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Gender-Transformative Structural Interventions to Advance South African Women’s Capabilities

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Gender and HIV in South Africa

Part of the book series: Global Research in Gender, Sexuality and Health ((GRGSH))

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Abstract

This chapter focuses on structural interventions undertaken in community settings. Assumptions, evolution in concepts, criteria for, and examples of, two gender-transformative interventions that advance women’s health and capabilities are presented. The evidence of the interventions’ effectiveness and their limitations are highlighted. Together, the two case studies indicate that GTIs can directly enhance women’s capabilities of bodily health and bodily integrity by reducing HIV and IPV risk, reshaping gender norms and supporting gender equality. Distinctive features that underpin the ability of these GTIs to be effective at creating structural level change are identified. The chapter closes with additional debates and key challenges.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    A large study of VAW in South Africa by Human Rights Watch (1995), for example, documented that South African women failed to seek legal remedies due to factors spanning mistrust of the law enforcement system, economic dependence, fear of retaliation, shame, stigma, self-blame and love (see also Harrison 2008; Hunter 2010; Jewkes & Morrell 2012; Woolman & Sprague, 2015).

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  1. University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA

    Courtenay Sprague

  2. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Courtenay Sprague

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  1. Courtenay Sprague
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Sprague, C. (2018). Gender-Transformative Structural Interventions to Advance South African Women’s Capabilities. In: Gender and HIV in South Africa. Global Research in Gender, Sexuality and Health. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55997-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55997-5_7

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