Oxfam report highlights poverty plight of black women
Black women in particular bear the brunt of the impact of poverty, poor health care and unemployment, a Women’s Legal Centre attorney said.
Residents are seen among the burnt down shacks of the Plastic View 2 informal settlement near the Pretoria East Cemetery, 8 October 2018. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Oxfam’s latest Inequality Report’s finding that black African females are the most affected by poverty in SA does not surprise women’s rights experts.
They said the model of formal equality was “completely unsustainable” and government intervention was urgently needed.
The global report, released this week, stated that up to 49% of women in South Africa were living below the poverty datum line in 2015.
Women’s Legal Centre attorney Charlene May said although South Africa was lauded by the world for its progressive constitution, which prohibits gender discrimination, true equality still evaded women, particularly black women.
She said: “Black women in particular bear the brunt of the impact of poverty, poor health care and unemployment.
“The cycle of poverty for women of colour is all too real as they live at the coalface of lack of service delivery and realisation of rights. One has to view poverty through an intersectional lens that accepts that women experience discrimination differently. Based on where they are situated in life, they are experiencing multiple forms of discrimination.
“Despite legislative protections, there is an overall lack of recognition of women’s rights and autonomy to make decisions about their bodies and futures.
“Lack of accountability and of implementation of legislation and policies have led to a model of formal equality in SA that is completely unsustainable.”
Legal expert Lisa Vetten said this finding was to be expected given the vast number of issues black women face.
These included being paid less than men in the same jobs and high unemployment, which led to them being concentrated in informal economies or rural areas.
“This can be dealt with but we need to deal with things differently. This means to stop generalising and start looking at the specific problems unique to women.
“Empowerment funds don’t speak to the majority because not everyone can start a business. The government needs to look at the gender structure of the economy and employment, look at where women’s jobs are concentrated and make interventions in those areas.”
– jenniffero@citizen.co.za
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