Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender Dynamics And Women’S Changing Roles In Johannesburg’S Somali Community, Marnie Shaffer

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Somali refugees arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa following apartheid’s official end in 1994. They have since established a well-organized community in Mayfair, a suburb just west of the city centre, which continues to grow as Somalis migrate to the country in search of peace, security, and livelihood opportunities. Life in South Africa pushes women to adopt new roles and challenge customary gender models while maintaining their household management responsibilities. Several variables shape gender dynamics and contribute to gender negotiations in Mayfair. Shifting family and household structures influence women’s changing roles and complicate gender relations as more women, single and …