The Women's National Coalition was established in South Africa in April 1992 as a national alliance of women's groups across the country. Women were represented from across the political, economic, racial, cultural and religious spectrum. The coalition was launched to survey the concerns and needs of women throughout South Africa. It was aimed at ensuring that women participate in the making of the constitution and in the formulation of the Women's Charter that was launched in 1994. The Women's National Coalition now focuses on lobbying (of government), training (for parliamentary and local government candidates and community leaders) and plays a key role in Adult Basic Education and Gender training.[1]
Historyedit
During the negotiated transition to democracy in South Africa, the WNC's Women's Charter campaign mobilised two million women to influence the drafting of South Africa's Constitution.[2]
The WNC's built its national campaign around five primary themes: women's legal status; women's access to land, resources and water; violence against women; health; and work.[3][4]
Some scholars describe the WNC as the closest South Africa has come to having a strong women's movement. However, they note that the WNC was not backed up by a strong, locally rooted, mass movement of women. Its affiliates tended to be women's organizations with long histories, but with weak organizational capacities and resources. The coalition did not use a mass mobilization strategy to back up its demands, rather, it relied on access to political parties as its main lever of influence. At the same time, the demands of the constitutional negotiations required the coalition to utilize the technical expertise of feminist academics and lawyers in ways that previous women's movements had not managed.[5]
Some scholars note that the WNC and the gendered outcomes of the South African transition was a process influenced by the South African trade union movement.[6]
The period since 1994 witnessed the weakening and virtual collapse of the WNC.[5] The group remained active as late as 2002, and was involved with the concerns and priorities for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.[7]
^. www.sahistory.org.za. Archived from the original on 2011-09-09.
^"Gender and Human Rights". Mail and Guardian. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
^Thipe, Thuto. "We are all products of history, but each of us can choose whether or not to become its victims": an exploration of the discourses employed in the Women's National Coalition." (2012).
^Hassim, Shireen. Women's organizations and democracy in South Africa contesting authority. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2005: 148
^ abHassim, Shireen. "Voices, hierarchies and spaces: reconfiguring the women's movement in democratic South Africa." Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies 32, no. 2 (2005): 175-193.
^Tshoaedi, Malehoko. "(En) gendering the transition in South Africa: the role of COSATU women activists." Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa 78, no. 1 (2012): 1-26.
^Njiro, Esther. "Introduction: Sustainable: Development an Oxymoron?." Agenda (2002): 3-7.
April 15, 2024
women, national, coalition, established, south, africa, april, 1992, national, alliance, women, groups, across, country, women, were, represented, from, across, political, economic, racial, cultural, religious, spectrum, coalition, launched, survey, concerns, . The Women s National Coalition was established in South Africa in April 1992 as a national alliance of women s groups across the country Women were represented from across the political economic racial cultural and religious spectrum The coalition was launched to survey the concerns and needs of women throughout South Africa It was aimed at ensuring that women participate in the making of the constitution and in the formulation of the Women s Charter that was launched in 1994 The Women s National Coalition now focuses on lobbying of government training for parliamentary and local government candidates and community leaders and plays a key role in Adult Basic Education and Gender training 1 History editDuring the negotiated transition to democracy in South Africa the WNC s Women s Charter campaign mobilised two million women to influence the drafting of South Africa s Constitution 2 The WNC s built its national campaign around five primary themes women s legal status women s access to land resources and water violence against women health and work 3 4 Some scholars describe the WNC as the closest South Africa has come to having a strong women s movement However they note that the WNC was not backed up by a strong locally rooted mass movement of women Its affiliates tended to be women s organizations with long histories but with weak organizational capacities and resources The coalition did not use a mass mobilization strategy to back up its demands rather it relied on access to political parties as its main lever of influence At the same time the demands of the constitutional negotiations required the coalition to utilize the technical expertise of feminist academics and lawyers in ways that previous women s movements had not managed 5 Some scholars note that the WNC and the gendered outcomes of the South African transition was a process influenced by the South African trade union movement 6 The period since 1994 witnessed the weakening and virtual collapse of the WNC 5 The group remained active as late as 2002 and was involved with the concerns and priorities for the World Summit on Sustainable Development 7 See also editFeminism in South AfricaReferences edit The Women s National Coalition South African History Online www sahistory org za Archived from the original on 2011 09 09 Gender and Human Rights Mail and Guardian 6 December 2005 Retrieved 13 July 2014 Thipe Thuto We are all products of history but each of us can choose whether or not to become its victims an exploration of the discourses employed in the Women s National Coalition 2012 Hassim Shireen Women s organizations and democracy in South Africa contesting authority Madison University of Wisconsin Press 2005 148 a b Hassim Shireen Voices hierarchies and spaces reconfiguring the women s movement in democratic South Africa Politikon South African Journal of Political Studies 32 no 2 2005 175 193 Tshoaedi Malehoko En gendering the transition in South Africa the role of COSATU women activists Transformation Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa 78 no 1 2012 1 26 Njiro Esther Introduction Sustainable Development an Oxymoron Agenda 2002 3 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Women 27s National Coalition amp oldid 1083364359, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
