Information Pamphlets

Maintenance

Short pamphlets explaining the Maintenance Act

Download these pamphlets in English, Setswana, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Ndebele, Sepedi, isiZulu

How to claim Maintenance

Brochures explaining how you can claim maintenance from someone who has a legal duty to support you or your children. The law that provides for maintenance is the Maintenance Act (Act No. 99 of 1998).

Download Maintenance: How do I claim? in English, isiZulu, xiTsonga or Sesotho by clicking on the language of choice

Download a poster: How much maintenance can I claim for my children?

Domestic Violence

These brochures outline how the Domestic Violence Act can be used to protect women, men and children who suffer from abuse in domestic relationships.

The brochure explains:

How the Domestic Violence Act improves protection for women
How to apply for a protection order
What to do if he abuses you even if you have a protection order
Where to go for help

Download a copy of the brochure on the Domestic Violence Act is in English, Setswana, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Ndebele, Sepedi and isiZulu by clicking on the language of your choice.

Rape and Sexual Crimes

Download: How to deal with HIV after rape
This booklet aims to help anyone who has been raped to try to reduce their risk of getting HIV. It also explains how to report rape and what to do if you want to know the HIV status of your rapist.

The Sexual Offences Act

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Amendment Act has been in effect since 16 December 2007 and affects the punishment of sexual crimes committed after this date. The Act replaces some common law provisions on sexual offences and some sections of the old law, the Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957. The Act also creates new sexual crimes.

This booklet summarizes the key provisions in the new Act and related laws. The booklet does not analyse the effectiveness of these provisions.

Download summaries of the act in English, Sesotho, Xhosa and Zulu

Health and Hope in Our Hands

provides practical and valuable advice on

how to address HIV and AIDS treatment
care and support in the aftermath of rape and in the context of abusive partner relationships

It is aimed at health providers, but will be useful to women themselves and others involved in providing care like social workers and counsellors. It addresses the provision of anti-retrovirals (ARVs) for the prevention of HIV in the context of women’s lives and realities. It addresses women’s physical, psychological and emotional needs. Although specifically developed for the South African context, it will be useful to those wanting to develop similar guidance.

Kailash Bhana, Liesl Gerntholtz, Karen Hurt, Andrea Meeson & Lisa Vetten (2004): Health and Hope in Our Hands: Addressing HIV and AIDS in the aftermath of rape and woman abuse

Customary Marriages

This document outlines the rights of a woman who has been married according to African customary law. The document looks at :

Why there was a need for a Customary Marriages Act.
How the Customary Marriage Act of 1998 affect customary marriages.
How the recognition of customary marriage affects women married under this system.

Downloadable Brochures are available in English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Sepedi, Setswana, isiXhosa and isiZulu.

Domestic Partnerships

The Domestic Partnerships Bill aims to protect the rights of parties in domestic relationships to dignity and equality. The Bill deals with:

Registered domestic partnerships
Unregistered domestic partnerships

Download the factsheet in English

Creating Domestic Partnership Legislation

This factsheet looks at the legal options for creating a Domestic Partnership Legislation and how they will affect:

Children from domestic partnerships
Intestate succession
Termination of partnerships
Duty of support and maintenance
Medical decisions

Download available in English

Advocating for the legal recognition of domestic partnerships

This factsheet outlines why domestic partnerships should be legally recognised.

The consequences of the current lack of legal recognition and regulation of domestic partnerships.
Why we need law reform to recognise domestic partnerships.
Current developments regarding domestic partnerships.