Sonke presents at the International AIDS Society Conference
Sonke active at the International AIDS Society Conference in Washington DC, July 22-27. Gender and HIV: What do men have to do with it: A joint event with the Institute for Development Studies, Sonke Gender Justice, MenEngage Alliance and other partner organisations. Turning The Tide: Increasing men’s use of HIV services for everyone’s health: A […]
Sonke and Just Detention International launch training guide on sexual violence in prisons
On August 22, 2012, about fifty people – activists, researchers, Department of Correctional Services and Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services officials – gathered to celebrate the launch of a new training guide written in partnership by Sonke and Just Detention International (JDI). While there are many programmes that focus on improving the lives of inmates, […]
Sonke celebrates President Zuma’s recognition of Sonke’s work.
During his National Women’s Day address at the Union Buildings in Tshwane, President Jacob Zuma acknowledged the important work of civil society organisations engaging men and boys to end gender-based violence, specifically mentioning both Brothers for Life and Sonke! He said, “Compatriots, Government working alone will not be able to eradicate violence against women and […]
Mapping men’s practices and attitudes to gender equality in DRC and Malawi
Sonke Gender Justice and MenEngage Africa are conducting an International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in Malawi – in close cooperation with national partners such as Congo Men’s Network (COMEN) and the Parent and Child Initiative (PACHI). IMAGES is a quantitative and […]
Fatherhood partnership with Sweden
Patrick Godana and Wessel van den Berg recently paid a visit to Men for Gender Equality Sweden (MfJ), to lay the foundation for a partnership between Sonke and MfJ. With the support of Sida, the two organisations are in a Partner Driven Cooperation agreement, or PDC, to implement the MenCare fatherhood programme in Southern Africa. […]
Money, power, sex: Sonke at OpenForum 2012
Money, Power and Sex: The Paradox of Unequal Growth was the theme for OpenForum 2012, co-hosted by Open Society Foundation and Sonke Gender Justice, and held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Delegates from around the world arrived at a Forum to discuss the thorny issues of money, power, sex and inequality in Africa. Most […]
My Dad Can and Brothers for Life to be featured on Talk SA
Talk SA is airing a Male Role Models episode on Tuesday 31 July, featuring Ompile who nominated his father Philly in the My Dad Can Campaign. The show will also be encouraging viewers to vote for their role models in the Brothers for Life campaign. Date: 31 July (Tuesday) Time: 11:20am Channel: SABC2
Sonke at the 12th AWID Forum
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) is an international, feminist, membership organization committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women’s human rights. Every few years the association hosts an international forum, open to those with an interest in women’s rights. Bridget Mnyulwa and Londi Gamedze, both working for Sonke’s Communications and Strategic Information […]
Young people strategise on health policy
The last few months have been an interesting period in the country. There are shocking reports of a collapsing health care system, particularly in the Eastern Cape where there’s a disturbingly high rate of teenage pregnancy. On the other hand, we ought to breathe a sigh of relief at the rate at which the country […]
‘Ubuntu has no borders’: Celebrating World Refugee Day in Soweto
According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), an estimated 107,000 asylum claims were lodged in South Africa in 2011, making it the world’s largest recipient of asylum seekers, followed by the United States of America at 76,000 and France at 52,100. In the global village that we live in today, many factors […]
Meet Sonke’s activists: Vusi Cebekhulu
Vusi Cebekhulu, One Man Can Coordinator, is a family man, a Christian man and a man dedicated to making his country a better place. Before joining Sonke three years ago, Vusi worked with the Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa and the Reproductive Health Research Unit, and his passion for nurturing life skills in others […]
Kicking the ball for peace: Celebrating World Refugee Day in Philippi
In honour of World Refugee Day, South African and refugee youths came together in Phillipi East on 21 June 2012, to combat xenophobia in their communities – on the soccer field. Fostering a spirit of integration Six teams of high school students from around the Western Cape met at the Vuyiseka High School in Phiippi […]
Brother, I do not want to bury you. Get treated
Leo Mbobi tells of his struggle to get his ill brother treated for HIV. He used to beat me when I refused to go to school. He used to chase me in the gravel streets of Maclear, Eastern Cape, with bare feet. He used to search for me in those forests across the river of […]
Malmesbury Inmates Graduate as Peer Educators
A gorgeously warm and sunny day in the middle of Cape Town’s grey and rainy winter signalled an important day for over 40 inmates at Malmesbury Medium A prison. These inmates were soon-to-be graduates from Sonke’s prisons Peer Educator training programme. Over 70 inmates and DCS officials gathered in a large hall ready for a […]
Sonke supports efforts to keep refugee reception offices open
Civil Society makes another litigation attempt to stop the closure of RROs The struggle to keep Refugee Reception Offices open continues across the country with another litigation effort on the closure of the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office. The Department of Home Affairs has been implementing (an unofficial) policy which has seen the closure thus […]
Sonke co-hosts events at International AIDS Society Conference in Washington DC
Sonke active at the International AIDS Society Conference in Washington DC, July 22-27. Gender and HIV: What do men have to do with it: A joint event with the Institute for Developement Studies, Sonke Gender Justice, MenEngage Alliance and other partner organisations. Sunday July 22, 2012. » Download the flyer Turning The Tide: Increasing men’s […]
Is the Traditional Courts Bill a step backwards for our constitutional gains on gender equality?
The Human Sciences Research Council are hosting a public seminar on the Traditional Courts Bill entitled: A step backwards for our constitutional gains on gender equality? Speaking at the event are Alliance for Rural Democracy member, Sizani Ngubane (Rural Women’s Movement), and Patekile Holomisa (CONTRALESA). The seminar takes places on Wed, 25 July 2012 from […]
Civil society organisations call on the ANC policy conference to recommit to democracy and human rights in the rural areas
The Alliance for Rural Democracy represents organisations and individuals committed to democracy, equality and access to justice for all who live in South Africa. We recognise that our freedom is interdependent with that of all citizens. We call on delegates at the ANC policy conference, presently underway at Gallagher Estate, to recommit themselves to protecting […]
Youth Lekgotla – Sonke Gender Justice
During June each year, youth month, the youth of yesteryear is often lauded for its efforts, while the youth of today are criticized for lacking the will and drive to change their situation, circumstances and communities. The obstacles faced by the youth of today relate to teenage pregnancy, HIV, and inadequate sex and reproductive health […]
Celebrating Youth Month at Goodwood Correctional Facility
June is youth month, and across the country events have been taking place to celebrate, commemorate and honour the important youth activism of 1976. The youth debate, hosted by the Goodwood Correctional Centre on 19 June, was one of these. During the event, learners from Hecter Petersen High School in Kraaifontein debated questions around youth, […]
Sonke featured as best practice in WHO Paper on Male Involvement in PMTCT
The World Health Organisation has published a report on Male Involvement in the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV. The report references Sonke’s work and highlights the MenCare campaign as a new initiative to watch as it works to galvanize men’s participation in gender equality. Male involvement in the prevention of mother to child transmission […]
Sonke supports the Nobel Women’s Initiative call to support Fatou Bensouda
On Friday 15 June, The Stop Rape in Conflict Campaign issued a press release supporting Fatou Bensouda in her new role as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. To Support Fatou and ensure she has a strong mandate to support justice for survivors of rape & gender violence, the campaign encourages all members […]
Ubuntu has no boundaries: World Refugee Day Conference, 20 June 2012
During the opening address of the World Refugee Day conference, hosted in Seapoint, Cape Town on 20 June 2012, the regional representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees set the tone by stating that anyone may become a refugee. He asked the audience to reflect on what they would do if they were […]
Invitation to a Picket to Stop the Closure of Refugee Reception Offices
A picket is being organized to protest the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) plan to close Refugee Reception Offices (RROs) in cities and move them to remote border posts. RROs provide essential services for refugees and asylum seekers. Moving them to distant border crossings will have devastating consequences on the rights of refugees and asylum […]
