Women in South Africa continue to face disproportionate economic inequality through higher unemployment rates and lower wages than men [1].
This disparity persists three decades after the end of apartheid, suggesting that systemic economic structures have failed to achieve gender parity in the workforce [1].
Amir Bagherioromi, the media and campaigns officer for Oxfam South Africa, said women bear the brunt of the nation's economic instability [1, 2]. The divide is most evident in the labor market, where women are more likely to be unemployed and earn less than their male counterparts [1, 2].
Beyond formal employment, gendered labor divisions place a heavy burden on women regarding domestic responsibilities. Women spend more than twice as much time on unpaid care and domestic work as men [1]. This unpaid labor often limits the ability of women to seek full-time employment or pursue higher-paying opportunities.
These economic challenges are compounded by broader systemic issues. The division of labor is not merely a social preference but a structural reality that reinforces poverty for women and girls [2]. While South Africa has transitioned into a democracy, the economic legacy of the past continues to shape current outcomes.
Oxfam suggests that the intersection of debt, fossil fuel reliance, and climate change further exacerbates these pressures on African women [2]. In South Africa, these factors converge to create a cycle where women are the first to lose income during downturns and the last to recover.
“Women spend more than twice as much time on unpaid care and domestic work as men”
The persistence of these gaps 30 years after the end of apartheid indicates that legislative changes to ensure equality have not translated into economic reality. The high volume of unpaid care work acts as a 'hidden' economic barrier, effectively subsidizing the formal economy while keeping women in a state of financial precariousness.
