There is no “I” in TEAM

OXFAM Link and Learn14 November 2012

KZN – SOUTH AFRICA

What is our overall mission

Women on Farms Project is a feminist organisation and our

overall mission is to strengthen the capacity of farmwomen

to claim their rights and empower them to help transform

their communities.

What do we try to ensure?

Women are treated with respect and dignity

Women have secure employment, food, access to land and

housing

Women have access to services like water, electricity and basic

health services

Women have a healthy social life in agricultural communities

The environment is preserved for future generations

Who do we work with to influence change and why?

Women who live and / or work on farms

Partners in the land rights, health and labour sectors

Officials and elected representatives on all three levels of

government

Producers in the industry

What are our core activities?

Education and Capacity Building

Advocacy and Lobbying

Research

Human rights case work

What strategies do we use to influence change?

We build women’s organisation through women’s structures and

women’s rights groups

In structures women share similar experiences and initiate joint

campaigns

We help to develop the following structures / groups;

- Land rights structures

- Labour rights structures

- Women’s cooperatives

- Women’s health and empowerment groups

- Young women’s groups

How do structures function?

Structures are established on farms or farming communities Women in structures are trained and equipped by WFP staff Training sessions are either quarterly or monthly depending

on the programme Monthly structure meetings to discuss progress, challenges

and develop programmes Structures meet and operate independently, WFP staff will

assist with challenges Structure members will develop and execute local

campaigns Bigger campaigns are organised jointly by WFP and

members Structure members are part of organisational decision-

making

What are some of the Lessons Learnt?

Regular communication and contact between staff and members

Record keeping of all communications and contact Transparency about funding allocations Managing power in the relationship Training in democratic feminist leadership Proper induction / orientation of farm women who represent

communities on different levels Internal communication Political education (race, power, gender) Know the community and personal conditions of women

What are some of the challenges we experience?

Economic factors, spatial distribution of farms, the history and politics of land ownership and the psychological sense of fear and dependency among farm workers.

The slow pace of land reform and agrarian transformation in rural areas

The combined effects of patriarchy, colonialism, slavery apartheid capitalism are deep rooted.

There is not a clearly pronounced gender or feminist perspective in service delivery and campaigns

Farmwomen’s needs run the risk of being marginalised or not identified within the broader development agendas

Inadequate labour and tenure laws No proper enforcement of labour and tenure laws

Challenges at local level

• high levels of poverty, with resultant social problems and gender dimensions.

• Large geographical area, dispersed population, lack of public transport

• Seasonal fluctuation of labour demand.• Strong dependence on WFP for resources.• Farm women often have low literacy and numeracy levels• Paternalism in South African agriculture• Dependency and perpetuate oppression and increase fear• Huge economic imbalances between farmer and farmwomen• Limited and lack of access to farms• Social and household responsibility • The legacy of the “Tot” or “Dop” system

What changes can be observed?

RCC: deal with casework independently; local campaign for toilets and electricity; liaise with the municipality, police, health and social authorities on various matters

Rawsonville Cooperative: sufficiently skilled and capacitated to independently negotiate with local authorities for land. They represented themselves in meetings with the mayor

Klapmuts health team: challenged clinic staff on stigmatisation of HIV patients.

De Doorns Labour rights structure: after receiving basic labour rights training they approached the Labour Department and challenged the farmer to pay money due to them.

Simondium seasonal farm workers: Insisted on contracts

Gettuida Baartman: represented farm women on international forum

Policy Development: women present own experience.

Thank you! Dankie!