South Africa

southafrica

The Republic of South Africa has an estimated population of 50.5 million (UN, 2010). The capitals are Pretoria (executive capital), Cape Town (legislative capital), and Bloemfontein (Judicial capital). Johannesburg, however, is the largest city. South Africa has an area of 1.22 million sq km (470,693 sq miles). There are 11 official languages in South Africa, including English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, Xhona, and Zulu.

South Africa has suffered from decades of apartheid. South Africa was governed by a white minority government from 1948 to 1994 against the majority of black community. According to apartheid government, the white and black communities should separated into exclusive areas based on race. The election of 1994, which brought the African National Congress to power, signified the end of apartheid rule.

In South Africa, women are well represented in the government. Women make up 30 percent of the parliamentarians, which makes South Africa one of the top countries in terms of gender equality in the government. Violence against women, such as rape and domestic violence, is highly widespread in South Africa. It is estimated that one in three South African are victims of rape, one in six South African women is a victim of domestic violence, and four women are said to be killed everyday by their intimate partners.
 

  • South Africa has ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (The Maputo Protocol) on the 17th of December 2004.
  • The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was ratified by South Africa on the 15th of December 1995.
  • South Africa has not yet adopted a National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325).
  • There are no former or current UN peacekeeping mandates in South Africa.

Source: BBC, AlertNet, CIA, UN, SIGI,



SOUTH AFRICA: Kotzé: Protests Planned Outside Court
SOUTH AFRICA: Kwazulu-Natal Women Summit At the Royal Showground Pietermaritzburg
SOUTH AFRICA: KZN men Stand Up Against Domestic Violence
SOUTH AFRICA: KZN Pushes for 365 Days of Activism
SOUTH AFRICA: Lack of Coverage About Rape - Study
SOUTH AFRICA: Law ‘is Failing to Advance’ Black Women
SOUTH AFRICA: Laws Of Men: For Women In South Africa, HIV Stigma Still Runs Strong
SOUTH AFRICA: Leaders Urged to Take a Stand Against Rape
SOUTH AFRICA: Leading South African Human Rights Activist Named Yale World Fellow
SOUTH AFRICA: Leagues Says Women ‘Must be Empowered’
SOUTH AFRICA: Learners to Join Fight Against Women, Child Abuse
SOUTH AFRICA: Legalizing “Post-Clinic” Abortions in South Africa Could Help Thousands of Women
SOUTH AFRICA: Lesotho: Better Coordination Could Save Lives of Mothers
SOUTH AFRICA: Let us Pay Tribute to all South Africa's Women
SOUTH AFRICA: Let's Rid SA of This Curse
SOUTH AFRICA: Lifelong ARVs for Pregnant Women, Says Health Minister
SOUTH AFRICA: Lindwe Mazibuko, the New Black Face of South Africa's 'White' Party
SOUTH AFRICA: Lobola App Gives South African Bride Price
SOUTH AFRICA: Local Children Celebrated Literacy Day
SOUTH AFRICA: Loophole Could Protect South African Organisations From U.S. Gag Rule On Abortions
Go to top