South Africa Celebrating 30 years of Freedom
Thirty years ago, on the 27th of April, South Africa conducted its first democratic election where millions of South Africans voted against the apartheid regime. This was a memorable event that welcomed South Africa to freedom after many years of oppression, inequality, corruption, social ills, and lawlessness only to mention a few. For South Africa, the “Freedom Day” is not just a commemoration of freedom from these challenges...
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Multilation (FGM): Safeguarding the Rights of Migrant Women and Girls
Today, the world observes the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Multilation (FGM), a practice which is internationally recognized as a human rights violation, given its severe consequences on the health, well-being, and dignity of women and girls. While FGM is a global issue, it is crucial to understand its intersectionality with migration in order to address the unique challenges it poses to the rights and safety of women on the move. FGM is...
Negotiating Livelihood and Belonging: An Explorative Study of the Resources Available to African Migrant Women in South Africa
Studying migration, in the South African context, requires an unfolding of historical and contemporary experiences. These experiences are often woven together with cultural, societal, economic, political, and bureaucratic challenges. While the challenges faced by African migrant women are diverse and complex, gender often influences the nature and intensity of these experiences. African migrant women often find themselves at the nexus of discrimination and marginalization within South Africa. Studies have shown that migrant women’s experiences and navigation of everyday...
“ Overlooked for Too Long: Boys and Human Trafficking”.
Photo by Kate Oseen According to the United States of America (USA) Department of State (2023 p. 37), “Trafficking in persons (TIP)” and “human trafficking” are umbrella terms—often used interchangeably—to refer to a crime whereby traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults or children by compelling them to perform labour or engage in commercial sex. TIP remains a challenge globally, as millions of people are trafficked globally for...
Migration as an economic avenue for women
Photo by Mohamed_Hassan on Pixabay As we conclude women’s month in South Africa we give special attention to women migrant workers, have migrated to seek economic opportunities to ensure sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families. According to ILO (2023), feminisation of labour migration is increasing with women accounting for slightly half of all the international migrants globally. In South Africa, large numbers of migrant women live in the country, in...
Maternal Health of Migrants in South Africa
Photo by Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay Maternal health is a key issue in any health discourse globally and access to maternal health care is a concern for all governments (Machiwenyika & Munatswa, 2020). Ensuring access to maternal health for all is essential in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2023, particularly goal number 3 “Good Health and Well-being” and goal number 5, “Gender Equality”. Some of the targets for goal number 3 by 2030 include reducing maternal...
