Sonke commends Minister Mashabane and Ambassador Minty for voting YES to Resolution on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression
Sonke applauds South Africa, DIRCO Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and Ambassador Minty for standing up for equality and human rights and voting YES in support of the Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (#SOGI) last week. This is important leadership from South Africa to help address violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or […]
Sonke urgently calls on South Africa to vote YES on UN resolution to address discrimination and violence against LGBTI and gender nonconforming people
Sonke Gender Justice joins nearly a 100 civil society organisations calling on DIRCO Minister Nkoana-Mashabane to instruct a YES vote today in support of the Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (#SOGI, and to follow through with South Africa’s commitments to convene a Regional Seminar on Ending Violence Based on Sexual Orientation […]
On World Contraception Day, Sonke asks government to support the ECHO trial
Today (September 26, 2014) is World Contraception Day and the South African HIV Prevention Research Advocacy Expert Group (which is housed at Sonke Gender Justice) and partners have written to South African government officials to request that they strongly support the proposed Evidence for Contraceptive Options & HIV Outcomes (ECHO) trial which we understand to […]
Sonke supports women Nobel Laureates’ decision to cancel their trip to SA
Sonke Gender Justice was looking forward to hosting four women Nobel Peace Laureates in Cape Town next month during the World Summit of Nobel Laureates, but they are no longer coming to South Africa. Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Leymah Gbowee and a representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) […]
Sonke welcomes first “victim empowerment room” in Delft
Victim empowerment rooms are part of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP). SAPS is responsible for ensuring that victims of crime, especially sexual offences and other serious and violent crimes, are provided with a victim-friendly service in which the dignity and rights of victims are protected, and the victim is empowered […]
Fatherhood Graduation in Lower Crossroads
On September 20 Sonke held a Fatherhood Graduation in Lower Crossroads. The program promotes positive parenting and encourages fathers to be involved in their children’s lives. It also teaches fathers to be good role models for their kids. Fathers and their children mobilised community members by going door-to-door and inviting them to join the graduation […]
Sonke celebrates a guilty murder verdict in system that more often that not fails victims
Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) celebrates the verdict of guilty for murder handed down by the Butterworth Magistrate Court in the Eastern Cape on September 11 against Nkosinam Xabadiya for the domestic violence murder of Sandiswa Mhlawuli. Magistrate Doreen de Waal found Xabadiya guilty of murder just 9 months and one day after he killed Sandiswa […]
Judge Masipa requires utmost respect
We, the undersigned, wish to express our concern at what we believe are unwarranted personal attacks against Judge Thokozile Masipa. On 11 and 12 of September 2014, Judge Masipa handed down the much-awaited verdict in the criminal trial of Oscar Pistorius. Since Judge Masipa’s decision to find Mr Pistorius guilty of the lesser charge of […]
Justice for Sandiswa at last, but what about the rest of SA’s women?
There were so many emotions in the Eastern Cape today… at the courthouse in Butterworth with us were two mothers – the mother of Sandiswa Mhlawuli (the 27-year old woman whose ex-boyfriend was on trial for killing her) and the mother of Dorcas, a 14 year old girl who was recently raped and murdered. Though […]
Crowd mobilises outside Butterworth Magistrates’ Court during trial of Nkosinam Xabadiya
Last week we mobilised a large crowd outside of the Butterworth Magistrates’ Court during the trial of Nkosinam Xabadiya. We’re expecting even more people tomorrow when the verdict will be read. The protestors were wearing t-shirts remembering his victim, 27-year old Sandiswa Mhlawuli. Despite the pain her mother has experienced, losing her daughter and being […]
Pistorius trial reminds us that too many women die at the hands of their intimate partners
As the Oscar Pistorius trial for the killing of Reeva Steenkamp draws to a close, it is important to note that on average, three women are killed by an “intimate partner” (former or current) in South Africa every day.1 Tomorrow, on the same day that the Pistorius verdict is expected, 1,000 kilometres away in the […]
Sonke mobilises the community and supports Sandiswa Mhlawuli’s mother while Nkosinam Xabadiya waits to hear his fate
Last week we mobilised a large crowd outside of the Butterworth Magistrates’ Court during the trial of Nkosinam Xabadiya. We’re expecting even more people tomorrow when the verdict will be read. The protestors were wearing t-shirts remembering his victim, 27-year old Sandiswa Mhlawuli. Despite the pain her mother has experienced, losing her daughter and being […]
CGE responds to sex workers’ and activists’ complaints and demonstration
This morning, nearly 200 sex workers and activists from Sonke Gender Justice, SWEAT (Sex Worker Education Advocacy Task Force), Sisonke Sex Worker Movement and the Treatment Action Campaign handed over a petition to the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) demanding CGE action on sex worker human rights. In November 2012, a complaint by sex workers […]
Female sex workers die while the CGE remains silent
In response to inaction by the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), sex workers and gender and human rights activists will stage a peaceful demonstration at the offices of CGE (132 Adderly Street, 5th Floor, Absa building, Cape Town) from 11h00-12h00 today (September 5, 2014). In 2012, sixteen female and one transgender sex worker provided sworn […]
Sonke writes about the murder of nine year old Queen (from Delft) in the City Press
Sonke’s Bongani Kona writes in the City Press about how reporting on the rape and murder of nine year old Queen was emotionally wrenching and also helped him reconnect with the problem of overwhelming sexual violence and violence against women and children in South Africa. Read the full article here: http://www.citypress.co.za/columnists/something-inside-suddenly-gave-way/
Sonke fights for justice for openly gay murder victim, David Olyn, in Ceres
Besides pushing for the police and criminal justice system to properly prosecute the murder of David Olyn, a young openly gay man, Sonke and our partners (including Witzenburg Rural Development Center) have been running community dialogues to address some of the issues around homophobia, gender, discrimination, gender-based violence and #hatecrimes in the Ceres community. We […]
Sonke calls on government to join Eastern Cape MEC of Social Development in supporting decriminalisation of sex work
Statement issued by SWEAT, Sisonke, Sonke Gender Justice, Women’s Legal Centre and TB/HIV Care Association Civil society organisations call on Ministers and MEC’s in the new cabinet to follow the footsteps of Eastern Cape MEC of Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi, for her stance on supporting the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa. Sex Worker […]
What does Sonke Gender Justice do?
Do you know of Sonke Gender Justice? Sonke (meaning “together”) is a South African based NGO that works in South Africa, throughout Africa and through global mechanisms to promote gender equality, positive ideas of masculinity and gender, sexual health & reproductive rights, and human rights – especially those that intersect with gender, sexuality, sexual health […]
Sonke and Delft community march against violence
Yesterday, Sonke Gender Justice and members of the Delft community marched in solidarity against the violence inflicted on the women and children of Delft. As the march neared the part of Delft where nine-year old Queen was raped and murdered earlier this year, more community members joined the march. On the back of their T-shirts: […]
Sonke staff travel to Eastern Cape to join community members in advocating case of woman killed by her partner
Sonke’s Policy & Advocacy Director, Vuyiseka Dubula; MenCare Government & Media Manager, Patrick Godana; Senior MenCare trainer, Leo Mbobi; and One Man Can Trainer, Mzwakhe Khumalo, are in the Eastern Cape again, following up on a murder case that we’ve been advocating around during the past six months. You may have read about the murder […]
Sonke’s Executive Director to speak at UCT on August 19th – “Undoing Masculinity”
Sonke Gender Justice’s Executive Director, Dean Peacock, will be speaking on a panel, together with Sikhumbuzo Mngadi and Thando Mgqolozana at the University of Cape Town (UCT) on Tuesday, August 19th from 1pm-2:30pm. The discussion, “Undoing Masculinity”, hosted by UCT’s English Department’s “Africa, Reading Humanities”, seeks to explore what forms of representation and critical enquiry […]
In honour of Women’s Day, Sonke tells government to develop NSP to address and prevent gender-based violence
Across the country tomorrow, there will be hundreds of speeches, marches and advertisements celebrating women. Women’s Day is indeed an important time for us to recognise the contributions of women living in South Africa, past and present. From high-profile leaders in business, government and civil society, to the leadership of women who form the backbone […]
Sonke’s Mbuyiselo Botha in gender dialogue with Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, and Graça Machel
“August 9, 1995 is the 39th anniversary of the 1956 women’s march to the Union Buildings in opposition to the pass laws … We have declared this day a national holiday. This is in celebration of the struggles of the women over the decades and a rejuvenation of our commitment to strive for a society […]
Sonke presents at 2014 Sexual Offences Indaba
28 to 30 July, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg The Sexual Offences Indaba is organised on an annual basis by the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The overarching objectives of the 2014 Indaba are to design value inculcation mechanisms in service delivery; develop sexual offences prevention plans across all […]
