Women'sNet Partners

The Community Law Centre at the University of the Western Cape (‘the Centre’), established in 1990, works to realise the democratic values and human rights enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution. It is founded on the belief that our constitutional order must promote good governance, socio-economic development and the protection of the rights of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Given the need for regional integration to encourage development in Africa, the Centre also seeks to advance human rights and democracy in this broader context. Based on high quality research, the Centre engages in policy development, advocacy and educational initiatives, focusing on areas critical to the realisation of human rights and democracy in South Africa and Africa in general.

Phone: +27 21 959 2950/2951
Fax: +27 21 959 2411

Just Associates (JASS) is a network of justice activists, scholars and popular educators in 13 countries worldwide committed to increasing women's voice, visibility and collective organizational power to advance a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Womens'Net partnered with Just Associates on their feminist Movement Building initiative in the Southern African region. Together, we facilitated the production of Digital Stories in May 2008. (watch the stories here: http://www.justassociates.org/digitalstories.htm)

Mosaic is a non-profit organisation that enables abused youth and adults to heal and empower themselves in dealing with domestic violence and abuse. The organisation works in partnership with government and other service providers in communities in and around Cape Town, and deliver a range of prevention and support services. Through its Court Support Project over 20,000 people, mostly women, are assisted with protection order applications at domestic violence courts in Cape Town. In the last few years Mosaic also partnered in three research studies on the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act.

Marieta de Vos
Tel, 021-761 7585
Fax, 021- 761 7584
Email, mdevos [at] mosaic [dot] org [dot] za

The Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development (henceforth referred to as Nisaa) was started by a group of committed women activists, in response to the growing problem of violence against women. The organisation was initiated at the end of 1993 and launched in April 1994, with the assistance of the Frauen Anstiftung.

OUT is a professional service organisation focusing on Lesbian/ Gay/ Bisexual/ Transgender (LGBT) people. OUT's focus areas of work are direct health and mental health services, research, mainstreaming and advocacy. Based in Tshwane (Pretoria), OUT's work takes place on local, provincial, national, continental and international levels.

OUT wants to reduce heterosexism and homophobia in society and is dedicated to the building of healthy and empowered lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in South Africa and internationally. OUT has been in existence for more than 14 years. 

Contact Details:

1081 Pretorius Street
Hatfield Pretoria 0083

Telephone: (012) 430 3272
Facsimile: (012) 342 2700

RAPCAN (Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) works to promote the rights and protection of children in South Africa and the region.

RAPCAN delivers direct services to children and families, aimed at promoting the rights and protection of children. We also undertake training and develop resource materials with a view to strengthening the quality of work undertaken by others in relation to children and families. Our advocacy work is aimed at ensuring that legislation, policy and practice are consonant with the international children’s rights framework.  

Contact Details:

Waterford House
3rd Floor Waterford Road
Diep River, Cape Town

Telephone: +27 (0) 21 712 2330
Fax: +27 (0) 21 712 2365
E-mail: info [at] rapcan [dot] org [dot] za

This is an initiative from a group of women in the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF). From it’s inception the group was clear that this initiative should not take the form of a new APF subcommittee where the issues could be ghettoized into “women’s issues in a women’s subcommittee”. Which is often the norm in mass movements. There was also an agreement not to form a gender committee of men and women replicating the way issues are discussed in the movements where it is impossible to construct a women’s agenda. Often the gender committees focus on women’s gender roles not to critically analyse these roles but to entrench them e.g. we end up thinking about issues like childcare, projects for women and not the power dynamics in the organization.

The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation is committed to the promotion of peaceful societies based on democracy, human rights, social justice, equality and human security.

CSVR aims to contribute to the building of violence-free societies and the promotion of sustainable peace and reconciliation by means of research, advocacy and other interventions and through establishing strategic partnerships with organs of the state, NGOs, community organisations, individuals and international allies.
 

Contact Details:

 4th Floor, Braamfontein Centre, 23 Jorissen Street,
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa
P O Box 30778, Braamfontein, JHB, 2017
Tel: +27 (11) 403-5650
Fax: +27 (11) 339-6785
 

The Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit at the University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Health Sciences (Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology) conducts progressive research in the area of women’s rights.  Faced with staggering levels of violence against women in South Africa, the Unit is dedicated to improving access to health and justice services for survivors of gender-based violence.  The Unit uses interdisciplinary methods from various academic fields including law, the social sciences, and public health to contribute to policies and laws and to advocate for social justice.

University of Cape Town
Faculty of Health Sciences
Falmouth Building
Entrance 1, Level 1
Anzio Road
Observatory
7925
Tel: (021) 406-6024
Fax: (021) 406-6020
E-mail:   mrd-gender [at] uct [dot] ac [dot] za

The Women’s Legal Centre (“the WLC”) is an independently funded non-profit law centre based in Cape Town, South Africa. The WLC was established in 1999 by a small group of women lawyers shortly after the coming into operation of the Constitution with a view to developing the right to equality on the ground of gender and sex as envisaged in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Its core function is to advance women’s human rights, specifically black and socio-economically disadvantaged women, through strategic litigation and legal advocacy in the areas of gender based violence, labour law, land law, relationship rights and reproductive and health rights. The WLC also provides a free daily legal advice service to women.

Contact Details

Women’s Legal Centre
7th Floor Constitution House
124 Adderley Street
Cnr Church Street
Cape Town
8000
Tel: (021) 424 5660
Fax: (021) 424 5206

In 1997, the Thohoyandou Community Policing Forum together with the SAPS initiated the establishment of a Victim Empowerment Committee (VEC) in accordance with the provisions of the National Crime Prevention Strategy. With seed funding from the Department of Health, the South African Police and local business, the first 24/7 One Stop Trauma Centre was opened at our regional hospital in September 2001, and “break the silence” campaigns were initiated. The committee was registered as the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust in January 2002, with provision for a range of stakeholders to be co-opted as Trustees. The Programme is now managed by a team of 40 staff and 46 local volunteers. Voluntary Service Overseas and US Peace Corps have each provided us with resource volunteers, who assist in the building of in-house capacity.

Contact Details:
House Number 2
Old Embassy Buildings
Sibasa
0970
Thohoyandou
Limpopo

Tel: +27 15 963 1222
Fax: +27 15 963 1973
Email: info [at] tvep [dot] org [dot] za
Skype: tvep.exec.assistant
 

The Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre (TLAC) to End Violence against Women was established in 1996 to eradicate the victimization of women by the legal system, and to make the law a vehicle of social change for women. TLAC played a key role in the development of the Domestic Violence Act, holding membership on the project committee of the South African Law Reform Commission that drafted the Bill.

TLAC has undergone a range of work since its inception, including training and education, advocacy and research. In 2005, TLAC established a legal services unit that provides information and legal advice and assistance to women who are survivors of gender based violence, including domestic violence and rape. The unit also provides legal advice on maintenance and is undertaking a programme of capacity building for non-legal NGOs to increase access to these services for poor women. TLAC has participated as a member of the National Working Group on Sexual Offences since the group was formed and is currently responsible for the national coordination and ensures the implementation of the workings and activities of the Group.

Contact Details:

Braamfontein Office
8th floor, Braamfontein Centre
23 Jorissen Street
Braamfontein
+27 11 403 4267 (tel)
+27 11 403 4275 (fax)

Acornhoek Office
Acornhoek
+27 13 795 5294 (tel)
+27 13 795 5024 (fax)
 

The Western Cape Network & its members are a strong, united body which coordinates and integrates organizations and individuals through advocacy, public awareness, training and support with a developmental approach in order to progressively realize women’s right to a life free from all forms of violence.

Tel: 021 633 5287 
Fax: 021 637 0785
Email: info [at] wcnetwork [dot] org [dot] za