Resources from High Level Meeting in Istanbul
In mid-November, Sonke helped organise a high level review meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, together with UNDP, UNFPA, UNAIDS, the WHO and The Athena Network. Salamander Trust, one of the partners involved, has put together a great resource page with all the powerpoint presentations on it at http://salamandertrust.net/project/integrating-strategies-address-gender-based-violence-engage-men-boys-advance-gender-equality-national-strategic-plans-hiv-aids-istanbul-turkey-14-16-november-2011/. Integrating Strategies to Address Gender-Based Violence and Engage […]
Sonke Joins Sisters with Blisters in Stopping Abuse One Step at a Time
Sonke is privileged to have been nominated as a beneficiary of the Sisters with Blisters fundraising walk taking place on 26 Nov 2011 in Bryanston. For more information on the walk, visit www.sisterswithblisters.co.za.
Sonke Annual Report 2010/2011: Letter from the Chair of the Board
In the last year, Sonke has continued to grow, and its efforts to combat sexism and gender-based violence have deepened. There has been no clearer sign of the organisation’s commitment to a non-sexist South Africa, than its ground-breaking case against Julius Malema, in the Equality court. The fact that the Court ruled that Malema’s careless […]
DFID Minister praises Sonke’s work in speech outlining UK governments development priorities
In a recent speech DFID’s parliamentary representative, Stephen O’Brien supports the need to work with men and boys to promote gender equality and applauds the work of One Man Can. Stephen O’Brien’s speech at the launch of Plan UK’s State of the World’s Girls report, looking at the inclusion of boys and men in gender […]
Media advocacy training with Masisikumeni
On 14 and 15 Nov 2011, Justice and I spent two days with the Masisukumeni Women’s Crisis Centre developing skills and strategies for using the media to further the aims of the organisation. The training took place in Tonga, a rural community an hour and a half’s drive from Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, where services are […]
Welcome new staff
Sonke is pleased to welcome all the new staff members who have joined us recently, including: Khanya, Silver, Collen, Malwande, Maja, Keith, Eddy, Nonhlanhla and Nkonzo.
A More Social Sonke
The world is changing. Many of us lead parallel lives, one in our physical bodies, and one or more as digital entities. As resistant as many are to this phenomenon, it is very real and here to stay. Although we do not live physically on, for example, facebook, we act out many of the things […]
Women’s day in Taung, North West province
This Women’s Month, August 2011, Sonke collaborated with various partners nationwide to celebrate the women in our lives and communities. Thami Nkosi, a One Man Can trainer on our community radio project, was invited to speak at a Women’s Day event hosted by our partner radio station Vaaltar FM in Taung, North West province. The […]
Sonke goes to the 2011 National Women’s Conference
The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities hosted a national women’s conference to mark the beginning of women’s month celebrations for 2011 under the theme Working Together for Equal Opportunities and Progress for All Women on the 31 July to 3 August. Ten thousand women from all walks gathered for five days at […]
Public Health and Law
Last winter, I packed my bags and headed to Cape Town for a two‐month internship with Sonke Gender Justice. As a research assistant in the Policy, Research and Advocacy unit, I would be working under Emily Keehn, a UCLA Law School Graduate and recent Cape Town transplant on a project involving the South African Prison […]
One Man Can goes to Bushbuckridge
For the next three years, Dumisani Rebombo, Sonke’s One Man Can Manager, will run a new One Man Can (OMC) project in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Bushbuckridge Local Municipality (LM), in the central lowveld, plays host to Wits Rural Facility (WRF), not far from the Kruger National Park. The WRF performs a wide range of […]
BBC news piece by Redi Thlabi featuring Sonke’s Dumisani Rebombo
BBC includes a focus on work with men and boys. Very powerful testimonies. >> Listen to Chapters 4 & 5. >> Watch the BBC news clip on rape and Sonke’s work to prevent it
RHR Workshop at ARESTA Athlone – The Languages of Refugees in South Africa
In five minutes, five languages are spoken – at Sonke’s most recent Refugee Health and Rights workshop in Athlone. In the room of fifty people I am the only one, it seems, whose home language is English. The rest are fluent in at least one of five tongues – French, Swahili, Lingala, Kiyarwanda, Kirundi. And […]
Bushbuckridge: A new OMC project and study
For the next three years, Dumisani Rebombo, Sonke’s One Man Can National Manager, will run a new One Man Can (OMC) project in Bushbuckridge, Limpopo. Bushbuckridge Local Municipality (LM), in the central lowveld, plays host to Wits Rural Facility (WRF), not far from the Kruger National Park. The WRF performs a wide range of community […]
Addressing Xenophobia in Nyanga and Khayelitsha Businesses
On November 5 2011, I attended a stakeholder meeting at Luyolo Community Hall organised by SAPS Phillipi East, and led by Nyanga SAPS Cluster. In attendance were representatives from Department of Human Settlements, Department of Social Services, South African Police Services, Department of Community Safety, the Human Rights Commission, UNHCR, Peninsula Business Forum, Somalia Retailers […]
Sonke calls on President Zuma to retract Chief Justice Nomination
As a collection of progressive individuals, activists and organisations committed to equality, non-discrimination, human rights and social justice we have written to President Zuma appealling that he not appoint Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to the position of Chief Justice. Open Letter to President Zuma to Retract Chief Justice Nomination
Joint Press Statement from the JSC
Section 27, Sonke, TAC, and the Equality Project have issued a press statement outlining concerns about the recent judicial appointment process, particularly the public participation aspects, and the discharge of duties by the JSC. Joint Press Statement on the Nomination of Mogoeng Mogoeng for Chief Justice
Nobel Women Peace Prize Laureates oppose Judge Mogoeng’s appointment as Chief Justice
The Nobel Women Peace Prize Laureates have joined Sonke, Section 27, TAC and the Equality Project to call on President Zuma not to appoint Judge Mogoeng Mogoeng as Chief Justice of South Africa’s Constitutional Court. >> download press release
Opposition to confirmation of Judge Mogoeng
Demonstrate your opposition to the confirmation of Judge Mogoeng as South Africa’s next Chief Justice. We will deliver the petition to the Judicial Services Commission on Saturday September 3rd prior to the interview the JSC will conduct with Judge Mogoeng in order to issue recommendations to the President. We oppose the nomination of Judge Mogoeng […]
Judge Mogoeng Petition
We oppose the nomination of Judge Mogoeng as South Africa’s next Chief Justice. On behalf of survivors of sexual violence and their communities, we call on the Judicial Services Commission, to reject Justice Mogoeng’s nomination.
Policing of GBV – Migrant Communities’ Experiences
In commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism for 2010, Sonke, in partnership with the Heinrich Boll Institute (HBS), implemented a project that focused on the policing of gender-based violence against women and children with a particular focus on migrant communities. From Sonke’s previous Refugee Health and Rights (RHR) workshops we knew that there are […]
UN grants to end violence against women
Sonke Gender Justice and the MenEngage country networks will engage men and boys to prevent violence against women in their communities by grants received from the United Nations. >> Read more
The Changing Face of Masculinity
The July/August issue of The New Internationalist focuses on the changing face of masculinity, asking men and women around the world about why it is important for men to be involved in work on gender equality. >> Find out more