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 […]
Judgement in Josina Machel domestic violence matter retrogressive and sets bad precedent
MenEngage Africa (MEA) and Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) are disappointed and concerned with Mozambique’s Higher Appeals Court’s decision to overturn the conviction of Rufino Licuco in an appeal case against the Maputo City Court ruling which found him guilty of domestic violence against Josina Machel. In 2017, businessman Rufino Licuco was found guilty of beating […]
Sonke Gender Justice applauds Lithapho star Lorraine Moropa for speaking out against on set sexual harassment
Last week, Lorraine Moropa took to social media and opened up about being sexually harassed by “a male senior actor” on the set of the SABC 2 telenovela, Lithapho. Sonke is concerned by the pervasiveness of sexual harassment in the media industry not only in South Africa but the world over. The prevalence remains largely […]
Gender equality: ‘MenEngage Togo’ opts for more dynamism to achieve its objectives
‘MenEngage Togo’ (MET) wants to improve its functioning and improve the level of communication between its member structures. A general assembly organized on July 2 and 3 by this network, which works with men and boys for gender equality, enabled its actors to commit themselves in this direction. The meeting, which was held in Kpalimé […]
General meeting of the MenEngage Togo network: review of activities carried out and prospects
The various activities of the MenEngage Togo network (MET), carried out during the year (June 2019-June 2020), were reviewed and those of the next year planned during a general assembly on July 2 and 3 in Kpalimé. Participants also reported on the implementation of ongoing projects. This general assembly is organized in collaboration with the […]
Sexual reproductive health: Young MenEngage network well equipped in Kpalimé
Young men from the MenEngage network completed Friday in Kpalimé (about 120 km north of Lomé), two days of training in “comprehensive sex education and advocacy” for the taking of initiatives and actions in the field. Young people from other organizations also followed this training organized by the Alliance Fraternelle Aide pour le Développement (AFAD) […]
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 […]
MenEngage Swaziland condemns cop’s murder of wife and her lover
As the world and the country is affected by COVID-19, a new norm has been established resulting in the lockdown of countries, including Eswatini, and life as we know it has altered and is nearing a stand-still. In such situations it is not surprising, albeit unfortunate, that people seem to buckle under the pressure created […]
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 […]
MenEngage Botswana welcomes suspension of MP following allegations of defiling a minor
MenEngage Botswana welcomes the decision by the Botswana Democratic Party to suspend the Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga, following allegations of defilement of a minor. It is our belief that not only will the suspension assist in the investigation of the case, it also shows zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation. We […]
MenEngage Botswana concerned about allegations of statutory rape by MP
MenEngage Botswana is greatly disappointed by reports on the alleged defilement of a minor by Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta constituency by Mr Polson Majaga. The welfare of children remains threatened due to actions such as defilement which sometimes go unreported or are ignored when high ranking officials are implicated. We wish to caution that […]
Stay home and #SPEAKOUT against domestic violence
For most, staying home under the nation’s restrictions in light of the Coronavirus pandemic means staying safe. For others it’s proved anything but. It was revealed that over 2,230 gender-based violence cases were reported during the first week of the national lockdown. Sonke Gender Justice also believes that the number of unreported cases pushes that […]
Sonke mourns the loss of anti-gender-based violence activist Tamsyn Elaine Allison
Today Sonke Gender Justice pays its respects and tribute to anti Gender-Based Violence (GBV) activist Tamsyn Elaine Allison. Sonke is profoundly saddened by the news of her passing due to post-birth complications recently. Tamsyn changed lives through her activism and will be remembered for spearheading the noble campaign against GBV gathering at the Durban City […]
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 […]
Women in the labour market in Tanzania
Eliminating gender disparities in all forms of life and empowering women have been an important agenda of the Tanzanian government since the early days of independence. Efforts to bring women into mainstream development and setting out the development agenda to address the imbalance between women and men have been undertaken in all spheres of life. […]
Taking stock of the representation of women in senior positions in Kenya
The percentage of women in senior leadership positions among the top Kenyan companies and in the government is still dramatically lower than that of men. The obstacles hindering women in senior leadership positions in Kenya are either cultural, economic or political factors. These are supported by gender stereotyping and patriarchal structural norms that continue to […]
Sonke and Promundo launch online portal on men and HIV to support global efforts to increase men’s use of HIV services
Sonke Gender Justice, and Promundo are excited to launch a new online resource developed with support from UNAIDS: a web-based portal on men and HIV. The portal contains up to date research and data on the state of men’s HIV access to and utilisation of HIV services, men’s health outcomes, and a comprehensive set of […]
Men can end sexual harassment
Sexual harassment in the workplace is varied and prevalent in Uganda and there must be stronger commitment to address this illicit act. For far too long, women have been subject to gender-based discrimination and violence in the workplace. The recent allegations of sexual harassment being reported in various media platforms underpin a much larger issue […]
Constitutional Court to hear JICS independence case on 3 March 2020
On 3 March 2020, the confirmation proceedings in the case of Sonke Gender Justice v President and Others will be heard in the Constitutional Court. The hearing follows the Western Cape High Court decision of Boqwana J of 5 September 2019, wherein certain sections of the Correctional Services Act 11 of 1998 were declared unconstitutional. It is […]
