The Women’s Legal Centre

Profile

The Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) is a prominent African feminist legal organisation committed to advancing women’s rights and equality. Through a comprehensive approach that encompasses litigation, advocacy, education, legal advice, research, and training, the WLC actively works towards empowering women and challenging gender-based injustices. With a dedicated team of attorneys, candidate attorneys, paralegals, legal advisors, and support staff, the WLC specializes in feminist litigation, employing strategic legal interventions to bring about systemic change. While based in Cape Town, the WLC’s impact extends across national, regional, and international levels, fostering collaboration and driving progress in the pursuit of equality for women.

We focus on the following five programmatic areas:

1. Women’s right to work in just and favourable conditions
2. Women’s rights to housing, land, and property
3. Equality in relationships
4. Sexual and reproductive health rights
5. Women’s rights to be free from violence

Legal Advice:

To provide immediate support, the WLC operates a Legal Advice Unit, led by a dedicated attorney, and supported by two paralegals. We provide daily legal support both in-person and telephonically on matters related to our focus areas. Our aim is to address challenges women face in accessing their rights, as well as identify areas where laws and systems fall short. These insights inform our strategic legal action.

For over two decades, the WLC has fearlessly stood as the only public interest law centre entirely dedicated to advancing women’s rights in South Africa. Our remarkable journey is a testament to our unwavering determination and resilience, achieving what others deemed impossible.
In a legal domain often overlooked, the WLC is home to a dynamic team of women lawyers who are subject matter experts willing to share their knowledge and co-create spaces. We boldly embrace a feminist intersectional ideology, recognising the deep-rooted connections between various forms of discrimination and oppression. We proudly champion the rights of women, fighting against injustice on every front. At the heart of our mission lies the genuine connection to women’s lived realities and experiences of discrimination in our country. It is their experiences that fuel our passion and drive us to push boundaries, reshape narratives, and challenge the status quo. We are determined to break barriers and pave the way for lasting social change. In our pursuit of justice, we embrace creativity, viewing the law as a canvas for transformation. Unlike traditional lawyers, we revel in the freedom to
think outside the box, equipped with the support and encouragement to defy conventions.
As the lone voice in the public interest law sector, we tackle discrimination head-on, both externally and within our own working environment. We acknowledge the immense challenges, but we rise above them, emboldened with an unwavering spirit and an unyielding belief in a future where women’s rights are truly honoured. Together, with our clients, supporters, partners, and courageous women across the nation, we continue to forge a path towards a more equal and just society.