14 May 2008 – Gender

Today on Sakhisizwe we had an interview with Zwelethu Jolobe who is a Political Analyst from UCT. We spoke about the effect war has on women. Countless women and girls all over the world suffer the trauma of war - as widows or orphans, perhaps displaced from their homes, sometimes detained. They are often separated from loved ones and become victims of violence and intimidation. War has an extremely negative effect on women, mainly because they fall victims of rape, abuse and having to care for children in a danger zone. The effects of a war will continue even after the violence has ended as they are caught up in armed conflict. The question is could women’s plight in wartime, be improved if the rules of humanitarian law were fully respected?

We were also joined by Vanessa Coulson and Thato Molomo, Social Workers at the Cape Town Refugee Centre. We looked at the experiences of women refugees in South Africa and outlined the challenges they face as they try to survive in a country far from home. According to an article titled Refugee Women: The Authentic Heroines by Nooria Mehraby, Refugee women can find themselves overwhelmed with a multiplicity of settlement problems such as language difficulties, financial problems and a lack of knowledge about public transport, housing, employment, the legal system, education and other services in a new country. While refugee men have greater opportunities to socialize and learn the language of their new country, refugee women are often left isolated looking after their children and completing house duties. They lose the traditional social support provided by the extended family and social gatherings. For more information about the refugee centre please contact (021) 762 9670 or visit www.ctrc.co.za