Telephone Wire Animals

South African law defines victims of domestic violence, facilitates the serving of protection orders on abusers, requires the police to take victims to a place of safety, and allows police to seize firearms at the scene and arrest abusers without a warrant. Domestic violence law also applies to persons who are not in legal or common-law marriages. Violating a protection order is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 5 years or 20 years if additional criminal charges are brought. Rape, including spousal rape, is illegal, although rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment of black South African female farm workers by farm owners, manager, and by other farm workers is common. Some ethnic groups permit the exacting of a bride price (“lobola”).

Despite equal rights under family law and property law with regards to inheritance, divorce and custody of children, and equal rights under the judicial system, discrimination against women is commonplace. Women experience economic discrimination in areas such as wages, extension of credit, and access to land. For example, rural areas are often governed by traditional leadership structures, often including a chief or council of elders, who may not grant land tenure to women.

Women, particularly black women, typically have lower incomes and less job security than men. Most women are engaged in poorly paid domestic labor and micro enterprises that do not provide job security or benefits. The South African Department of Trade and Industry has addressed this by providing incentive grants to promote the development of small and medium businesses and micro enterprises for women, youth and persons with disabilities.

Female life expectancy at birth: 42.19 years
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman
Infant mortality rate: 60.66 deaths/1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS adult prevalence: 21.5%
Literacy: male 87%; Female 85.7%
Per capita income: $12,000, 50% below poverty line
Unemployment rate: 26.6%

• Approximately 3” tall
• Available in elephant, warthog, and giraffe
• Available in brights or neutrals
• Handmade from colorful telephone wire
  

$35.00 USD

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The adorable beaded dolls and animals we carry are made in the Cape Flat townships of South Africa. Beading in South Africa is a tradition amongst several tribes: the Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele and Sotho, and is solely the domain of women. Women are taught beading from their grandmothers, mothers and other women in their community. A local nonprofit supplies glass beads to disadvantaged women who develop their pieces at home so that they are able to look after their families and avoid costly transportation. This nonprofit, which provides employment to over 450 women, also operates an HIV/AIDS wellness clinic and a soup kitchen. Due to the AIDS pandemic, funerals are all too frequent, and the cost of burial have skyrocketed. Our partner pays 50% of the cost of burial insurance plans for their artisans and families.