Women’s activism around gender-based violence in South Africa: recognition, redistribution and representation

Abstract

South Africa is a country struggling to come to grips with very high levels of gender-based violence (GBV) that is eroding the social fabric of society. Using Nancy Fraser’s theory of redistribution, recognition and representation as a starting point, the author shows the importance of acknowledging these dimensions in struggles and activism around GBV, illustrating the theory with the Shukumisa Campaign and the activities of the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) in South Africa. Both these campaigns engage the state to end GBV in order to change conditions of misrecognition and maldistribution, yet with very different outcomes.