SA’s gender equality under scrutiny

The Commission for Gender Equality and the Sonke Gender Justice Network have been reviewing the country’s compliance with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA), a United Nations body that monitors and advocates women’s rights.

Their reports show that far too little is being done to deal with issues such as the connection between violence against women and women living with HIV/Aids.

It has been found that while South Africa’s laws and policies comply with the BPFA’s recommendations, the experiences of most women have not changed sufficiently in comparison to men.

Sonke’s Bafana Khumalo said the government’s gender laws may look good on paper, but the reality is far-removed from policy.

“Broadly speaking, we still have a lot of gaps in terms of compliance with the BPFA. Where you get feedback it’s very scanty, indicating that not much is being done with the intention of achieving the objectives of the BPFA,” he said.

(Edited by Deshnee Subramany)