ABSTRACT
Given the vast cultural, geographic, economic, individual, and other differences which exist amongst women, the appraisal of their overall situation will vary with the differences. In exploring theories and practices concerning women's rights, both by feminists and others, used my homeland, South Africa, as a point of departure and as a model. In developing societies, or during a harrowing transitional period, interdependence in these forms are enablers of women's autonomy and dignity, and thus need to be perceived as potential solutions in the struggle for women's rights. In summary, conditional interdependence calls for a shift in the conceptualizing of women's human rights. This shift might include the idea of designing a transitional mechanism, such as a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which would highlight injustice and violence against women, and provide a vehicle through which the society as a whole might commit itself to pursuing rights and dignity for women.
