Women and Feminism
Khanya’s work with women and feminism began in the early 1990s with our work with the Civic Association of Johannesburg. The educational work on gender and women’s position in society developed from representation to more substantial focus on women’s position in capitalist society, patriarchy and feminism. Women attended the first school in 1999 and by 2003 participated in the new social movements, in community civics, and small cooperative projects such as breadmaking and food gardens. The design of the School changed from making sessions on Women, Gender and Liberation choices to parts of the school that were obligatory to ensure that all activists to the school participated. Initially there was a struggle to ensure that organisations sent women delegates on a 50/50 basis. By 2011 women were 55% of the school, and this has increased to 64% of the School in 2023. The Khanya School has also become more youthful (65%) in 2023.
The Winter School included a focus on Women and Neoliberalism in the 2004 School on Neoliberalism and Democracy. This refined women’s analysis of the position of women not just under capitalism, but neoliberalism, with increasing focus on social reproduction.The theme was revisited in 2017, with The Challenges of Feminist Organising in Community Struggles. An engaging school, this led to the formation of Femnet at Khanya, of women activists from waste reclaimers, environment, chws, casual workers and others. The femnet meets every 2nd Saturday, and this was an important space for women to support each other on zoom and whatsapp during Covid 19. During the CWCC, the Femnet developed a position on why the need for a feminist caucus. With the decline of the CHWs Forum in 2021-2023, the femnet was affected, and is now back on track.