Generational activisms: Women and social justice in South Africa

Generational activisms: Women and social justice in South Africa. The role of women in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid has been well documented and much praised. In the years since then, female leaders, workers, intellectuals, artists and practitioners have remained essential drivers in the fight for social justice, although their roles and ideas have not always been acknowledged in public consciousness. In this Women’s Month edition of WiCDS Wednesday, we are joined by a panel of female activists to reflect on the intersectional complexities, challenges and joys of women’s activism.

Thato Mphuthi, Enabled Enlightenment: Thato is a disability justice advocate, writer, and founder of Enabled Enlightenment NPC, an organisation working to dismantle barriers, challenge stigma, and advance inclusion for persons with disabilities. Her work spans policy advocacy, psychosocial support, inclusive education, and community-driven initiatives that empower disabled people to claim their rights and dignity. As a new mother, she also writes candidly about parenting, disabled joy, and the intersections of gender, care, and accessibility through her blog My Crutches and I. Thato’s activism embodies in her organisation’s bold slogan, “disabling norms,” by transforming personal experiences into collective action for equity.

Wendy Isaack, MADRE Global Women’s Rights: An Expert Member of the Gender Persecution Observatory, Wendy is an international human rights lawyer with more than 20 years professional experience in policy and legal advocacy interventions in Southern and West Africa, Palestine, the African human rights system and United Nations HQ. With expertise in developing multi-pronged advocacy strategies for the advancement of human rights in domestic, regional and international fora, Wendy has investigated and reported on women’s human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity issues in several African states, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Malawi and Tunisia. An admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, she holds two master’s degrees - in Public Administration from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government and in International Law, from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. 

Bridget Munnik, Mashup Community Development: Bridget is more commonly known as Auntie Bree, the Mother Theresa of Westbury. She is a community developer, counselor, paralegal, assessor, moderator, facilitator and trainer, and the manager for the Mashup Community Development youth centre in Westbury. As well as extensive community networking, she appears regularly on Kofifi FM, SAfm, Rainbow FM, UJ FM, Eldos FM and radio stations in Cape Town. She has been interviewed by both Carte Blanche and Kyknet about crimes in the community. She is also Circuit President in the Women's Association at the Methodist Church. As an actor, Bridget is involved in frequent radio and stage productions about gender-based violence (GBV), substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and bullying. Her motto for young people is ‘skill yourself don’t kill yourself’, and for women, ‘speak out against GBV’. 

Laurel Baldwin-Ragaven, Wits: Physician, educator, scholar and social justice advocate, Laurel is full Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits. As the former clinical head of Family Medicine for Southern Gauteng, she oversaw a service-training platform providing comprehensive primary health care to over nine million people. Baldwin-Ragaven researches and writes extensively on dual loyalty of health care workers, medical participation in torture, health sector complicity with apartheid state violence, gender-based violence, feminism and bioethics, migrant health, and training and education in health and human rights. Her undergraduate degree in American Studies is from Smith College, USA; and, she completed medical training at McGill University, Canada.

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