative of the demographic composition of the population of South Africa. The Department of Defence has provided a policy on equal opportunity and affirmative action to redress the racial and gender imbalances of the past, to protect individual and groups against unfair discrimination andto work towards achievement of employment equity. The study seeks to establish the extent and influence of gender discrimination in the South African National Defence with particular reference to the SA Army's Western Province Command. To achieve this, the attitude of the middle and top management of the WP Command towards the utilisation or employment of women in combat roles were assessed. The study also investigated whether the mentioned management does encourage women to be involved or participate in combat roles. Data was collected from respondents by means of a structured questionnaire consisting of 58 questions (plus 8 unstructured questions). The sample was drawn from the SA Army's WP Command and the focus was on middle and top management. Findings of the study indicate that the SA Army's WP Command's middle and top management supports the equality of men and women in general, but is reluctant to allow women to participate in combat roles side by side with their male counterparts. Although there seems to be an understanding and support for the policies of addressing equal opportunities, traditional cultural beliefs or stereotypes about women still shape and influence the acceptance and the non-acceptance of women in combat roles Finally, recommendations highlight issues of consideration when drafting policy vis-a-vis the utilisation of women as combat soldiers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Reeds so vroeg as Uniewording van Suid Afrika in 1910 was geforseerde diskriminasie binne die weermag 'n kwessie wat beide ras en geslag beïnvloed het. Die totstandkoming van 'n demokrasie in Suid Afrika het fundamentele veranderinge in die sfeer van Staatsbestuur te weeg gebring. Een van hierdie veranderinge het betrekking op die transformasie van die staatsdiens, waarvan die Suid Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag 'n deel is. Daar rus 'n konstitusionele en juridiese verpligting op staatsdepartmente om die demografiese samestelling van die bevolking van Suid Afrika te weerspieel. Die Department van Verdediging het 'n beleid van gelyke geleenthede en regstellende optrede ontwikkelom die rasse- en geslagsongelykhede van die verlede aan te spreek. Die beleid poog om individue en groepe teen onregverdige diskriminasie te beskerm en om billikheid in die werksomgewing te verseker. Hierdie studie poog om die omvang en invloed van geslagsdiskriminasie in die Suid- Afrikaanse Nasionale .Weermag te bepaal, met spesifieke verwysing na Kommandement Westelike Provinsie in die Suid-Afrikaanse Leer. Ten einde die omvang en invloed te bepaal is die houdings van middel- en topbestuur van Kommandement WP beoordeel met betrekking tot die aanwending of benutting van vrouens in 'n gevegsrol. Die studie poog om te bepaal of genoemde bestuurders vrouens aanmoedig om betrokke te raak by, of deel te neem in 'n gevegsrol. Data insameling het geskied deur middel van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys wat 58 vrae bevat het (Daar was ook 8 ongestruktureerde vrae ingesluit). Die steekproef is getrek uit lede van die Suid Afrikaanse Leer verbonde aan Kommandement Westelike Provinsie, met die spesifieke fokus op middel- en topbestuur. Bevindings van die studie dui daarop dat middel- en topbestuur van Kommandement Westelike Provinsie (SA Leer) oor die algemeen gelykheid tussen mans en dames ondersteun. Hulle is egter onwillig om vrouens toe te laat om sy aan sy met hul manlike eweknie in 'n gevegsrol te funksioneer. Alhoewel dit blyk dat daar begrip en steun bestaan vir die beleid wat gelyke geleenthede voorskryf, bepaal tradisionele kulturele oortuigings of stereotipes met betrekking tot vroue steeds die aanvaarding of nie-aanvaarding van vrouens in 'n gevegsrol. Die finale aanbeveling beklemtoon dat daar sekere kwessies is wat oorweging moet geniet wanneer 'n beleid ten opsigte van die benutting van vroue as soldate in 'n gevegsrol, opgestel word.

Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa gender-based violence (hereafter “GBV”) has reached extreme levels. This violent manifestation of gender inequality is compounded by the fact that women are disproportionately affected by poverty, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and inadequate health care services. This is in spite of South Africa’s progressive constitutional and legislative framework which appears highly conducive to combating gender inequality and GBV. For example, the Constitution protects the right to equality (section 9), human dignity (section 10), life (section 11), freedom and security of the person (section 12) and the right to have access to health care services, including reproductive health (section 27(1)(a)). Extensive legislation has also been enacted for the protection of women. For example, the preamble to the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 (hereafter “DVA”) recognises domestic violence as a serious social evil. While the DVA is notably silent as to the role of the health care sector, the DVA is progressive in that it contains a broad definition of domestic violence, and recognises a wide range of relationships. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007 also seeks to afford complainants of sexual offences “the maximum and least traumatising protection that the law can provide”. In addition to this, South Africa has international law obligations to address GBV and gender inequality. For example, under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979), States are obliged to address private acts of violence and to remove discrimination against women in all fields, including health. However, despite this progressive framework of rights, some interpretations of these integral rights have been unduly formalistic, in addition to being disengaged from the lived reality of many women. There is also a substantial gap between policy and practice, with the implementation of existing legislation a continuing problem. It is therefore imperative that we analyse the right to have access to health care services through a gender lens so as to transcend a purely legalistic perspective and to interrogate gendered social processes and power relations. This thesis analyses how existing law and policy can be transformed so as to be more responsive to these lived realities and needs of survivors of GBV. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geslagsgebaseerde geweld (hierna ‘GGG’) in Suid-Afrika het uiterste vlakke bereik. Hierdie gewelddadige manifestasie van geslagsongelykheid word vererger deur die feit dat vroue buite verhouding erg deur armoede, die MIV/vigs-epidemie en ontoereikende gesondheidsorgdienste geraak word. Dit is ondanks Suid-Afrika se vooruitstrewende grondwetlike en wetsraamwerk wat op die oog af hoogs bevorderlik vir die bestryding van geslagsongelykheid en GGG voorkom. Die Grondwet verskans, byvoorbeeld, die reg op gelykheid (artikel 9), menswaardigheid (artikel 10), lewe (artikel 11), vryheid en sekerheid van die persoon (artikel 12) en toegang tot gesondheidsorgdienste, met inbegrip van reproduktiewe gesondheidsorg (artikel 27(1)(a)). Omvattende wetgewing oor vrouebeskerming is ook reeds uitgevaardig. Die aanhef tot die Wet op Gesinsgeweld 116 van 1998 (hierna die ‘WGG’) identifiseer, byvoorbeeld, huishoudelike geweld as ’n ernstige maatskaplike euwel. Hoewel die WGG swyg oor die rol van die gesondheidsorgsektor, is dit nietemin vooruitstrewend aangesien dit ’n uitgebreide omskrywing van huishoudelike geweld bevat en ’n wye verskeidenheid verhoudings erken. Die Wysigingswet op die Strafreg (Seksuele Misdrywe en Verwante Aangeleenthede) 32 van 2007 is ook daarop afgestem om klaagsters van seksuele oortredings “die omvattendste en mins traumatiese beskerming te gee wat die wet kan bied”. Daarbenewens verkeer Suid-Afrika onder internasionale regsverpligtinge om GGG en geslagsongelykheid aan te spreek. Ingevolge die Konvensie vir die Uitwissing van Alle Vorme van Diskriminasie teen Vroue (1979), byvoorbeeld, is state verplig om privaat geweldsdade teen te staan en diskriminasie teen vroue op alle gebiede te verwyder, insluitend gesondheid. Nietemin, benewens hierdie vooruitstrewende menseregteraamwerk is sommige interpretasies van hierdie onafskeidbare regte nie net oormatig formalisties nie, maar ook verwyderd van die daaglikse realiteit van baie vroue. Daar is ook ʼn wesenlike gaping tussen beleidsmaatreëls en die praktyk, terwyl die uitvoering van bestaande wetgewing ʼn voortgesette probleem verteenwoordig. Dit is dus gebiedend om die reg op toegang tot gesondheidsorgdienste deur ʼn geslagslens te analiseer om sodoende ʼn bloot regsgedrewe perspektief te bo te gaan en om maatskaplike prosesse en magsverhoudinge in oënskou te neem. Hierdie tesis analiseer hoe bestaande wetsraamwerke en beleidsmaatreëls getransformeer kan word om beter te reageer op die realiteite en behoeftes van oorlewendes van GGG. / Stellenbosch University Hope Project / Bradlow Foundation

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This study provides a feminist analysis of protective labor legislation in the Supreme Court case of UAW v. Johnson Controls, Inc. History of protection rhetoric and precedented cases leading up to UAW are provided. Using a feminist analysis, this study argues that the victory for women's labor rights in UAW is short lived, and the cycle of protection rhetoric continues with new pro-business agendas replacing traditional justifications for "protecting" women in the work place. The implications of this and other findings are discussed.

<p>This thesis is about issues concerning the implementation of women's human rights in Sri Lanka.</p><p>Sri Lanka has had a conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam, LTTE for two decades. Since 2002 there has been a ceasefire agreement in place, which is being violated by both parties. Before being abandoned in 2003, one woman was present during the peace talks that were held.</p><p>In this paper I present the results of my field research conducted in Sri Lanka in November and December of 2005. The aim was to find out how women were active in the peace process since it is stipulated in international conventions that they have a right to participation. During the interviews with women activists it became evident that women were not involved in the official peace process. Therefore the thesis is about women’s human rights in Sri Lanka and the obstacles for their implementation.</p><p>Two main reasons for the lack of implementation of women’s human rights in Sri Lanka are identified. Firstly, for reasons of culture and patriarchal structures, there is a general lack of implementation internationally of women’s human rights. Secondly, the unresolved conflict situation in Sri Lanka, which reflects the unequal power relations between men and women that existed prior to the conflict. The lack of implementation of women’s human rights in Sri Lanka results in women not being present in the political life and they are therefore not part of the official peace process.</p><p>International conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on peace and security are addressed in the thesis in order to examine women’s human rights and their right to participation in politics and peace building.</p><p>Finally, I conclude that in order to include women in the official peace negotiations women need to actively participate in politics. The method presented to ensure such participation is that of affirmative action. It is a measure that falls under the category of temporary measures, which is suggested in CEDAW article 4.1.</p>

This thesis is about issues concerning the implementation of women's human rights in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has had a conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam, LTTE for two decades. Since 2002 there has been a ceasefire agreement in place, which is being violated by both parties. Before being abandoned in 2003, one woman was present during the peace talks that were held. In this paper I present the results of my field research conducted in Sri Lanka in November and December of 2005. The aim was to find out how women were active in the peace process since it is stipulated in international conventions that they have a right to participation. During the interviews with women activists it became evident that women were not involved in the official peace process. Therefore the thesis is about women’s human rights in Sri Lanka and the obstacles for their implementation. Two main reasons for the lack of implementation of women’s human rights in Sri Lanka are identified. Firstly, for reasons of culture and patriarchal structures, there is a general lack of implementation internationally of women’s human rights. Secondly, the unresolved conflict situation in Sri Lanka, which reflects the unequal power relations between men and women that existed prior to the conflict. The lack of implementation of women’s human rights in Sri Lanka results in women not being present in the political life and they are therefore not part of the official peace process. International conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on peace and security are addressed in the thesis in order to examine women’s human rights and their right to participation in politics and peace building. Finally, I conclude that in order to include women in the official peace negotiations women need to actively participate in politics. The method presented to ensure such participation is that of affirmative action. It is a measure that falls under the category of temporary measures, which is suggested in CEDAW article 4.1.

The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, CEDAW, in Uppsala local council and county council. The aim is to examine how the respondents, in their daily work, understand and implement the convention as well as how they consider the prerequisites for a successful implementation. The study was conducted using qualitative interviews with three civil servants and four politicians. The theoretical approach was implementation theory whose concepts willingness, comprehension and capability were used as tools for the analysis. The results portray CEDAW as a well-known treaty amongst the respondents but at the same time absent in local politics and everyday work. The convention is perceived as an abstract and ideological document which reveals the respondents’ insufficient knowledge about CEDAW as a human rights treaty and the state´s obligation to eliminate discrimination against women. The results also indicate that unclear instructions and responsibility distribution as well as lack of resources, such as time and knowledge, obstruct successful implementation of CEDAW. In conclusion, gender equality is neither a prioritised issue in Uppsala local council and county council and nor seen as a human right.