Human trafficking has become an international issue of significant importance; it is the largest and most profitable organised crime after drugs and arms trafficking. Particular concern has recently been raised due to the Brexit potential ramifications on Human trafficking. There is a risk that the EU directive 2011/36 will be repealed as a result of Brexit. Accordingly, it has been questioned whether the UK national efforts and legislation concerning human trafficking are comprehensive and sufficient enough without the strengthening support of the EU and especially the EU directive 2011/36. Thus, this thesis aimed to determine the impact Brexit will have on human trafficking in the UK by investigating if there will be "gaps" in the UK national legislation on human trafficking.  A comparative content analysis was conducted to analyse the UK national legislation on human trafficking, The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA 2015). The Modern Slavery Act was compared with the EU directive 2011/36 to determine how the legislation differed. The method and analysis were conducted on both a latent and manifest level which means it both described the definitions and analysed how the definitions could be interpreted, hence how it affects reality. Based on what has commonly been argued the main reasons behind human trafficking in Europe, the content analysis focused on the definitions of human trafficking, prostitution and protection of migrant victims. Prostitution and migrations are frequently claimed to be the main reasons behind human trafficking in Europe.  Due to the risk of the EU directive 2011/36 being repealed, the result of the thesis exhibits the need for the UK to update their national legislation. The MSA 2015 needs to become coherent with international agreements and strengthen the protection of victims of human trafficking. Due to the gendered nature of human trafficking, this research addressed human trafficking from a feminist perspective by applying the "dominance theory" and the "sameness theory". The feminist theories helped analyse and investigate the issue of human trafficking and the potential ramifications of Brexit. Applying the ideas illustrated the patriarchal structures surrounding human trafficking and within the MSA 2015.

This study demonstrates the negative effect of stereotypes in the progression of women in the legal profession in South Africa and the laws, policies and measures that reinforce gender and sex stereotypes are discriminatory on the basis of gender and sex. This notwithstanding, it considers whether gender equality can be achieved where the measures adopted for gender transformation are premised on gender or sex stereotypes. The study analyses the Cape Bar Maternity Policy in concluding that this approach is justifiable and necessary to achieve substantive gender equality. In addition, this study provides recommendations for the legal profession to achieve substantive gender equality that include: special measures to ensure that the working environment is cognisant of the lived realities of women; requiring practitioners to confront their individual bias by holding them accountable for habits and attitudes that maintain gender inequality; and linking the career advancement of legal professionals to a demonstrable commitment to gender transformation. / Jurisprudence / LL. M. (Human Rights Law)