In 1998, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) published the first Women and Men in South Africa report, comparing the life circumstances and living conditions of women and men in the country at the time. The statistics presented in that particular report were largely drawn from the October household survey (OHS) of 1995, but it also drew on statistics from data sources outside Stats SA.

This booklet is the second Women and Men in South Africa publication. It both updates some of the statistics presented in the earlier publication and presents statistics on some new topics. Because of the greater wealth of Stats SA data now available, the report draws only on internal data.