Senamile Madlala

Profile

I completed my high school education at Ridge Park College in Durban and went on to pursue my LLB at Stellenbosch University. This was where I honed not just an interest in human rights but a passion towards ensuring that the marginalised people of our society have access to the socio-economic rights promised to them by the Constitution. As a student and young lawyer, this involved dedicating my time to volunteering and serving on various social justice committees. After volunteering at Women’s Legal Centre in 2021, I was inspired by the collaborative space nurtured as well as the emphasis of furthering women’s rights through education, advocacy and research.

I got my professional start as a legal intern at AgriBusiness Development Agency where I had the opportunity to work as a co-contributor in facilitating the growth of a strong and sustainable agribusiness industry in KwaZulu Natal by assisting small businesses and black commercial farmers. However, my heart was still with human rights work, and I officially joined WLC in 2022 as a candidate attorney, where I worked in the five focus areas as well as the Legal Advice Unit.

Now, as a Junior Associate, I work in two focus areas namely, Women’s right to sexual and reproductive health and Equality in Relationships. I have been pulled into matters that would contribute to my legal education. This has included making submissions to Parliament, drafting funding proposals, contributing to pleadings. I also received a fellowship from the Ford Foundation to attend the 2023 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women where I gained priceless insight into the role of technology and data in the advancement of women’s rights. I am currently a Fellow at the NGO-Commission in the Status of Women, an organisation that facilitates a platform for the voices & leadership of feminists to lobby for the their inclusion in the United Nations.