Definitions Of Gender And Gender Equality In South Africa

1) Definitions:

 Gender: The state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones) (Oxford Dictionary, 2014)

 Sexism: Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex. (Oxford Dictionary, 2014)

 Gender stereotyping: Preconceived ideas whereby males and females are arbitrarily assigned characteristics and roles determined and limited by their sex. (European Parliamentary Research Service, 2014)  Gender Equality: Gender equality is the measurable equal representation of women and men. (IPPF, 2014)  Gender-based violence: Violence that is directed against a person on the basis of gender. (European Institute for Gender Equality, 2014)

2) First experience: When I was in grade 2 there was cricket and netball practise at my school on a Saturday. I used to play cricket. Once a boy in the team asked me why I wasn’t playing netball.

Second experience: When I was quite young a friend came to my house the one day. My dad was making supper and my friend asked why my dad

Equality between the sexes and women’s rights were only acknowledged following the 1994 elections in South Afruca. (Botman, 2014) Although women make up the larger part of South African Parliament, most of them are given jobs of lesser importance in the government sector and in the private sector. As of 2013, more women than men were registered to vote. Despite their increase in the political sector, gender equality is very seldom discussed in parliament. “The EFF has three female candidates in its top ten, Agang has four, the DA has three, and the ANC has three. A total of 13 of 40 top ten candidates are women.” (Stiftung, 2014) The DA and Agang are the only two parties with female leaders, although they do not seem to have women’s interest constantly in mind. South Africa has never had a female president. Women were only allowed to vote a few years