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: Thuli Madonsela Honored With German Africa Prize
SOUTH AFRICA: Top Five Recent Successes in HIV
SOUTH AFRICA: Township Beauty Pageants - Empowering or Sexist?
SOUTH AFRICA: Trade Unions Still Have A 'Male Face'
SOUTH AFRICA: Traditional Courts Bill a Step Backwards for Women's Empowerment
SOUTH AFRICA: Traditional Leaders and the Fuel That Fires Homophobia
South Africa: Training for Engaging Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality and Health Equity
SOUTH AFRICA: Transgender Rights - Vital Case Heads To Equality Court
SOUTH AFRICA: Treasury favours free sanitary products
SOUTH AFRICA: Two Women Unlock Possible key to HIV Vaccine
SOUTH AFRICA: Umlazi Gets Rape Centre
SOUTH AFRICA: UN Taskforce Says More Must Be Done to Protect Young Girls
SOUTH AFRICA: UN to Partner China to Advance Women's Welfare in Africa
SOUTH AFRICA: UN Women Launches Civil Society Group in South Africa
SOUTH AFRICA: Under Representation of Women Judges a Concern - Zuma
SOUTH AFRICA: US Project Planning to Sterilise HIV+ Women in SA
SOUTH AFRICA: Use Budget to Empower Women - Xingwana
SOUTH AFRICA: Violence Against Women - Here's What We Should Do
SOUTH AFRICA: Violence against women – ‘enough is enough’
SOUTH AFRICA: Violence Against Women 'Not a Priority for Government'
Go to top