CiteNScope — Scholarly Index & Analytics
Discover / IJRBSPUBLICATION RECORD

Challenges to achieve the Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in South Africa

Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad ORCID ↗

International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science · 2023 · Vol. 12 / Issue 6 · 257-266

Research reach

Publication metrics

External links open provider records or DOI searches. Provider counts are not combined. Mendeley readership measures saves, not citations.

Dimensions

Live provider badge. If unavailable, use the Dimensions link above.

CROSSREF CITATIONS5

Observed 21 Oct 2026, 07:22 UTC

OpenAlex · Citations7Cached provider observation

Observed 21 Oct 2026 07:22 UTC

Mendeley · Readers71Cached provider observation

Observed 22 Oct 2026 01:36 UTC

OpenAlex and Mendeley observations refresh on article visits, at most once per 24 hours. Unavailable data is not zero. Google Scholar opens a DOI search.

OpenAlex / Citation year

Annual citations to this article

View provider totals ↑

Citations received by this article, grouped by the year of the citing work. Crossref and OpenAlex lifetime totals remain separate in Publication metrics.

2017–2026 Annual history last updated:

Citations received

OpenAlex · year of the citing work

OpenAlex

Hover over a year or focus the chart and use arrow keys to inspect values.

2017–2026 annual-history window. 2026 is year to date. Unknown years have gaps.

View data & coverage

2026 is incomplete. Within a successfully fetched ten-year window, omitted years mean zero. Years beyond a saved observation’s window remain unknown (—). Older citations are excluded, so this chart’s sum may differ from the OpenAlex lifetime total. The date above belongs to this annual history; an unsuccessful refresh keeps the previous observation.

Overview

Abstract

The gender wage gap exists in South Africa because men outnumber women. Women's standing compared to men shows this. Gender equality requires equal opportunities and resources for women and men. Sustainable Development Goal 5 addresses gender equality. This article examines social, economic, political, institutional, and other factors that hinder SDG 5's implementation in South Africa to highlight gender inequality's challenges. The study employed qualitative desktop analysis to acquire data. To learn about gender and related terminology, the literature was reviewed. The literature review required reading journal articles, books, research papers, newspapers, websites, government documents, and acts. The results show that institutional and legal frameworks have been used to address gender equality in the nation. Despite equal prospects for men and women, prejudice against women exists, especially in the workplace. Uneven opportunity, underrepresentation, and gender bias are examples. The findings show that gender equality in South African national, provincial, and municipal institutions requires political, financial, institutional, and capacity-building resources. The essay offers SDG-5 strategies.

Keywords: {'name': 'Gender gender equality, gender mainstreaming, qualitative research, South Africa'}

Authors & affiliations

Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad
Affiliation not supplied

Deposited references

Supplied references, not a list of publications citing this article.

Bangani, A. (2019). Factors influencing the implementation of the strategic framework for gender equality within the South African public service. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Johannesburg]. https://hdl.handle.net/10210/402664

Beall, J. (2005). Decentralizing government and centralizing gender in Southern Africa: Lessons from the South African experience. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2962/1/Decentralizing_government_and_centralizing_gender_%28UNRISD%29.pdf

Bolich, G. G. (2007). Conversing on Gender. Raleigh: Psyche’s Press.

Budlender, D. (2011). Gender Equality and Social Dialogue in South Africa. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---gender/documents/publication/wcms_150430.pdf

Chagunda, C. (2004). Women and Human Development, Parliament Liaison Office, Occasional Paper 15. Cape Town: Government Printer.

CN2 Collins. (2013). Mainstreaming Gender Equality Approach. https://cn2collins.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/the-wid-wad-gad-approach-on-gender-development/

Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. (2015). Gender Policy Framework for Local Government 2015-2019. Pretoria: Government Printer.

Department of Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities. (2014). Beijing +25: South Africa’s Report on the Progress Made on the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action 2014-2019. Pretoria: Government Printer.

Furner, J. (2006). Conceptual Analysis: A Method for Understanding Information as Evidence, and Evidence as Information. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s105

Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) (2021). Gender equality remains critical towards achieving 2030 SDGs. Pretoria: GCIS. https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/gender-equality-remains-critical-towards-achieving-2030-sdgs

Hammer, D. (2002). Practitioner’s Guide: Capacity Building for Local Governance. Eschborn: GTZ.

Hansen, F. D. (2006). Human Error: A concept analysis. Journal of Air Transportation, 11(3), 62-63. Corpus ID: 53003251

Hicks, J., & Buccus, I. (2015). Gender Equality and Local Government Elections. Durban: University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Jansen, D. (2023). Factors influencing the implementation of gender equality in Newcastle Local Municipality [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Johannesburg].

Kock, J., Irby, B. J., & Brown, G. (2002). Defining and redefining gender equity in education. Greenwich: Information Age Publishing.

Kusambizi-Kiini, F. (2018). Improving Citizen Participation in Local Government: Evidence from Two Cases of Participatory Budgeting and Municipal Accountability Tools. Perspectives from Civil Society on Local Governance in South Africa. Journal of Good Governance Learning Network, 2(1), 30-41. Link

Labaree, R. V. (2009). Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: 5: The Literature Review. Link (March 15, 2018).

Landsberg, E., Kruger, D., & Swart, E. (2019). Addressing Barriers to Learning: A South African Perspective (4th ed.). Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.

Majola, B. K. (2019). Challenges Faced by Women Ward Councillors in South Africa. In The 4th Annual International Conference on Public Administration and Development Alternatives, 03 - 05 July 2019 (Southern Sun Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa).

Malesa, V. (2023). Assessing the implementation of SDG 5 in the South African public service (MA Minor Dissertation). University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg.

Malesa, V., & Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2023). Assessing the implementation of SDG 5 in the South African public service. Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, In press.

Martinez, A. (2012). Gender and Development: The Struggles of Women in the Global South. Oxford University Press.

Maseko, M. M. (2013). Gender Responsive Budgeting in a Large Metropolitan Area in South Africa (Unpublished MA Dissertation). University of South Africa, South Africa.

Mbambe, Q. (2015). Poverty Statistics Affecting Women. The Daily News, 10/07/15.

DOI: 10.1016/S0016-7185(03)00050-2

Mputing, A. (2015). Ensuring Budgets Work to Empower Women. Link (August 21, 2020).

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.102628

Nandhego, A. (2018). Women’s Participation in Local Government. Link (August 15, 2020).

Ncamphalala, M. (2019). The role of ICT to promote smart governance in local governments (Unpublished MA Dissertation). University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg. Link

Nhlapo, T. M. S. (2020). Human resource development strategy for gender equality within the Department of Correctional Services (Unpublished PhD Thesis). University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg. Link

Office on the Status of Women. (2001). South Africa’s National Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality. Government Printer. Pretoria.

Qoboshiyana, N. (2011). Translating Gender Policies into Practice in the Buffalo City and Amahlathi Local Municipalities (M. Phil. Dissertation). School of Public Management and Administration, University of Pretoria.

DOI: 10.5539/jel.v6n1p102

Republic of South Africa (RSA): Parliament. (2017). Towards Women’s Economic Empowerment: An overview of challenges, achievements, legislative mechanisms and programmes. International Women’s Conference, August 2017. Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Pretoria.

Republic of South Africa (RSA). (2012). National Development Plan 2030. Our Future – Make it Work. Executive Summary. National Planning Commission, Department (The Presidency). Pretoria.

DOI: 10.1016/j.esr.2020.100480

Sibiya, S. (2023). Skills development for improved employee performance in South African municipalities (Unpublished MA Minor Dissertation). University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg.

The Skills Portal. (2012). The sorry state of gender equality in South Africa. Link.

DOI: 10.1007/s12132-010-9078-5

DOI: 10.1080/10130950.2011.575997

UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. (2022). United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/rio20 (May 11, 2023).

UN Women. (2023a). Good practice examples. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/goodpraexamples.htm (September 4, 2023).

UN Women. (2023b). The Sustainable development Goals and Agenda 2063. https://africa.unwomen.org/en/digitallibrary/publications/2017/07/the-sustainable-development-goals-and-agenda-2063 (March 12, 2023).

United Nations (UN). (2009). Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Overview of the Convention. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/cedaw.htm (March 23, 2023).

United Nations (UN). (n.d.). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf (March 23, 2023).

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). (2023). Gender equality and women’s empowerment. https://sdgs.un.org/topics/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment (June 12, 2023).

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2020). Sustainable development goals. https://www.undp.org/

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2023). SDGs: Background on the goals. https://www.undp.org/sdg-accelerator/background-goals (April 10, 2023).

United Nations Habitat. (2008). Gender Mainstreaming in Local Authorities: Best Practices. Nairobi: United Nations.

United Nations. (1992). Agenda 21. United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 – 14 June 1992. https://www.un.org/en/conferences/environment/rio1992 (March 10, 2022).

United Nations. (2012). The Future We Want. Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20 – 22 June 2012.

United Nations. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals Booklet. https://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/brochure/SDGs_Booklet_Web_En.pdf (April 28, 2019).

United Nations. (2015a). The Millennium Development Goals Report – 2015. New York: United Nations.

United Nations. (2015b). Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org (April 28, 2019).

United Nations. (2018). The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2018. New York: UN.

United Nations. (2023a). The 17 Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals (June 12, 2023).

United Nations. (2023b). Why it matters: Gender Equality. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/5_Why-It-Matters-2020.pdf

Verloo, M. (2001). Another Velvet Revolution? Gender Mainstreaming and the Politics of Implementation. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242539328_Another_Velvet_Revolution_Gender_Mainstreaming_and_the_Politics_of_Implementation. (February 2, 2017).

Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2014). Assessing the Role of Gender in Local Governance (Political Context): The Case of South African Municipalities (December 30, 2014). OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 7(9), 101-114. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2551294

Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2015). Gender Mainstreaming in Policy and Political Contexts: The Case of the South African Government. Administratio Publica, 23(1), 121-138.

Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2017). Gender Considerations in Leadership: Study Guide. University of Johannesburg: Department of Public Management and Governance.

Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2018a). Designing measurement instruments for Sustainable Development Goals one, five, and nine. African Journal of Public Affairs, 10(3), 118-133. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-11496798ad

Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2018b). Gender and information and communication technology (ICT) in Southern Africa to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Administratio Publica. 26(2), 7-22. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/ejc-adminpub-v26-n2-a2

DOI: 10.1177/09749101211067295

DOI: 10.20525/ijrbs.v12i3.2466

Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2023a). Gender inequality in South African municipalities. International Journal of Educational Review, Law And Social Sciences (IJERLAS), 3(6), 2060–2067. https://doi.org/10.54443/ijerlas.v3i6.1173

DOI: 10.20525/ijrbs.v12i3.2466