Wenn Frauen flüchten

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After the end of Apartheid, the establishment of a democratic South African state focused on addressing past injustices, including significant disparities in living and environmental conditions. Many people still face dire circumstances, lacking access to essential resources like clean water and land, while being exposed to pollution and natural hazards. In this context, civil society, politics, and legislation have embraced the goal of environmental justice. The study explores the roots of environmental injustice and the rise of the South African environmental justice movement, detailing its demands. It examines the potential and limitations of post-Apartheid legislation in promoting environmental justice and rectifying past wrongs. The 1996 Constitution, with its comprehensive social rights and procedural guarantees, provides individuals and NGOs with substantial opportunities to pursue environmental justice through the legal system. However, the implementation of these rights faces challenges, particularly in substantive environmental regulation, partly due to the participatory nature of decision-making and a lack of funding. By highlighting South Africa's progress in environmental justice, the study demonstrates how the legal framework can empower civil society.