Sizani Ngubane

Sizani Ngubane is a South African activist who works for rural women's rights. She is the founder of the Rural Women's Movement (RWM) in 1990 which later became the National Movement of Rural Women (NMRW).

Sizani Ngubane
in 2014
BornNovember 24, 1946
NationalitySouth Africa
Known forNational Movement of Rural Women

Biography

Ngubane was born in KwaMpumuza, near Pietermaritzburg.[1] As a young girl, Ngubane witnessed her mother experiencing domestic violence from her male relatives and her own husband.[2] In 1965, her mother had been kicked off of her own land by her brothers in law and went to a traditional leader to request land where she was denied because she had no sons.[1] Ngubane said, "I grew up knowing I had to be part of the solution."[2]

In 1990,[3] Ngubane launched the Rural Women's Movement (RWM).[4]

From 1999 on, she began to research how women were treated in rural KwaZulu Natal and she found that many were treated "as subordinates to men."[5] She also began fighting against the Traditional Courts Bill which she felt would give traditional, male leaders unchecked power that could "significantly undermine women's rights."[4] The Bill died in 2014.[5]

In 2011, Ngubane addressed the United Nations on issues facing rural women.[6]

In 2020 she was nominated for the Martin Ennals Award together with Yemeni lawyer Huda Al-Sarari and Norma Librada Ledezma. Huda Al-Sarari became the 2020 laureate[4]

References
  1. West, Edward (9 July 2012). "A Lifetime of Fighting for Women's Rights". Business Day BD Live. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  2. Bachram, Heidi (2007). "Power Surge". New Internationalist (400): 9. Retrieved 17 September 2016 – via EBSCOhost.
  3. "Lydia Kompe: Fighting for Rural Rights". SPEAK: 6. April 1994. Retrieved 14 September 2016 – via South African History Online.
  4. Turley, Melissa (26 September 2012). "South Africa: Law of the Land". Pulitzer Center. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  5. Moshenberg, Dan (21 February 2014). "The Traditional Courts Bill is dead. Long live Sizani Ngubane!". Women in and Beyond the Global. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  6. "Rural Voice: UN Listens to Ngubane". News 24. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
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