The August 2024 research brief by the University of Cape Town analyzes the evolution of South African feminist activism from the anti-apartheid struggle to contemporary movements like #TotalShutdown. It highlights how political leadership and historical legacies impact policy, noting that while robust legal frameworks exist, patriarchal resistance and structural inequalities continue to hinder safety for marginalized women and LGBTQIA+ individuals. The authors conclude that intersectional, multifaceted activism—combining grassroots organizing with social media and legal action—is essential to transforming "paper rights" into lived safety.
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The Power of Women’s Movements in Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
The WEAVE Policy Brief emphasizes that women’s movements are the essential foundation for sustainable reductions in violence against women and girls (VAWG). These movements drive systemic change through legal reform, state accountability, and cultural shifts in social norms, often filling critical gaps in service provision where governments fail. To prevent the loss of progress, the brief calls on policymakers and donors to provide flexible, long-term funding and protect the civic spaces necessary for feminist activism to thrive.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Aid Distribution Uganda
The Empowered Aid Uganda COVID-19 Update (April 2020) emphasizes that the pandemic significantly worsened the risk of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) for refugee women and girls. As resources became scarce and movement was restricted, existing power imbalances between aid providers and recipients intensified. Critically, COVID-19 safety measures—like social distancing—disrupted the primary protective strategies women already used, such as traveling in groups or having "buddies" present during aid worker home visits.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Aid Distribution Lebanon
The Empowered Aid COVID-19 Update (April 2020) warns that the pandemic and its containment measures significantly heighten the risk of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) for refugee women and girls. As resources become scarcer and movement is restricted, existing power imbalances are exploited by those controlling access to health and aid. Crucially, social distancing makes traditional safety strategies—like moving in groups or having a "buddy" during home visits—nearly impossible to execute.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Food Distribution
The Empowered Aid policy brief (January 2020) for Lebanon highlights how food distribution systems create specific risks for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) among Syrian refugee women and girls in Tripoli. The study reveals that the power imbalance between aid providers and recipients is frequently exploited at multiple stages of the aid cycle.
This Empowered Aid policy brief (January 2020) highlights the risks of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) within the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Despite a shift toward cash and centralized services, roughly 1.5 million people still rely on material WASH assistance, creating power imbalances that are frequently exploited by those in charge of delivery and maintenance.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Shelter Distribution
This Empowered Aid policy brief (January 2020) highlights how shelter assistance in Lebanon—ranging from home repairs to rent support—creates specific opportunities for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) against Syrian refugee women and girls.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Cash Assistance
This Empowered Aid policy brief (January 2020) examines how Cash Assistance delivery in Lebanon—primarily through ATM cards and multi-purpose cash transfers—creates specific risks of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) for Syrian refugee women and girls.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Aid Distribution
This overview of the Empowered Aid research project (January 2020) synthesizes findings from ethnographic fieldwork in Uganda. While humanitarian efforts traditionally focus on punishing perpetrators after an incident, this study emphasizes contextual safeguarding—proactively identifying and fixing the "conducive environments" that allow Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) to occur in the first place.
Empowered Aid: Reducing Risks Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse In Food Distribution
This Empowered Aid policy brief (January 2020) explores the specific risks of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) within the Food Distribution sector in Uganda’s Bidi Bidi and Imvepi settlements. With over 1 million refugees relying on food assistance, the power dynamics inherent in the distribution process create significant vulnerabilities for women and girls.