Incorporating Gender Issues

Paper Summary:

This paper explores how feminists in South Africa have been able to incorporate gender interests into the structure of democratic institutions by recognizing the close link between apartheid and gender inequalities regarding the concept of citizenship. Their efforts have contributed to the improvement of South African women's political, economic and social status, which will eventually lead to the higher quality of life. The South African case shows us how grassroots movements can make a positive impact on society by eagerly interacting with the state.

From the Paper:

"The dramatic political and social upheavals and transformations that have occurred throughout the world during the 1990s have brought international attention on theories of citizenship and democracy. While western liberal democratic gender-neutral notions of citizenship have been widely promoted, South African feminists have argued tenaciously that gender issues had to be incorporated in theories of citizenship in order to deal more effectively with gender inequalities deeply embedded in the South African society. Over the past decade, feminists in South Africa have struggled against the patriarchal structure of their society and advocated for the need of the institutionalized and constitutional frameworks that allow a systemic improvement of South African women's political, economic and social status. This essay will argue that by recognizing the close link between aparthied and gender inequalities and gendering the concept of citizenship, feminists in South Africa have been able to build gender interests into the structure of democratic institutions, which has contributed to the bettered political, social and economic status of South African women."

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