Sonke’s Board Chair Professor Kopano Ratele writes about Boys’ and Mens’ Vulnerabilities
In his most recent blog post, Teaching Men and Boys to Understand How Some Performances of Masculinity Compromise Lives, Sonke’s Board Chair Professor Kopano Ratele argues that “as a society we find it difficult to hold the seemingly incompatible ideas that young black males can be both victims and perpetrators, at once violators and violated.” » […]
Sonke’s Tim Shand at TEDxBarcelonaWomen on Engaging Men in Sexual Rights for Everyone
Sonke’s Director of International Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Programmes, Tim Shand presented at TEDxBarcelonaWomen on Engaging Men in Sexual Rights for Everyone. Tim talks about men’s responsibility in ending violence against women and contraception. He emphasizes that empowering women is good, but no real change can occur without explicitly engaging men in the struggle. » Watch […]
Sonke Statement on recent rape and burning of 9 year old girl from Delft
Sonke Gender Justice joins South Africa in the outrage and sadness felt at hearing that a 9-year old girl was raped and set on fire in Delft in the Western Cape. This time last year, the country and the world was appalled by the brutal rape and murder of 17 year old Anene Booysen. In […]
Sonke publish chapter “Mobilising Men for HIV Prevention” in new anthology “Politics, Policy and Activism: Challenges and Emerging Issues”
Sonke’s Wessel van den Berg, Dean Peacock and Tim Shand have written a chapter published in a new anthology, Global HIV/AIDS Politics, Policy, and Activism: Persistent Challenges and Emerging Issues. » Download the chapter: Mobilizing Men and Boys in HIV Prevention and Treatment: The Sonke Gender Justice Experience in South Africa
Sonke op-ed published in Mail & Guardian
An op-ed by Sonke’s Mbuyiselo Botha, Dean Peacock and Czerina Patel has been published by South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper. The authors argue that the government must stop paying mere lip service to rooting out gender-based violence. Click the link to read the article online. » Comment: Rape, murder and indifference
Delft rape case: Sonke calls on GBV council to deliver on its commitments
Sonke has published a press release following the rape of a 9-year-old girl in Delft, calling on the Gender-Based Violence Council to follow through on its commitments. » Download the press release
Profeminist Black Men: Engaging Women Liberationists, Undermining Patriarchy
Sonke’s Board Chair Professor Kopano Ratele and Media Liaison Mbuyiselo Botha published in the Open Society Foundation Journal Buwa reflecting on their work as gender equality activists. » Read the article
Sonke’s submission on the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill
Sonke Gender Justice’s January 16th 2014 submission on the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. Sonke calls attention to 1) the lack of adequate consultation in the development of the bill, 2) WEGE’s duplication of provisions and powers in other existing legislature, 3) the need for a thorough review of the failure of existing measures […]
2nd MenEngage Global Symposium: “Gender equality can only be achieved if men and boys are fully involved in the process”
New Delhi, 10 January, 2014: Global efforts to attain gender equality will remain unfulfilled unless men and boys become more fully engaged in the process, is one of the key messages emerging from a major international conference being held in New Delhi this week. The Symposium is timely, as it concerns a number of issues […]
Papy Molembe speaks about building the Community Action Team
While Sonke staff in Cape Town are having our 2014 planning meeting today, we’re looking back at our key achievements from 2013. It’s so inspiring listening to Papy Molembe, a trainer from our Refugee Health and Rights Programme speak about his pride at building a dynamic Community Action Team (CAT) in Retreat of 30 people […]
Abdillahi Ahmed Mohamed’s reflections on Sonke’s work in 2013
Abdillahi Ahmed Mohamed, Peer Educator in Sonke’s One Man Can Refugee Health and Rights Project, beamed a huge smile when asked about his best moments from 2013 as he reflected on the work he did with the Somali communities in Mitchells Plain and Bellville, and especially co-facilitating a four day workshop about sexual health and […]
WEGE Bill fails women – Call for wide consultations
The Department of Women Children and People with Disabilities recently released its 2013 version of the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee has called for public comment on the Bill by 20 December 2013. After consulting interested parties, we are of the view that the Bill fails to serve its objectives […]
Sonke hosts World AIDS Day event in Gugulethu
Sonke Gender Justice, in partnership with the Khanyisa Foundation, NAPWA (The National Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS), Phakama Community Health Project, First Resource Community Centre, The Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, Etafeni Daycare Centre Trust and the City of Cape Town’s Multi-Sectoral Action Team (MSAT), hosted a World AIDS Day event at the […]
17th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA)
The 17th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), which is currently being held in Cape Town, hosted a session on HIV and Gender Based Violence (GBV), specifically dealing with changing social norms around GBV. Among the panelists was Bafana Khumalo of Sonke Gender Justice and the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC). […]
Applications are open for the UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship!
The UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship promotes public interest lawyering and trains the next generation of lawyers who will spearhead social justice efforts in the region. This prestigious programme provides specialised legal training to top graduates from southern African law schools and promotes their careers as impact-oriented public interest lawyers in the areas of health, human […]
Sonke’s announcement on the passing of Nelson Mandela
South Africa leads the world in mourning today after the death of its heroic leader Nelson Mandela yesterday at the age of 95. For decades, Mr. Mandela has been a symbol of the struggle for justice and equality, not only in South Africa, but globally. Mr. Mandela, known affectionately in South Africa by his clan […]
Sonke’s Michele Muzaneza interviewed about gender, HIV and GBV on World Aids Day
As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women and Children, Micheline Muzaneza was interviewed on Espresso about gender, HIV, and gender-based violence. » Watch the interview
Sonke and Archbishop Makgoba co-convene new campaign to mobilise faith communities against GBV
Sonke was pleased to co-convene this gathering to launch the South African chapter of We Will Speak Out, a coalition committed to demonstrating, mobilising and equipping leadership to end the pain of sexual violence across the world. » Invitation: We Will Speak Out South Africa
Refugees and migrants speak against GBV
Hitting the airwaves just in time for 16 Days of Activism, Change the Story: Refugees and Migrants Speak Against GBV is a 3-part series of short radio dramas highlighting factors that make refugees and migrant communities vulnerable to sexual violence as well as challenges for accessing care and treatment services. While all women and girls […]
Detention Justice Forum website goes live
The Detention Justice Forum is a civil society coalition to advance the rights and well-being of detainees in South Africa. The Forum is co-founded and co-coordinated by Sonke, Wits Justice Project, and Just Detention International. Learn more about the Detention Justice Forum at the newly launched website, www.detentionjusticeforum.org.za.
Sonke calls on SA government and global community to engage men in HIV health services
This Sunday marks the 25th World AIDS Day and for the third year in a row, the theme is “GETTING TO ZERO”. On December 1st, governments, NGO’s and awareness campaigns will echo the message of “Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths”, but a new message is emerging: To Get To Zero, […]
New preliminary results from Sonke-Promundo IMAGES Survey
A new report has been released of the preliminary results of the Sonke-Promundo International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in North Kivu, Eastern DRC. You can download the reports and the accompanying press statement here: » Press statement » IMAGES Study Preliminary Results, November 2013 » IMAGES Study Preliminary Results, November 2013: Francais
Sonke commits to realizing the best life for every child
Sonke is proud to be an official partner in the Best Life for Every Child project. Click the image below to see a full-size version.
Sonke’s ED Dean Peacock interviewed in Journal of American Sociological Association
Two interviews with Sonke’s Executive Director Dean Peacock focus on his and Sonke’s work with men and boys: » Changing Men in South Africa » Making Waves
