MenCare Advocacy, Media and Campaigning Webinar

Hello! Sonke Gender Justice and Rutgers invite you to a MenCare Advocacy, Media and Campaigning Webinar: With 3 practical cases and a toolkit on how to do it. Date: Thursday, 11 March 2021 Time: 3pm to 4:30pm CAT The webinar is part of the ongoing MenEngage Ubuntu Symposium and will be moderated by Mphokuhle Mabhena–Lunga.  Panellists will include […]

Politics of Care Session 3 at the Ubuntu Symposium

The Politics of Care seminar series continues on Thursday 25 February as part of the MenEngage Global Ubuntu Symposium (register here). The seminar series unpacks four phases of an ethic of care, and specifically how men can contribute to the cultivation of a feminist ethic of care. The first session addressed men ‘caring about’ and how men’s ignorance of […]

Men’s involvement & tough action by African leaders needed to stop FGM

Saturday marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) under the theme “No Time for Global Inaction, Unite, Fund, and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation”.  FGM is a procedure that partially or totally removes a female’s external genitalia for non-medical reasons, causing irreparable and irreversible harm, as well as life-long […]

Sonke applauds President Joe Biden’s decision to repeal the Global Gag Rule

Sonke Gender Justice welcomes reports stating that the President of the United States, Joe Biden has repealed the “Global Gag Rule” (GGR), officially known as the Mexico City Policy.  The Global Gag Rule, reintroduced by Donald Trump in 2017 prohibited U.S. global health assistance from being provided to foreign non-governmental organizations that perform abortion in […]

Sonke Gender Justice mourns the loss of Minister in the Presidency, Mr Jackson Mthembu

Today Sonke Gender Justice pays its respects to a dedicated leader, Minister Jackson Mthembu. Sonke Gender Justice and the sector at large is profoundly saddened by the news of the passing on of a dedicated ally to gender transformation from Covid-19-related complications at 62.  Born in Ackerville, Witbank, on June 5, 1958 Minister Mthembu will […]

Sonke Gender Justice calls for accountability of parents in the case of Nthatisi Bembe

Last week, disturbing media reports surfaced about the tragic death of Nthatisi Bembe (12), allegedly at the hands of her parents. This tragic incident is another sad reminder of the precarious position that children find themselves in. This gruesome incident demonstrates the well-known fact that incidents of physical punishment often lead to either severe harm […]

Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Namibia

MenEngage Namibia, as a national network of organisations working with men and boys to end Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) – which is part of the global MenEngage Network – is expressing its support and solidarity with recent protests against SGBV in Namibia. We are very concerned about the rising number of SGBV cases, affecting […]

Sonke welcomes the ANC’s decision to suspend former MEC and current ANC Provincial Executive Committee member accused of raping his daughters

On Monday, September 28, 2020 disturbing reports surfaced regarding minors who were raped, allegedly by their own father who currently serves as ANC Mpumalanga PEC member. The accused appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday, September 28, 2020 and the matter was postponed to 1 October for a formal bail application. Sonke notes with […]

Sonke welcomes the judgment by the Grahamstown High court that has granted Yolanda Dyantyi leave to appeal in her case against Rhodes University.

Ms Dyantyi was expelled from university for life by Rhodes University for her role in a protest against gender-based violence and rape on campus. Her transcripts were marked ‘’Unsatisfactory Conduct: Student found guilty of assault, kidnapping, insubordination and defamation’’. Ms Dyantyi was in her final year and would have been the first person in her […]

MenEngage Liberia condemns all forms of sexual abuse

In the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, Liberia is witnessing another scourge – increased gender-based violence, particularly rape-related cases. The current wave of cases involving rape is, indeed, worrying as the country is grappling to ensure that all of its citizens – men, women and children – are safe from Covid-19. According to a FrontPage […]

Sonke condemns in the strongest possible terms the threats made by African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament (MP), Boy Mamabolo against a Sunday World journalist

Last week, African Nation Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament (MP), Boy Mamabolo threatened to shoot Sunday World reporter, Ngwako Malatji after the journalist investigated an incident involving the MP. Sonke is disgusted by the threats made Mr. Mamabolo and the precedence they set. Especially with the recent crime statistics indicating that there was an increase […]

Judgement in Josina Machel domestic violence matter retrogressive and sets bad precedent

MenEngage Africa (MEA) and Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) are disappointed and concerned with Mozambique’s Higher Appeals Court’s decision to overturn the conviction of Rufino Licuco in an appeal case against the Maputo City Court ruling which found him guilty of domestic violence against Josina Machel. In 2017, businessman Rufino Licuco was found guilty of beating […]

MenEngage Swaziland condemns cop’s murder of wife and her lover

As the world and the country is affected by COVID-19, a new norm has been established resulting in the lockdown of countries, including Eswatini, and life as we know it has altered and is nearing a stand-still. In such situations it is not surprising, albeit unfortunate, that people seem to buckle under the pressure created […]

MenEngage Botswana welcomes suspension of MP following allegations of defiling a minor

MenEngage Botswana welcomes the decision by the Botswana Democratic Party to suspend the Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga, following allegations of defilement of a minor. It is our belief that not only will the suspension assist in the investigation of the case, it also shows zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation. We […]

MenEngage Botswana concerned about allegations of statutory rape by MP

MenEngage Botswana is greatly disappointed by reports on the alleged defilement of a minor by Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta constituency by Mr Polson Majaga. The welfare of children remains threatened due to actions such as defilement which sometimes go unreported or are ignored when high ranking officials are implicated. We wish to caution that […]

Stay home and #SPEAKOUT against domestic violence

For most, staying home under the nation’s restrictions in light of the Coronavirus pandemic means staying safe. For others it’s proved anything but. It was revealed that over 2,230 gender-based violence cases were reported during the first week of the national lockdown. Sonke Gender Justice also believes that the number of unreported cases pushes that […]

Sonke mourns the loss of anti-gender-based violence activist Tamsyn Elaine Allison

Today Sonke Gender Justice pays its respects and tribute to anti Gender-Based Violence (GBV) activist Tamsyn Elaine Allison. Sonke is profoundly saddened by the news of her passing due to post-birth complications recently. Tamsyn changed lives through her activism and will be remembered for spearheading the noble campaign against GBV gathering at the Durban City […]

Men can end sexual harassment

Sexual harassment in the workplace is varied and prevalent in Uganda and there must be stronger commitment to address this illicit act. For far too long, women have been subject to gender-based discrimination and violence in the workplace. The recent allegations of sexual harassment being reported in various media platforms underpin a much larger issue […]

Constitutional Court to hear JICS independence case on 3 March 2020

On 3 March 2020, the confirmation proceedings in the case of Sonke Gender Justice v President and Others will be heard in the Constitutional Court. The hearing follows the Western Cape High Court decision of Boqwana J of 5 September 2019, wherein certain sections of the Correctional Services Act 11 of 1998 were declared unconstitutional. It is […]

Involvement of men and tough action by African leaders needed to end FGM

Thursday, 6th February, marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a procedure that partially or totally removes a female’s external genitalia, causing irreparable and irreversible harm, as well as life-long health and psychological complications. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that about 200 million girls and women alive today […]