sa-ygap_english-14a6f7bf991e397c.pdf

The South African Youth Gender Action Plan (SA YGAP) is a youth-led framework designed to guide decision-makers, civil society, and the private sector in creating a gender-inclusive society in South Africa. Developed by young people aged 13-30, the plan identifies gaps in existing national and global policies and proposes a seven-pillar approach to dismantle patriarchal and heteronormative structures across education, health, safety, and sustainable transformation.

• The South African education system is described as a heteronormative space that enforces patriarchal and misogynistic norms. The SA YGAP calls for the adoption of the Western Cape Education Department's 2020 provincial Gender Policy Draft as a national policy to promote inclusivity, including the use of gender-neutral uniforms (multiforms) and the removal of policies governing identity elements like hairstyles and jewellery that do not impact educational outcomes.
• The healthcare system is noted to predominantly cater to cisgender, heterosexual males, leaving the needs of women and marginalised genders overlooked. Specific gaps identified include a lack of public information on conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, and endometriosis, as well as a critical need for gender-affirming care to be integrated into public healthcare institutions due to its current unaffordability.
• Period poverty is a significant barrier in South Africa, with approximately seven million menstruators lacking access to sanitary products, which forces them to miss work or school. The plan demands the provision of free menstrual products in schools, community centres, and public spaces, and suggests that tertiary education subsidies be expanded to include a monthly allowance for these products.
• The document highlights a critical need for legal protections against digital gender-based violence, specifically regarding deepfakes and malicious artificially created content. It calls for the inclusion of regulations on these issues within the Cybercrimes Act and the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act.
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains prevalent, with the South African Police Service (SAPS) described as a hostile environment that lacks the necessary skills to handle GBV cases without bias. The plan recommends the use of the Remote Offered Skill Building Application (ROSA) for sensitivity training and calls for the recognition of obstetric violence as a form of homicide under South African criminal law.
• Economic disparities persist, with young people aged 15-34 being the most vulnerable in the labour market; unemployment rates for this group reached 61 percent and 39.9 percent (the document provides two figures without specifying the distinction, though it notes the rate is 4.7 percent higher for females). In STEM fields, women represent only 13% of the workforce.
• Climate change disproportionately affects women and girls due to limited decision-making power and unequal resource access. The SA YGAP advocates for gender mainstreaming in agricultural policy, micro-financing for women-led farming groups, and ensuring that Just Transition policies prioritise substantive equality to redress historical imbalances.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). sa-ygap_english-14a6f7bf991e397c.pdf. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SA-YGAP_English.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. sa-ygap_english-14a6f7bf991e397c.pdf. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SA-YGAP_English.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=sa-ygap_english-14a6f7bf991e397c.pdf |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SA-YGAP_English.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndsaygapenglish14a6f7bf991e397cpdf, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{sa-ygap\_english-14a6f7bf991e397c.pdf}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SA-YGAP_English.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }