Nicole Chenelle, Intern

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." – Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Mandela Quotes) 

Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and subsequent President of the newly unified nation, is known for dedicating his life to dismantling the legacy of the apartheid. While his tireless efforts to end institutionalized racism and poverty have garnered the most attention, as he lays in critical condition we think it's important to note that his efforts to increase gender equality are just as significant. 

South Africa offers women, at least on paper, one of the most comprehensive sets of rights and protections in the world (South Africa Women's Rights). The nation signed the U.N Convention to End All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), often referred to as an international bill of rights for women, in 1993, and ratified it in 1995, something the United States has yet to do. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, promulgated by President Mandela in 1996 and taking effect in 1997, states: "Everyone has the right to bodily and psychological integrity, which includes the right (a) to make decisions concerning reproduction and (b) to security in and control over their body." The constitution also provides legal protection for women from discrimination, rape, and domestic violence.