South Africa: a pioneering constitution, a legacy of struggle and a new vision

South Africa spans 1,221,037 km² at the tip of the continent, with a population of approximately 62 million. It has three capitals—Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein—and 2,798 km of coastline washed by both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

South Africa is among the nations that have most firmly enshrined gender equality within its supreme law. Adopted in 1996, the South African Constitution remains one of the most progressive in the world for the rights of women, minorities and LGBTQ+ individuals. Thirty years on, the Rainbow Nation meets these high standards with the resolve of a people who have already toppled apartheid.

A unique geography between two oceans

From the Atlantic coast of the Cape to the Indian Ocean shores of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban, South Africa offers unparalleled diversity: the Karoo deserts, the Drakensberg mountains, the Western Cape vineyards, and bustling metropolitan townships. Its Indian Ocean facade, looking out towards Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar and Mozambique, makes it a key regional player.

The country is a member of SADC, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the African Union, the G20 and BRICS. In 2025, it held the G20 presidency, placing gender inequality, climate justice and development finance at the heart of its international agenda.

The legacy of women's struggles and the constitutional framework

On 9 August 1956, over 20,000 women marched on Pretoria to protest the pass laws. Led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, this march became the symbolic foundation of National Women's Day and a defining moment for female citizenship. The slogan "Wathint'abafazi, wathint'imbokodo" ("you strike a woman, you strike a rock") continues to resonate today.

The 1996 Constitution, co-drafted by Thuli Madonsela and others, enshrines gender equality as a fundamental principle and creates the Commission for Gender Equality. Gender parity in the cabinet has been nearly achieved on several occasions. A new generation of leaders is embodied by figures such as business leader turned minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, former Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor and scientist Mamokgethi Phakeng, the first Black South African woman to earn a PhD in Mathematics.

Ending violence against women and girls

South Africa faces high levels of gender-based violence (GBV). The National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, launched in 2020 with a budget of 21 billion rand, links prevention, protection and access to justice. The National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, promulgated in May 2024, has institutionalised this multi-sectoral response.

In November 2025, alongside the G20, the Women's Shutdown event brought together civil society and the private and public sectors to renew their commitments. UN Women, the AFD and the World Bank support these efforts in close cooperation with leading South African NGOs such as Sonke Gender Justice and Rape Crisis.

The Indian Ocean: cooperation and outlook

With Durban as the largest port in Southern Africa, South Africa anchors Indian Ocean trade flows and maintains strong academic, healthcare and cultural ties with Réunion. French-South African cooperation spans oceanographic research, public health, the creative industries and the fight against GBV.