Keep the promise and decriminalise sex work
In 2016, acting in his capacity as Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa launched the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) ‘National Sex Work Sector Plan 2016-2019’ and presented the leader of the Sex Work Sector, Ms Kholi Buthelezi, with a sunflower as a symbol of his solidarity to decriminalise sex work. Since then, the Asijiki Coalition […]
Sonke Gender Justice and MOSAIC Training host multi-stakeholder dialogue
In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, Sonke Gender Justice and MOSAIC Training, Service & Healing Centre (MOSAIC) hosted a multi-stakeholder dialogue under the theme; ‘From Policy to Accountability: Challenges and Opportunities in addressing Intimate Partner Violence’. The dialogue took place at Capital Melrose, Melrose North, Johannesburg on 08 March 2022. The dialogue explored state and […]
HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign (HTS)
In September and October, the RHR and Key Population teams carried out HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign (HTS) activities and health screenings at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). As part of the HTS campaign, Sonke also provided confidential health screening (including BP testing, sugar diabetes testing, TB screening, STI screening, and pregnancy testing). […]
Session on Gender Based Violence with Goodwood Prison’s male staff
Sonke facilitated a GBV session with approximately 70 male Goodwood Prison staffers on October 27, 2021 at their staff outing in Paarl. The focus of the session was on value clarification. The session was very interactive, and the entire team participated. A follow-up meeting was requested with both male and female staff at Goodwood Prison.
Virtual launch of State of South Africa’s Fathers report 2021
On November 19, 2021, Sonke Gender Justice, the Human Science Research Council (HSRC), and Stellenbosch University hosted a virtual launch of State of South Africa’s Fathers report 2021.
Youth Capacity Building Workshop and Conference on Gender Norms and FGM Advocacy
Our Youth gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to participate in a five-day capacity building workshop on Gender Norm and Female genital mutilation (FGM) Advocacy. The workshop was held from 27th September – 01 October 2021. The workshop’s aim is important to strengthen young people’s capacity on GTA to enable them to challenge harmful social and discriminatory […]
Gender Transformation Training for Traditional and Religious Leaders
Under the Global Spotlight Initiative, MenEngage Africa engaged Religious and Traditional Leaders for a Gender Transformation Training in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in eliminating harmful practices such as FGM and child marriages, tackling toxic masculinity and promoting gender equality from 13th- 17th September 2021. We were honoured to be joined by Chief Theresa Kachindamoto, a […]
Annual General Meeting for MenEngage Youth
The Annual General Meeting for MenEngage Youth was held in Tanzanzia from the 7-8th of September in Tanzania and hosted all representatives from the MenEngage Youth countries. The youth gave updates on their country plans and key highlights and regional updates from the MenEngage Global were presented.
We mourn the loss of our colleague Khopotso Bodibe
It is with much sadness that Sonke communicates the loss of Khopotso Bodibe who passed away on Tuesday, July 27, 2021. Khopotso joined Sonke as a Communications Associate in Sonke’s Communications and Strategic Information Unit in 2015. In 2018, he was promoted to RPU – Media & Communications Specialist. Khopotso spent 10 years as a […]
Pregs Govender joins Sonke as a senior fellow!
We are excited to formally announce the Sonke Feminist Leadership Fellowship. Pregs Govender joins Sonke as a senior fellow from February 2021 for a 2-year period. The aim of the fellowship is to establish an Institute for Transformative Feminist Leadership (ITFL). The Institute will create a space for feminists to focus on transformative leadership and […]
The Politics of Care session 4: When Men Receive Care
This session concludes the Politics of Care series. Each session examines men’s engagement in different phases of a feminist ethic of care. This session will focus on men receiving care. We will share findings from related research and discuss the political positioning of responses to men’s vulnerabilities. Details Time: 3:00pm to 4:30pm Central Africa Time. […]
Symposium adresses gender inequalities in Madagascar
Today, more than ever, gender-based violence is at the heart of many debates around the world. Pro-feminist actions have woken up and are now affirming their commitment to the struggle for gender equality. With this in mind, MenEngage Madagascar held its first Symposium on December 04, 2020 at Panorama Andrainarivo, Antananarivo. The Symposium highlighted the […]
Dialogues with men & boys to end SGBV in Liberia
On September 23, 2020, MenEngage Liberia began conducting dialogues with men and boys as part of efforts to understand their perspectives on gender and masculinity, to clarify negative perceptions among them and to rally their involvement and support towards minimising – and ultimately – ending sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), especially rape, in Liberia. The […]
To be taken into account – youth need to consider themselves as true potential game changers
It’s International Youth Day on the 12th of August. Madagascar-based NGO Youth First, a member of MenEngage Africa Youth, reflects on the state of youth in 2020 as the world observes this annual commemoration in the two questions we posed below. QUESTION: The theme for this year’s International Youth Day is “Youth Engagement for Global […]
International Youth Day 2020
“Youth Engagement for Global Action” Background The International Youth Day (IYD), celebrated on 12th August each year, was established by the United Nations in 2000 as a means of raising awareness of issues affecting young people around the world. Each year the Secretary-General of the United Nations decides upon a theme for the Day on […]
MenEngage Togo and partners engage with government on GBV
On July 14, MenEngage Togo hosted a workshop on the “National Validation of the Qualitative Study on Masculinity, Femininity and Gender Relations in Togo”, in the capital, Lomé. The study examined concepts of masculinity and femininity, how the definitions of these concepts are linked to gender-based violence (GBV) and how they affect gender equity and […]
My story as a refugee
On the 20th of June each year, the world comes together to honour World Refugee Day. This year the day was marked under the theme “Every action counts” – a very relevant theme amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent anti-racism protests that continue to us how desperately we need to fight for a more […]
Gender focus on Madagascar on its 60th anniversary
The fight for gender equality is well under way in Madagascar. Civil society organisations working on gender, the rights of women and children, gender-based violence, and many other human rights issues, joined by feminist movements are beginning to raise their voices and denounce injustices and demand justice, equality and freedom. Madagascar has ratified numerous international […]
Plight of refugees exacerbated by Covid-19
It’s been 20 years since the world started commemorating the 20th of June as World Refugee Day, following the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of Resolution 55/76. In this resolution, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which is the foundation of […]
L’impact du COVID 19 et sa prévalence sur les VSBG chez les réfugiés et migrant(e)s
Historique Sonke gender justice est une organisation à but non lucratif et none partisane, basée en Afrique du Sud, mais qui travaille à l’échelle mondiale. Fondée en 2006, Sonke a établi une présence croissante sur le continent africain et joue un rôle actif à l’échelle internationale. Travail de Sonke consiste de créer le changement nécessaire […]
The impact of COVID-19 and the prevalence of SGBV among refugees and migrants
Background Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation, based in South Africa, but working globally. Founded in 2006, Sonke has established a growing presence on the African continent and plays an active role internationally. Sonke works to create the change necessary for men, women, young people and children to enjoy equitable, healthy and […]
The impact of COVID 19 and the prevalence of SGBV among refugees and migrants
Background Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation, based in South Africa, but working globally. Founded in 2006, Sonke has established a growing presence on the African continent and plays an active role internationally. Sonke works to create the change necessary for men, women, young people and children to enjoy equitable, healthy and […]
Effects of Covid-19 on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Capacity Building Webinar
Background The Programme of Action adopted by 184 UN member states in Cairo recognises the importance of human rights in protecting and promoting reproductive health. The Cairo Programme strongly endorses a new strategy for addressing population issues, focused on meeting the needs of individual women and men rather than on achieving demographic targets. A key […]
Covid-19 pandemic… and they called on the woman
There is no doubt at all that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the world in a way that places huge struggles on families, economies, health, businesses, and so on. The period also turns out to be a very revealing one, especially concerning the roles, challenges, experiences of women and what is expected of them. A […]
