Porcupine Quill Bracelet

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%

• Approximate length - 7 inches
• Stretch bracelet
• Porcupine quills and hematite beads

$30.00 USD

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Our very unique porcupine quill jewelry is handcrafted in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa. Our partner initiated a job creation project on her family farm to help the wives of the farm laborers earn additional money to support their families. The project employs 12 Xhosa women who are provided raw materials and a workshop and are paid by the item completed. Job training is provided as well as literacy and computer classes, and the 18 primary school age children attend classes nearby at the private farm school. Health care is provided for the artisans and their family members through a mobile clinic that visits the farm once per month.