Browsing by Subject "Gender"

Now showing 1 - 15 of 15
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    "A comparative study of gender-based pay equity implementation: lessons for South Africa"
    (1999) Mworia, Nkirote Kananu; Kalula, Evans
    Discrimination is defined as "the practice of treating one person or group of people less fairly or less well than other people or groups .... " it is the "making or constituting of difference between". Even though it must be admitted that there are marked differences between men and women, discrimination has caused these differences to present women as being inferior to men, not exclusively, but especially in the workplace. This paper will look at some of the reasons why despite the almost universal acceptance of gender equality as a fundamental human right, women remain substantially disadvantaged in the workforce. Special emphasis will be in the context of significant pay disparities between men and women, and women's segregation into low status or marginal forms of work. However, in as much, as a whole paper could be written on the reasons for pay inequity and arguments for and against pay equity, the fact remains that pay inequity is a phenomenon which 21st Century women can no longer live with in the light of their role as wage earners for their families and active participants in their country's economies. As such, the more important study in my opinion, is how countries have sought to integrate pay equity into the fabric of their society. In an October 1997 report, the South African Breakwater Project which monitors employment equity in South Africa bi-annually, stated that: "Income distribution in South Africa ranks among the most unequal in the world". This could largely be attributed to the legacy of apartheid, that left the new South African government with many areas and levels of pay inequity to remedy. This may pose a danger to elimination of gender inequality that may easily be overshadowed by measures being taken to remedy racial inequality. It is my humble contention, that the two must go hand in hand with special emphasis being placed on the fate of the black woman. As a result, the comparative study of pay equity implementation in this paper is geared towards finding lessons to be learnt by South Africa as it embarks, with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 newly in force, on a systematic elimination of discrimination in labor relations.
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    An analysis of gender related differences in performance and attitudes of participants in the 1997 UCT Mathematics competition
    (1998) Tucker, Diane Jean; Webb, J H
    In this study, possible gender differences in and attitudes towards mathematics will be investigated. As a sample, the candidates taking part in the individual competition in the University of Cape Town Mathematics Competition will be used. This sample has been chosen since it appears that even though the gender related differences in performance that are reported are often very small, the differences are often more apparent at the upper end of the ability scale. Since the University of Cape Town Mathematics Competition attracts entries from candidates of wide ranging ability, a number of investigations can be done. The investigations that will be carried out. included statistical analyses of a number of different categories in mathematics (algebra, arithmetic, geometry and problem solving), various sub-categories and special categories; questions that have been repeated in more than one question paper will also be investigated for any patterns in performance (in terms of maturity in mathematics). Since learners engaging in mathematical activities (including participating in mathematics competitions) are affected by external and internal influences on their perception and attitudes towards mathematics, it was felt that an investigation into the relationship between performance in mathematics and attitudes towards mathematics was important. Gender related differences in attitudes towards mathematics will also be investigated. The results of this study will show that, where statistically significant differences in performance exist, these differences are in fact very small. The results of the attitudes questionnaire demonstrate that there is a statistically significant correlation between attitudes and performance in mathematics and that there exists small, yet statistically significant differences in attitudes towards mathematics.
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    Aspirations to grow: when micro- and informal enterprises in the street food sector speak for themselves
    (2019) Knox, A J; Bressers, H; Mohlakoana, N; De Groot, J
    The street food sector in Sub-Saharan Africa is a source of affordable and nutritious meals for the urban poor, while also being an important source of income for the women who dominate this sector. Despite the importance of this sector, many micro- and informal enterprises are labelled as “survivalist”, beyond the reach of common development policies, which give priority to so-called growth-oriented enterprises. When given the chance to speak for themselves, do enterprises express any aspirations to grow? Contrary to the literature, our findings show that necessitydriven enterprises do aspire to grow and that this is true for both those owned by men and women. Using contextual interaction theory, this paper explains why it is possible for previous authors to come to such a different conclusion.
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    Challenges facing SMEs in the Western Cape townships with a focus on gender issues
    (2022) Nyathi, Lomakhosi; Alhassan, Abdul Latif
    The state of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is a key determinant of economic development globally. These enterprises account for almost 90% of firms in both developed and emerging markets. They are the engines of the economy that drives employment creation, poverty alleviation, tax provision, export income and better the lives of citizens. Despite the hype and investment in SME development, the world's vulnerable locations have not benefited from such development, amongst them are South African township SMEs who continue to face a multitude of challenges that hinder them from developing into sustainable business enterprises with a meaningful contribution to the economy. Amongst them, women owned SMEs face supplementary challenges, which are mostly gender based in nature. The study explored the challenges facing township SMEs in the Western Cape province and how the gender dynamics have played out in the face of SME stagnation. After identifying the challenges and gender dynamics, policy gaps were explored, and bridging strategies implored. To this end, the study employed a qualitative research approach covering a sample of 14 participants from three townships of Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Langa using a semi-structured questionnaire for in-depth interviews. The primary interviews were analysed using the six-step thematic approach. The study found lack of funding to be the most prominent challenge, resulting in inadequate operational resources such as equipment, SME owner upskilling and product marketing. The study also found crime and corruption, limited opportunities and market access, human resources as well as lack of financial and business administration skills to be the cause of stagnation of township SMEs. Apart from the umbrella challenges facing SMEs, the study found women SME owners to be facing additional challenges of gender-based discrimination, family responsibility, sexual harassment and crime. Government initiatives were found to be ineffective in addressing township SME challenges, SME owners have limited knowledge about the workings of these initiatives. They were found to be lacking fairness and transparency due to corruption.
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    Climate-related risks and coastal livelihoods: lived realities, gender and adaptation
    (2025) Benya, Anele; Mbatha, Philile
    Rural coastal people are highly susceptible to climate-related risks, which can result in a range of adverse impacts. These impacts are felt differently based on the assets people possess and their gender. This research seeks to understand how people in Tshani Mankosi, a coastal rural village in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, navigate the complex challenges presented by a changing climate onto their livelihoods. This research examines the nexuses between natural resource dependency, livelihoods and gender within the broader socio-economic and political landscape of South Africa. A qualitative research design was employed, particularly a case study approach, which allowed for an in-depth, context-specific exploration of the experiences and lived realities of the people of Tshani Mankosi within the broader socio-ecological, economic and gendered context. Empirical evidence was collected using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and direct observations of community life. In analysing the data, this study critically draws from the sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF), Dorward's livelihood aspirations theory and the concept of social reproduction, all with a gender lens. This mini dissertation argues that climate responses are influenced by how people understand and experience their natural environment and the assets they possess to reduce their vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity, ultimately leading to better livelihood outcomes. Key findings reveal that the respondents are aware of the changing climatic conditions, such as erratic rainfall, increased frequency of storm surges and winds, and longer high tide periods. The respondents noted minimal changes in their ocean-based livelihoods compared to their land-based livelihoods. While the respondents noted these changes, they attributed them to varying factors influenced by their positionality and beliefs. The study shows that climate change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities within this community, ultimately affecting people's adaptive capacity. While adaptation strategies such as diversification of livelihoods and drawing from local knowledge to enhance resilience, these efforts are often constrained by resource access, marginal government and institutional support, and gendered vulnerabilities. The findings also reveal how, in Tshani Mankosi, people have noted the increasing unreliability of local knowledge due to changing climatic conditions.
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    Does one size fit all? exploring the effect of hearing aid impulse noise reduction on isiXhosa click sounds: a pilot study
    (2025) Stephan, Heinrich Rudolph; Petersen, Lucretia; Hlayisi, Vera-Genevey
    Gender diversity remains a significant challenge in the Information Technology (IT) industry, particularly in South Africa, where the workforce composition does not reflect the nation's demographic diversity. This disparity results in the underrepresentation of women despite policies aimed at fostering inclusion. Existing research highlights a decline in women's participation in the IT sector but often overlooks the perceptions and treatment of women within IT workplaces. This study investigates women's experiences working in Agile project environments in South African IT companies. Agile is a popular software development methodology emphasizing collaboration, communication, and collective decision-making. Using intersectionality theory, this cross-sectional study examines how gender and background factors affect women's work performance. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twenty-five women IT professionals recruited via snowball sampling. Key findings indicate that gender discrimination persists in Agile environments. The study revealed that South African women in Agile project environments exist within a male- dominated, Gendered Organisational Culture, which privileges behaviours and actions that benefit men. Women in these environments often experience feelings of inadequacy due to their minority status in predominantly male teams. Other specific persistent issues emerged such as gendered recognition bias, gender pay gap, job insecurity, lack of support for motherhood, work-life balance, and scarcity of women mentors. The study further reveals that the high attrition rate of women in IT is not due to the technical demands of the roles but rather the negative impact of organisational culture and gender bias on their professional development. The study's limitations include its reliance on a small, non-random sample, which may not fully represent the broader population. Additionally, the focus on Agile environments may limit the generalizability of the findings to other IT settings. Future research should explore the intersection of gender with other factors, such as socioeconomic status and motherhood, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the barriers women face in IT. It should also investigate strategies to create more inclusive and supportive workplace cultures.
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    Gender and reproductive decision making among couples with HIV/AIDS in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
    (2006) Ndlovu, Vezumuzi
    Gender, the culturally constructed social relations between men and women, plays an important role in determining not only the role and place of both sexes in society but also impacts the distribution of power between the sexes. Men, especially in patriarchal settings, have been observed to dominate women economically, politically and even sexually. Thus men generally exercise power over women. This article explores the impact of gender on reproductive and sexual decision-making among couples with HIV/AIDS. It discusses the decision-making process itself and then examines how gender and the exercise of power influence the decisions or choices made by these couples. Based on a sample of HIV-positive couples from Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), an important observation that this paper makes concerns the lack of male dominance in decision-making among these couples. This is explained in terms of high level of HIV/AIDS awareness among the study sample, the high cost of parental investment to women as well as the behavioural change necessitated by an HIVpositive diagnosis.
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    Gender differences in barriers to alcohol and other drug treatment in Cape Town South Africa
    (2011) Myers, B; Louw, J; Pasche, Sonja
    The study aimed to identify gender differences in barriers to alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment use among disadvantaged communities in Cape Town, South Africa. The Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization was used as an analytic framework. Method: A case-control design was used to compare 434 individuals with AOD problems from disadvantaged communities who had accessed treatment with 555 controls who had not accessed treatment on a range of variables. Logistic regression procedures were employed to examine the unique profile of variables associated with treatment utilization for male and female participants. Results: Few gender differences emerged in terms of the pattern of variables associated with AOD treatment use. Greater awareness of treatment options and fewer geographic access and affordability barriers were strongly associated with an increased likelihood of AOD treatment use for both men and women from disadvantaged communities. However, while similar types of barriers to treatment were reported by men and women, these barriers had a greater impact on treatment utilization for women compared to men. Conclusion: Compared to men, women from disadvantaged communities in South Africa do not have equal access to AOD treatment. Recommendations on how to reduce these barriers and ways to improve AOD treatment use among women from disadvantaged communities in South Africa are provided.
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    Gendering the Therapeutic Citizen: ARVs and Reproductive Health
    (2006) Richey, Lisa Ann
    Reproductive Health as a global agenda can provide an opportunity for including “social issues” under its vast umbrella. However, so far reproductive health has failed to go beyond family planning in large-scale, high impact interventions. Now, the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic has meant that the primary reproductive health goal of many African women in highly affected communities is to remain healthy long enough to reproduce. The case of ARV treatment in a township clinic in South Africa will demonstrate the need for a genuinely integrated global concept of reproductive health and rights that includes the realities of AIDS and its treatment. This research is in some respects an anthropological examination of AIDS interventions from a political standpoint. In this paper I examine the other side of the issue of AIDS and family planning integration: how are family planning technologies and contraceptive decision making integrated into HIV/AIDS treatment clinics? Reproductive decision making in the context of the AIDS clinic reignites classic debates over the rights of the individual versus the rights of the community, the meanings of motherhood and maternal identity, and the appropriate control of sexuality by the state vis a vis governance of the self. Yet, in the situation of reproductive decision making by HIV positive women, the stakes are higher, the boundaries less discernible, and the meanings even more contingent by the urgency of the disease and the poignancy of the processes of giving life. To begin to understand this, I argue, we must find a way to gender the therapeutic citizen in order to reintegrate the biopolitical struggle of ARVs with the “social issues” percolating within the therapeutic state.
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    Global burden of trichiasis in women as compared to men: Findings from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project
    (2019) Moyo, George; Courtright, Paul; Geneau, Robert
    The secondary analysis undertaken for this MPH dissertation examines the global prevalence of trichiasis in relation to gender in trachoma endemic countries. Part A is the research protocol which outlines the background and the process of this research. This study is a population-based analytical study using data from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project (GTMP). GTMP was a standardized population-based trachoma prevalence survey undertaken to provide trachoma prevalence estimates. GTMP data was collected using the World Health Organisation–recommended population based prevalence survey methodology. Trachoma suspect district were identified for inclusion and multistage random sampling was used to sample households for examination of residents for clinical trachoma. Part B presents the background and highlights the importance of this research by exploring the existing theoretical and empirical literature relevant to the topic. It describes how trachoma is transmitted, its clinical manifestations, and the way it can lead to blindness. Results from previous studies on gender and trichiasis are presented. Part C presents the research project in a format suitable for journal submission. The background of this research project is summarized and the meta-analysis is conducted at the global level, at the country level, the regional level, the state level and at the EU level but all in accordance to prevalence of trichiasis in the EUs. The implications of the findings are discussed and limitations in interpretation presented.
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    Managing risk with insurance and savings: Experimental evidence for male and female farm managers in the Sahel
    (2015-05-28) Delavallade, Clara; Dizon, Felipe; Hill, Ruth; Petraud, Jean Paul
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    Missing knowledge of gendered power relations among non-governmental organisations doing right to health work: a case study from South Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2018-08-30) Fontes Marx, Mayara; London, Leslie; Müller, Alex
    Background Despite 20 years of democracy, South Africa still suffers from profound health inequalities. Gender roles and norms are associated with individuals’ vulnerability that lead to ill-health. For instance, gender inequality influences women’s access to health care and women’s agency to make health-related decisions. This paper explores gender-awareness and inclusivity in organisations that advocate for the right to health in South Africa, and analyses how this knowledge impacts their work? Methods In total, 10 in-depth interviews were conducted with members of The Learning Network for Health and Human Rights (LN), a network of universities and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) which is explicitly committed to advancing the right to health, but not explicitly gendered in its orientation. Results The results show that there is a discrepancy in knowledge around gender and gendered power relations between LN members. This discrepancy in understanding gendered power relations suggests that gender is ‘rendered invisible’ within the LN, which impacts the way the LN advocates for the right to health. Conclusions Even organizations that work on health rights of women might be unaware of the possibility of gender invisibility within their organisational structures.
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    Past and current status of adolescents living with HIV in South Africa, 2005–2017
    (2022-04-09) Inbarani, Naidoo; Sinovuyo, Takatshana; Ronel, Sewpaul; Sean, Jooste; Zhou, Siyanai; Goitseone, Maseko; Sizulu, Moyo; Khangelani, Zuma; Musawenkosi, Mabaso; Zungu, Nompumelelo
    Objectives This paper reports HIV prevalence, incidence, progress towards the UNAIDS (90-90-90) targets, and HIV drug resistance among adolescents living with HIV in South Africa. We conducted secondary analyses using data extracted from the South African national HIV prevalence surveys (2005–2017). Analyses were stratified by sex and age (10–14 and 15–19-years), presenting weighted descriptive statistics, and realised totals. Results HIV prevalence increased from 3.0% in 2012 to 3.7% in 2017, translating to 360 582 (95% CI 302 021-419 144) HIV positive adolescents in 2017. Female adolescents bear a disproportionate HIV burden of 5.6% prevalence versus 0.7% for males. HIV incidence remained relatively stable. For the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, approximately 62.3% of adolescents knew their HIV status, 65.4% of whom were on antiretroviral therapy, and of these 78.1% on antiretroviral therapy had attained viral load suppression. There are knowledge gaps pertaining to the magnitude of perinatal infections and postnatal infections, and socio-behavioural risk factors for HIV transmission among adolescents in South Africa. There is still a need for focussed interventions targeting adolescent (1) gender disparities in HIV risk (2) screening for HIV, (3) sustained access and adherence to antiretroviral therapy and (3) retention in care to maintain viral load suppression.
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    Performativity and gameplay: gender, race, and desire amongst a team of League of Legends players
    (2020) Whitfield, Kirsten/Waker; Deumert, Andrea
    Computer gaming is an important and growing form of popular media that has many cognitive and social benefits for players. It has also developed a reputation for being a white-male pastime and barring access for people who fall outside of that social grouping. While statistics show that this is increasingly not the case, certain games, particularly those that fall under the category of eSports, do attract largely male player bases. League of Legends is one such game. With Butler's Performativity Theory as a theoretical starting point, a qualitative sociolinguistic study was undertaken into the gendered dynamics of a male-dominated clan of League of Legends players. The data, collected primarily via audio-recordings of player interactions between games, is used as the basis for a sociolinguistic case study that looks at how performativity plays itself out in an environment that is characterised by a strong gender bias. With a focus on a Coloured female gamer in a League of Legends team, this paper explores the ways in which she and her teammates construct their own genders within this particular sociolinguistic context. The relationship between identity and desire, which has been a point of debate in sociolinguistics, is discussed in the context of the clan's interactions. Here I focus on the debate between Cameron and Kulick on the one hand and Bucholtz and Hall on the other. The paper looks into ways in which desire and identity interact with each other during sociolinguistic interaction. Moreover, issues around the construction of gender, race and sexuality are central to the study. The paper uses the data collected to look into the ways that social identities are collaboratively constructed, and contested. The discussion shows that while the team members replicate the gender binary, they do so by simultaneously reifying and challenging gendered norms. The study provides a compelling look into the ways in which gender identities are played with in interaction, and sheds some light on the fluidity of performative identity while simultaneously sketching out the ways that such performance is limited by its environment.
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    TB epidemiology: where are the young women? Know your tuberculosis epidemic, know your response
    (BioMed Central, 2018-03-27) Perumal, Rubeshan; Naidoo, Kogieleum; Padayatchi, Nesri
    Background The global predominance of tuberculosis in men has received significant attention. However, epidemiological studies now demonstrate that there is an increased representation of young women with tuberculosis, especially in high HIV burden settings where young women bear a disproportionate burden of HIV. The role of the HIV epidemic, as well as changes in behavioural, biological, and structural risk factors are explored as potential explanations for the increasing burden of tuberculosis in young women. Discussion As young women are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, it is unsurprising that the TB epidemic in this setting has become increasingly feminised. This age-sex trend of TB in South Africa is similar to WHO estimates for other countries with a high HIV prevalence where there are more female than male cases notified up to the age of 25 years. The high prevalence of anaemia of chronic disease in young women with HIV is an additional potential reason for their increased TB risk. The widespread use of injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate contraception, which has been shown to possess selective glucocorticoid effect and oestrogen suppression, in young women may be an important emerging biological risk factor for tuberculosis in young women. Behavioural factors such as alcohol use and tobacco smoking patterns are further factors which may be responsible for the narrowing of the sex gap in TB epidemiology. In comparison to the significantly higher alcohol consumption rates in men globally, there is a narrowing gap in alcohol consumption between the sexes in South Africa with alarming rates of alcohol abuse in young women. There is a similar narrowing of the tobacco smoking gap between the sexes in South Africa, with increasing smoking prevalence in young women. Conclusion With nearly 70% of all TB patients being co-infected with HIV in our setting, it is not surprising that the age and sex distribution of TB is increasingly resembling the distribution of HIV in this region of dual hyperendemicity. New TB service design must begin to reflect the presence of young women as a significant group burdened by the disease.