Sonke Gender Justice is thankful for the continued support and investment by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in gender justice across Southern Africa. With ADA’s contribution, Sonke successfully implemented Phase 1 of the MenEngage Africa (MEA) programme in Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
MEA mobilises men and boys to actively drive and contribute to gender equality, which includes challenging harmful masculinities, taking active roles in GBV prevention, community mobilisation, positive parenting, peacebuilding, and social norm transformation. With ADA’s support, Sonke equipped its partners with technical expertise in movement-building, advocacy, media engagement, evidence-based policy development, and knowledge management.
Over the three years of implementation, Sonke Gender Justice through MEA engaged traditional and religious leaders as champions of gender justice and the sub-grants of the programme to local partners enabled grassroots-led action. In addition, MEA contributed to policy reforms at both national and regional levels, including the SADC GBV Model Law. The MenCare parenting model and community dialogues on SRHR and gender equality effectively contributed to transformation shifts in the attitudes and behaviours of men and boys.
The partnership with ADA provided a critical foundation to advance gender equity and through the lessons learnt from first phase a potential second phase is on the horizon, which would scale and deepen the achievements of phase 1. Building on the momentum of Phase 1, Sonke is actively exploring opportunities to continue and expand this work through an initiative titled “Building resilient communities: Strengthening local systems for gender-responsive and climate-informed GBV Action.”
Should Sonke secure the required funding, phase 2 will more deliberately integrate climate justice into gender-responsive interventions. It aims to institutionalise feminist accountability within local governance systems, empower women’s rights and youth-led organisations through a three-tier sub-granting model. This will be complemented through digital learning hubs to sustain learning and advocacy beyond the project cycle.
This envisioned continuation seeks to reach over 4,000 direct beneficiaries and more than 10,000 more through regionally coordinated campaigns and community action. It remains rooted in intersectionality, sustainability, and local leadership, ensuring that efforts to prevent GBV and promote gender equality are owned by the communities they serve.
We thank ADA for its longstanding partnership and trust. Their support in Phase 1 has laid a meaningful foundation for future impact. Together, we are shaping a future in which justice, safety, and dignity are accessible to all, regardless of gender or geography.
