Sex roles and stereotyping: experiences of motherhood in South Africa - Claire Ichou

One of the commitments made by governments at the Women's World Conference held in Nairobi in 1985 was to eradicate prejudices that emanated from stereotypically defined roles for men and women. Correspondingly, since 1994, the South African government has promoted societal changes through emphasis on gender equity in its policy agenda. This focus seeks to analyse the experiences of four young, Durban-based South African mothers who study in tertiary education in the light of these international and national rights-based changes. It aims to explore whether the South African patriarchal society has transformed enough to allow women to take control of their childbearing and childrearing powers and experience motherhood on their own terms.
From: Agenda 69 (2006), pp. 101-109