By Charlene May
Charlene May is a seasoned human rights attorney deeply committed to advancing gender equality and social justice in South Africa. Her work includes landmark Constitutional Court cases such as WLC v The President (recognition of Muslim marriages) and Mhlangu (securing occupational health and safety rights for domestic workers)
Charlene says:
‘The law is an important tool to advance substantive equality and justice for women if it is built on the foundation of substantive equality. It is important for the government that when laws and policies are enacted and adopted that these are informed by women’s lived reality and intersecting forms of discrimination are taken into account. If our focus remains solely on enacting and adopting laws in a formalised manner then we will leave those most vulnerable outside of the protection of the law.’
