History:
POWA was formed in 1979 by a group of women volunteers in order to provide referral services and shelter to women experiencing domestic violence. POWA was the first organisation to establish a shelter for abused women in 1981, and pioneered second stage (or transitional) housing for women in 2009 in Gauteng. The direct services delivery component of the organisation forms the basis of and informs all advocacy interventions, at local, nation and regional level.
With over 30 years of history behind us, we have become an organization that is considered to be an expert on issues of women’s rights we are consulted by the private sector, government and civil society on educational and decision-making matters pertaining to women’s safety and enjoyment of their rights.