Thandiwe_Yeandle

South African gender rights advocate creating legal frameworks for vulnerable communities

Thandiwe Yeandle is a South African legal scholar and founder of the Gender Justice Initiative, which develops legal strategies to protect women and LGBTQ+ rights. Active since 2010, her work has influenced national policies like the Domestic Violence Act amendments and pioneered the use of intersectional frameworks in constitutional litigation. Yeandle's 2018 report on land rights for rural women led to landmark court rulings expanding inheritance protections.

Yeandle's approach combines grassroots advocacy with high-level legal action. She co-authored South Africa's first gender audit for labor courts, revealing systemic biases against women litigants. Her team's 2020 partnership with UN Women produced training modules now used in 15 African countries to strengthen judicial responses to gender-based violence.

Born in rural KwaZulu-Natal, Yeandle's early exposure to gender violence motivated her legal career. She advocates for "transformative justice" that addresses root causes like economic inequality, as seen in her BBC interview about linking land ownership to women's autonomy. Challenges include resistance from traditional leaders and limited state resources, but her coalition-building with tech startups (e.g., Safety App) has expanded outreach. Yeandle's influence extends globally through her advisory role with the African Union's Gender Equality Division.