Constitutional Insights with Justice Albie Sachs: Women's Rights

https://youtu.be/9leOsqqKb6Y

Justice Albie Sachs reflects on how women shaped South Africa’s Constitution, ensuring that non-sexism became a foundational value alongside non-racism. He recounts challenges to patriarchy within the liberation movement and demands for gender sensitivity throughout the constitutional text. Women’s representation strengthened protections against discrimination and helped establish socioeconomic rights, bodily integrity, reproductive choice and freedom from public and private violence. Sachs explains that cultural, religious and traditional practices remain subject to constitutional principles. While acknowledging persistent gender-based violence and unequal access to rights, he emphasises the Constitution’s role in providing tools, values and protections for advancing women’s freedom and substantive equality.