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Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613836704481280 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Matthee, Janelle Esme |
| author2 | Lambrechts, Derica |
| author_browse | Lambrechts, Derica Matthee, Janelle Esme |
| author_facet | Lambrechts, Derica Matthee, Janelle Esme |
| author_sort | Matthee, Janelle Esme |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136247 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:28.529Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136247 Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective Matthee, Janelle Esme Lambrechts, Derica Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Matthee, J. E. 2026. Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/3e2a94c9-78d4-416e-b865-2e610a733748 Globally, species found in the Southern African region, such as rhinoceroses, elephants, and pangolins, are particularly targeted for their high-value body parts. These animals are poached, harvested, and trafficked for their horns, tusks, skin, and meat, respectively. Southern African countries like South Africa address environmental crime through various legislative instruments and punitive measures. Yet enforcement remains challenging due to the organised, adaptable nature of criminal networks and the socioeconomic vulnerabilities that facilitate local participation in these illicit economies. Within this broader context of environmental crime, literature on the topic predominantly focuses on men’s involvement despite compelling evidence of women’s participation in various legal and illegal meat and fishing industries. Subsequently, gendered dimensions, i.e. gender relations and general gender issues, remain overlooked in both research and conservation efforts in response to environmental crime. This results in missing key opportunities to understand, address, and prevent environmental crime. Therefore, the research objective of this study is to address this gendered research gap by investigating the multifaceted motivations behind the primary and secondary roles women play in environmental crime. Due to the limited research on women’s roles in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa, a reflective analysis is implemented of organised criminal groups in other geographical locations − such as Latin America, Europe (specifically Italy), and Asia − and their role in relation to women. This study builds on the findings from these cases, highlighting how it applies to women’s roles in environmental organised crime. The findings suggest that gendered motivations for women’s involvement include i) economic necessity, ii) gender norms and roles, and iii) coercion and exploitation, which lead to women playing the roles of smugglers, processors, vendors, leaders, or even supporting administrative roles. By distinguishing the variability in the roles of women, the gendered implications of wildlife crime in Southern Africa, other parts of Africa, and even Asia are observed. Wildlife crime involves and affects women and men differently. Moreover, gender norms (socially and culturally constructed roles and expectations for women and men) significantly shape the attitudes, behaviours, and roles of those involved across the value chain of wildlife crime. Wildlife crime, like other forms of organised crime, disproportionately impacts women as it disrupts their livelihood. Men are affected when they are killed because of militarised conservation efforts; however, women are then left without provision for themselves, their children, and their families. When wildlife crime or conservation efforts remove access to resources meant to sustain their livelihoods, women partake in illegal poaching, harvesting, and trafficking activities, not always out of necessity or coercion, but because it gives them agency in a patriarchal system, which fosters a vicious cycle. Therefore, the gendered motivations identified in this study can serve as a guideline to develop government or NGO interventions, facilitating the establishment of alternative livelihoods, gender-sensitive justice mechanisms, and community-based strategies. This may prove appropriate in addressing wildlife crime offenders and preventing more communities and individuals, especially women, from being impacted by or becoming involved in wildlife crime. Masters 2026-04-29T11:52:30Z 2026-04-29T11:52:30Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136247 en Stellenbosch University 132 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Matthee, Janelle Esme Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective |
| title | Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective |
| title_full | Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective |
| title_fullStr | Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective |
| title_short | Multi-faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in Southern Africa : a feminist political ecology perspective |
| title_sort | multi faceted roles of women in environmental organised crime in southern africa a feminist political ecology perspective |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136247 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mattheejanelleesme multifacetedrolesofwomeninenvironmentalorganisedcrimeinsouthernafricaafeministpoliticalecologyperspective |