Articles
A Senior Trainer for Sonke’s Refugee Health and Rights Portfolio, Micheline Minani Muzaneza reveals the harrowing moment she decided to dedicate her life to pursuing social justice.
Youth activist, Josephine Mukwendi, shares her experiences of forced and early marriage and its impact on young women and girls.
Festus Kisa describes his experiences as an LGBTI activist attending the 2016 MenEngage Africa Training Initiative.
The Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) and Sonke Gender Justice set out to speak to fathers who are not living with their children, have little contact with them and/or seldom provide them with money. The research project did not seek to pr …
World Refugee Day is an important time to remember the challenges that refugees in South Africa face. But it is also a time to reflect on the work being done to facilitate social cohesion, creating opportunities for refugees and South Africans to share, laugh, listen – and ultimately, to live together.
In the wake of the wave of xenophobic violence NGO Sonke Gender Justice tells the story of Lionnel Drench who fled the conflict in Congo Brazzaville.
By William Nessen Can’t Just Fold Your Arms is an inspiring story of moral commitment, a striking portrait of the country today, and a necessary warts-and-all look at the reality of ‘engaging’ men for women’s rights and gender transformation. The film …
A young girl is forced to undergo FGM before she’s married to an older man, another succumbs to peer pressure and bleeds for days after the brutal ritual.
Patrick Godana writes on the terrible toll of silicosis on miners’ families.
The most important people in mining will not be among the movers and shakers at the high-profile event this week.
Earlier this year, the Commission for Gender Equality (“CGE”) came out in support of the decriminalization of sex work. Sonke staff was thrilled with this development because the CGE is an important institution. Their voice amplifies those of many othe …
If there is one important lesson that we have learned from our campaigns over the years, it is that NOT speaking up against GBV is not an option.
Wessel van den Berg, Sonke’s Child Rights and Positive Parenting portfolio manager, debunks some pervasive myths about corporal punishment.
On a new kind of fatherhood that has gender equality and a good relationship between the parents as cornerstones.
On September 5, the Western Cape High Court ruled that South Africa’s national prison oversight body, the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) lacked the requisite independence to adequately protect prisoners’ rights. Many people ques …
We urgently need to employ the multiple strategies of evidence, action and accountability, writes Bafana Khumalo.
I don’t want to be protected by men; I want to live in a world where I don’t need to be protected by anyone. This statement, made by a women’s rights activist, sums up much of the problem with the current increased momentum of work with men to reduce g …
Tapiwa Manyati, one of Sonke’s young activists, recently visited London to participate in the Active Participation conference hosted by Amnesty International where he shared his experiences about using digital stories as a mechanism for including the a …
Over the course of two weeks in September and October, WILPF co-convened the 2021 MenEngage Africa Training Institute (MATI) in partnership with MenEngage Africa, Sonke Gender Justice, and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa Uni …
Every child has a right to education, best attainable standards of health, and protection from abuse, torture and labour which interfere with the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development. However, Covid-19 has had an adverse ef …
While it is important to acknowledge the very real and complex issues around the purchase and consumption of liquor, it is crucial to note the significant harms that are related to alcohol abuse.
It’s a month-and-a-half into 2022 in South Africa, and the old aphorism “the definition of madness is doing the same thing the same way while expecting different results” comes to mind. The scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is ongoin …
Getting parents more involved in childcare is good for a child’s health and prospects in life. It’s also good for women. South Africa needs to get with the programme writes Wessel van den Bergh.
In Igbo land, FGM is usually carried out to coincide with the child’s naming ceremony, which is a festive event with gifts and refreshments. In Igbo culture, the naming ceremony comes up almost immediately after the birth of the child. It is normally d …
Discussing the potential dangers of American and South African societies’ deeply ingrained ideas of masculinity.
I am writing to you now that my fingers can type again after feeling numb with disbelief at the South African Law Reform Commission’s recommendations released just before the weekend.
How do anti-foreign sentiments affect female migrants’ and refugees’ perceptions of safety? Initial findings of a study that set out to answer this question found that female migrants and refugees in Cape Town feel unsafe not only because of pervasive …
It is time to respect women’s agency about their career growth and their need to self actualise, and create an enabling environment to do so.
The National Strategic Plan is a little too late for Uyinene, Nosicelo, the little girl in Soshanguve, the thousands of teenagers who find themselves pregnant and the many thousands of other womxn and girls who continue to face violence and discrimination on a daily basis without access to appropriate remedies, and without protection and equal benefit of the law, writes Sonke Gender Justice’s Bafana Khumalo and Rumbie Elizabeth Chidoori.
Commitments toward gender equality and women’s rights need to move from rhetoric to action.
Sonke conducts research in the Eastern Cape on how caring for sick spouses can be detrimental to women’s development.
A global gag order on abortion information has far-reaching effects on women’s health and rights, writes Marlise Ritchter.
The deadline for public comments on the draft amendment bill to decriminalise sex work in South Africa is 31 January. Looming decriminalisation has sparked a wide range of responses from members of the public, many of which are founded on long-standing myths and misconceptions about the nature of sex work.
Testimony to the female condom as a tool of both female empowerment and sexual stimulation.
The importance of Hendri Terblanche’s petition to provide new fathers with ten days of paid paternity leave.
Mbuyiselo Botha writes in the Sowetan on the worrying proliferation of churches that hide behind religion to exploit the poor.
Limited, incomplete or incorrect knowledge and information related to sex, sexuality and sexual and reproductive health and rights among the youth contribute to gender-based violence, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, HIV, teenage preg …
“Women are being bullied by their husbands. Women are being raped, even when they are going to work. I think, the government must [invest in visible policing] and educate people about [these things]. They must arrest people who are [raping women],” sai …
A high court has ruled that compensation to women who have to take care of sick miners could ease the gendered harms imposed by the industry.
The Equality Court has ruled that a woman transgender inmate may express her gender identity while incarcerated in an all-male prison. The court ruled, on 23 September, that the inmate is allowed to wear her hair long; wear make-up; wear female clothin …
Amid plans to help fathers be more involved in parenting, a photo exhibition helps drive the message home.
Politicians are once again trying to use capital punishment to get votes.
Sonke’s Siphokhazi Dyani attends a march demanding action from the Delft police for the brutal murder in August of 38 year-old Nomenesi Klawushe. She wonders: will justice be served for the mother of three and other women like her?
Remarks by UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, for the inaugural Annual Sonke Lecture at Johannesburg.
An insider’s feminist view on Sonke Gender Justice – Can a “men’s organisation” become an inclusive organisation implementing the strategy of engaging men and boys for gender equality?
Sonke’s Demelza Bush explores her own gender journey and unpacks the danger of societal constructions and the difficulties they create.
Important points regarding how the introduction of female condoms needs to be met with widespread attitude changes from men.
The figures of young boys dying at initiation schools are shocking. The death toll, as at July 11, was 42, in just three weeks. According to reports, this is nearly double last year’s figure of 26. Photo credit: The Guardian South Africa is now 18 year …
It is the burning question that behaviour change advocates must face: who will ensure that the work we do is maintained and strengthened after the workshops, talks and events are over? Sonke’s answer to this question is the Community Action Teams, or C …
The local government elections have come and gone. Many promises, pledges and commitments were made. However, very few political parties made clear how they plan to address two major problems in South Africa: gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV and AID …
Global, women-led movements are pushing back and showing that inequality, sexual abuse, harassment and GBV will no longer be tolerated in our society.
Access to water, or lack thereof, tends to disproportionately affects women. So why has this narrative been missing from discussions around the current water crisis?
Widows and children stand to inherit damage claims from the mining industry, but their decision to appeal doesn’t bode well.
Re-analysing hate speech as a product of socialisation.
Many young women in SA cannot afford to buy sanitary pads and their schooling suffers as a result. Project Dignity, with the help of Sonke Gender Justice, is offering an alternative that will keep them comfortable, safe – and in school.
Long-term impact on gender relations cannot be made without improving a whole range of sexual and reproductive health services.
Dean Peacock, Sonke’s executive director, writes in the Mail & Guardian on the importance of ending needless AIDS-related deaths.
As part of Sonke’s work on holding local government accountable, a group of Community Action Team (CAT) members visited Parliament for the first time. On the day the Traditional Courts Bill (TCB) was considered for a vote by the National Assembly on 12 …
The Department of Home Affairs has missed its court-ordered deadline to re-open the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office, but civil society has vowed to ensure that the fight to reopen the centre will continue.
The world is going through a period of increasing conservatism. There is a tendency to turn away from universal human rights, towards more dogmatic beliefs. The impact of this shift has disproportionate consequences for women, with limitations to their …
Five cases from Indonesia, Pakistan, Rwanda, Lebanon and Uganda, that illustrate the effectiveness of engaging men and boys.
PEPFAR recipients document how the pledge limits sex workers’ access to health care and increases their vulnerability.
Relatives of genocide victims attend a commemoration ceremony at Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali, Rwanda.
Patrick Wisani’s sentencing to 20 years in prison is little consolation for the loss of the life of a young woman – and the protracted case has only served to highlight the failures of a system in protecting women against GBV in South Africa.
My name is Sikhangele Mabulu. I was born in Centane at Theko Kona Village in Eastern Cape. I now live in Kraaifontein in Cape Town. I was begotten by Mxolisi Mabulu and Nokhusile Mabulu. My father died in 2009, he was begotten by Jongile Mabulu and No …
Komanyane attended the 61st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Addressing structural and institutional inequalities is crucial in ensuring that no African child is left behind in enjoying their human rights and realising their full potential.
A discussion of the government’s apathy towards gender-based violence in the face of staggering economic statistics.
Remarks prepared by Dean Peacock, Co-Executive Director, Sonke Gender Justice, advisory board member, Global Coalition on Women and AIDS. I’d like to thank the organisers of this event for the invitation. It’s an honour to speak on this important panel …
Counselling work done by MenCare to shift men’s attitudes away from harmful gendered stereotypes towards active participation in parenting.
The distribution of police resources in poor versus rich areas is still a bitter aftermath of apartheid’s legacy and must be rectified if we are going to see a reduction in gender-based violence and move towards safer communities.
Sexual violence is one of the most pressing issues plaguing South African prisons. In a 2007 survey by the Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services, about half of all inmates admitted that sexual abuse occurs either “sometimes,” “often” or “very …
Members from various faiths gathered together at Sonke’s workshop to discuss how religion can contribute to gender-based violence.
Czerina Patel points out discrepancies in the media coverage of two cases of intimate femicide.
We should address sexual harassment in all industries head on, and in so doing become active agents of change.
On December 10, 2013, Sandiswa Mhlawuli, a 27-year-old unmarried mother of two, was murdered. Several eye-witnesses say her ex-boyfriend Nkosinam Xabadiya (then 29-years-old) pulled her out of a stationary commuter van and stabbed her multiple times. M …
It is vital the court of appeal upholds a ruling that makes South Africa’s gold mining industry accountable to women whose husbands died from silicosis.
Sonke’s Policy and Development Advocacy Specialist discusses the dangers of inconsistently treating HIV positive inmates.
Civil society organisations march to Parliament to demand government to draft and implement a robust plan on dealing with GBV.
The South African MenCare campaign was launched in early August at the Nike Football for Hope Centre in Soweto. MenCare – A Global Fatherhood Campaign – is coordinated by Instituto Promundo, based in Rio de Janeiro and Washington DC, Sonke and the MenE …
The Covid-19 coronavirus has caused a lot of concern and panic globally as the number of infections continue to rise. Social distancing have become the buzzwords, with citizens across the world being advised to stay away from social gatherings and publ …
On Friday, 13 May 2011, the Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative (CSPRI), the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) and the Sonke Gender Justice co-sponsored a publication launch and roundtable discussion on the Prevention and Er …
In 1988, a teacher, Kevin Jennings, at a private school in Massachusetts, started a group to support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) students and to connect supporters of inclusivity and broad sexual rights, whether straight, g …
Despite the submission of formal complaints from civil society, Parliament remains mute on calls for Mduduzi Manana to be dismissed.
Men’s Association for Gender Equality (MAGE) commenced their introductory district entry meetings to engage community actors, stakeholders, government personnel and institutions.
Supreme Court of Appeal grants mining houses leave to appeal all aspects of the landmark judgement.
What will it take to get dads more involved in childcare asks Wessel van den Berg on Fathers Day – as he draws hope from a landmark bill in the parliamentary pipeline.
This is an abridged transcript of Mamphela Ramphele’s speech given at UCT in March 2012. I was born and bred in the rural areas; I come from Limpopo province. I was a political activist in the 1970s working in the Eastern Cape, and things are so bad th …
It is time to get a clearer picture of how fatherhood actually occurs in the daily lives of children in SA and acknowledge what is working.
Dr Gary Barker’s Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture, University of Johannesburg – 10 August “In the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, there is a collection of manuscripts and folios written by and for midwives in 17th Century Elizabethan England …
The month of June has come and gone – and I am left with some reflections. June is a month specially dedicated to educating men about the health risks they may face, how to prevent them, what symptoms to look out for, and where to get medical assistanc …
Dr Aaron Motsoaledi draws attention to the need to increase men’s uptake of testing and treatment services – goals from the NSP we must ensure are met! In South Africa, and in fact across the world, men are chronically underrepresented in HIV services, …
Every year on May 28, non-governmental organisations, governmental agencies and the private sector come together to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day and to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management. This year’s World Menstrual Hygien …
Full of determination to promote gender equality, Men Engage Nigeria, MEN, has tasked men to end patriarchal spirits, in order to create an environment free of discrimination between boys/men and girls/women. This appeal was made recently in Lagos, at …
Sonke has worked with migrant boys living in Musina, Limpopo to produce a series of storytelling posters highlighting pressing issues in their community. Using the PhotoVoice methodology, the project encourages boys to use photography and writings to d …
A historic lawsuit presents the best opportunity to date to end the impunity with which mining companies exploit workers.
On September 3 and 4, Sonke attended the hearing of the Chief Justice nominee, Mogoeng Mogoeng, before the JSC. We danced, we tweeted, we got angry, we got on TV making shocked faces, and we spent at least ten hours of our lives with South Africa’s new …
Rural women and girls across Africa are more likely to be victims of harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage than their urban counterparts.
“Please keep your voice down. I have explained to you already that she used all the money today.” “You will not tell me what to do in my house woman! How can she afford to think of luxurious things right now?” “She had no other choice. You have to unde …
… put a smile on my face everyday … cook nice food for me and play with me … play ball with me … make me laugh, hug me and hold me … take care of me … help me with homework and assignments … turn a bad day into a good day … give money t …
Nonhlanhla – Sonke’s CEM Unit manager – shares experiences from her youth that influenced her decision to become an activist.
Workers’ Day provides an opportunity to celebrate, honour and appreciate the value of workers across the globe as well as to reflect on pertinent issues that affect them. However, as we celebrate Workers’ Day, it is imperative to assess the status of w …
I joined Sonke two months ago on a part-time basis. It was a big shift for me. I went from running a large grant-making operation working across ten countries to working in a similar environment – but not being the boss. It was a decision I chose for a …
On International Day of Happiness, Sonke Gender Justice is pleased to share a new animated video, created through the Prevention+ program, which promotes gender-equal societies without violence, as well as happier and healthier relationships. Preventio …
Community radio stations (CRSs) are local radio stations that are run by and serve their communities. For many South Africans, CRSs are vital media for accessing information and news, particularly about their local and surrounding areas. People in rura …
Many studies show that men are under-represented in health services, including HIV services. Men get tested less than women. For instance, results from South Africa’s recent national HIV testing campaign reveal that men made up only 30% of the nearly 1 …
The coalition’s written plea for help in the face of often violent health xenophobia is published here, since neither the minister nor the Gauteng health MEC has responded.
How the violent trauma caused by the Apartheid system has manifested in violent anti-authoritarian behaviour in today’s young men.
On Sunday, we celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme “I am generation equality: Realising women’s Rights”, which is aligned with UN Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijin …
How the overcrowded conditions of South Africa’s prisons contribute to the increased spread of disease and violence among prisoners.
Cheryllyn Dudley, an ACDP member of Parliament, has presented a Bill calling for paid paternity leave for new fathers.
How state-recognised paternity leave would improve quality of life for the whole family.
How one small minority movement – the Roman Catholic Womenpriests – is overthrowing the entrenched patriarchy of the Catholic Church.
December 1, 2011 is an enormously significant date for all South Africans. On that day, World AIDS Day, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) will launch the new and finalized 2012-2016 National Strategic Plan for HIV, STIs and TB, which has …
In my capacity as a gender equality activist, I recently attended a conference titled Work/Force: masculinities in the South African media. Hosted by the Department of Visual Arts at Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town’s African Cin …
On a daily basis, newspapers across the country tell story after story of the horrors perpetrated against children: from the parents of a seven-week-old baby inflicting upon their baby three broken ribs, a fractured knee and brain injuries, to a man ar …
Ariane Nevin calls for further steps to be taken to mitigate the overcrowding of South Africa’s prisons.
After serving 9 years of an 18-year sentence for armed robbery, Thulani Ndlovu has founded Zonk’izizwe Odds Development, an NGO fighting to get prisoners’ rights on the national agenda.
An overview of Sonke Gender Justice’s One Man Can programme being implemented in Bushbucksridge, Mpumalanga.
n Sunday March 15, President Cyril Ramaphosa finally provided some guidance in relation to the spread of Covid-19 in South Africa. He mentioned several precautionary measures that would be implemented to curb the outbreak, including the imposition of a …
The most recent allegations of assault and intimidation against Mduduzi Manana indicate that not only is the cost of perpetrating violence against women clearly not high enough to deter men from continuing to perpetuate such crimes, but that Manana con …
I sat down with Micheline Muzaneza, a trainer on Sonke’s Refugee Health and Rights project, to discuss the team’s recent success in running a workshop with Somalians in Cape Town. Somalis are a hard-to-reach community, especially when it comes to issue …
Sonke has just finalised an evaluation of the Red Card Campaign which was run between May and Dec 2010. The evaluation highlighted a number of internal and external challenges to the campaign, but generally backed up the campaign approach and materials …
Mateenah Hunter points out that the Pistorius trial is an exception in justice delivery for female victims of violence.
One woman’s strength and passion bridges the cultural divisions around her.
Over the last year, Sonke’s work globally but especially in Africa, through the MenEngage Alliance, has grown significantly, and we are working closely with many organisations in the region to engage men and boys on issues of gender and HIV. The policy …
Open letter to the Times of Swaziland written by MenEngage eSwatini member Kwakha Indvodza Sir, With the increasing media reports of individuals being arrested under the SODV Act, Kwakha Indvodza and partners note with increasing concern that instead o …
The increased availability of bio-medical HIV prevention approaches, like medical male circumcision (MMC), mark an important step towards reducing HIV infections. However, it is important that these methods not be divorced from the social contexts in w …
“Not any of the protective psychological barriers that I usually put up to help me believe ‘It won’t happen to me’ worked this time around.”
Since the beginning of the Aids epidemic, condoms have been the single most efficient available technology to reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Condom use forms one of the three elements of the ABC strategy: Abst …
Whether the controversial BBC documentary My Neighbour the Rapist was scripted or not, it nonetheless hurts us all because it plays on our worst fears about rape without ever addressing the real issues at hand.
Zoe Black, a Zimbabwean sex worker and activist living in Cape Town, shares her troubling experiences as a victim of crime.
Sonke grapples with the difficult questions that must still be answered if we are to stem sexual harassment in the workplace and reflects on our approach.
In the town of Tsomo in the Eastern Cape, a young girl and her family leave the magistrates’ court after yet another postponement. It’s the case of an alleged rape of a minor, who was 13 at the time, by her school principal. The case, which started in …
The feminist movement in South Africa takes a step backwards as ministers and officials pass patronising comments at anti-GBV campaign.
Sonke has always believed strongly in the importance of civil society advocacy initiatives, and after extensive internal discussions we have decided to focus our advocacy efforts on supporting the Shukumisa Campaign to improve implementation of the Sex …
Women’s work caring for sick miners is invisible – Tanya Charles writes for GroundUp.
An opinion piece from the Mail & Guardian, written by policy development and advocacy specialist Marlise Richter.
Sonke laments the fact that Mayweather – a man known to be violent against women – is such a well-supported sportsman.
A freelance writer describes the pain of reporting on the horrors of gender-based violence.
Women and gender non-conforming people from Sonke Gender Justice, will be there, will you?
In March 2010, the Equality Court found Julius Malema guilty of hate speech and discrimination in a case brought by Sonke and ordered Mr Malema to apologise for statements he had made regarding Jacob Zuma’s rape accuser (and rape survivors in general) …
Subsequent to our preparing issue 7 of this newsletter, the Ivory Coast has again been destablised by civil unrest. The disagreement over election results has divided the country with devastating effects for the humanitarian work being done in the area …
Silicosis class action has positively impacted the rights of women and children who’ve depended upon, and cared for, sick miners.
As we commemorate Human Rights Month, here are eight reasons why every judicial officer should be visiting at least one South African prison a year.
An exploration of the psychological links between the rationalising of corporal punishment and the violence of Apartheid.
In order to break the cycle, we need to engage men and boys. Nowhere is this more clear than in the DRC, where brutality and sexual violence have earned eastern DRC the title, ‘capital of rape.’
Sexual abuse and HIV plague detention facilities in South Africa. However, people in prison are already being punished by having their freedom taken away from them. They are not there to experience additional forms of punishment or harm. Sexual abuse a …
Spend time with your child. That’s the answer that I have to the current frequently raised questions about the “alternatives to corporal punishment”. The constitutional court judgment that has cancelled the defence of reasonable chastisement and effect …
We cannot assume that someone who doesn’t speak up doesn’t have a story and isn’t a survivor.
Conservative estimates suggest that 26.7% of inmates in South African prisons are HIV positive, well above the national average of 10%. Rape in prison is a common experience – half of all inmates surveyed by the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional S …
It is widely accepted that taxi drivers and rank marshals in many South African communities – who are mostly men – don’t have the best reputation when it comes to dignified treatment of women. They are, to some, notorious for sexual harassment and enga …
Today (June 5), South Africans from all corners of this country will march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria against the signing into law of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill and the Traditional Courts Bill. The proposed laws are viewed by …
Sonke is an active member of a new and important civil society initiative: the Alliance for Rural Democracy. The Alliance’s chief goal is to advocate against the Traditional Courts Bill, a Bill set to severely limit the rights of rural people to seek l …
An outline of how gender-based violence damages the national economy, and why the Zuma administration doesn’t act against it.
The port city of Merca lies in the south of Somalia and sits between the Lower Shabelle River and the Indian Ocean. It’s home to approximately 230 000 inhabitants, but for 29-year-old human rights activist, Abdillahi Ahmed Mohamed, Merca will always be …
One girl’s reflections on the loss of her loving father vis-a-vis the typical idea of fatherhood held by society.
“Don’t forget to wear a mask as you leave the house.” This is a daily reminder to a majority of children and youth as they are sent on errands or as they undertake outdoor activities. In a world that is constantly changing, this year stands out in a lo …
South Africa is facing a national crisis: horrific incidents of gender-based violence and xenophobia occur in our homes and on the streets, leading to collective expressions of outrage, an overwhelming sense of injustice, and fear. Such emotions lead t …
It is essential that the outcomes of the Summit and Declaration are shared far and wide to those facing the brunt of GBV, particularly in rural communities.
More than half of the children growing up in South Africa do so without a father present in the home. A confluence of history, poverty and harmful ideas about manhood has led to more and more men becoming absent in the lives of their children. In 2012, …
Stefanie Kotze’s opinion piece published by the Mail & Guardian on 7 December last year speaks out against the decriminalisation of sex work, which is currently proposed in a new bill published by the cabinet. Kotze says: “All people should be able …
Patrick Godana was awarded this year’s Golden Key Award from the Golden Key International Honour Society. Read his speech from the event here.
Tuesday, 21 May, marks the day that Dudley Lee died, five years ago. Lee’s name is not known to most South Africans – but it should be. He spent over four years in Pollsmoor Remand prison (1999-2004), charged with various financial crimes, awaiting tri …
Sonke intern Marike Keller laments on society’s gradual desensitisation to the horrors of xenophobia.
Imagine if SONA actually was meaningful? By Marike Keller, Sonke Gender Justice.
Ariane Nevin explores the subtle ways in which societal oppression is conveyed through language.
Youth are by nature creative, innovative, energetic and vibrant. It is these traits that allow youth to design and formulate various ideas and projects globally. These ideas and projects when designed correctly are usually geared towards tackling vario …
The Traditional Courts Bill is a hotly contested piece of draft legislation that Sonke and its partners in the Alliance for Rural Democracy view as a threat to many of the values and principles enshrined in the South African Constitution – especially t …
The executive director, Africa Focus for Youths’ Development, Mr. Emmanuel Gabari, has said that, to have a balanced society free of gender violence, the men folk must begin to accord their female counterparts necessary respects and begin to see them a …
Findings from the State of the World’s Fathers Report illustrate how inequality in the home creates a violent vicious cycle.
One in three women is bound to experience violence at least once in her lifetime. A statistic that is so overwhelming that we – as a collective – are committed to changing.
Outlining the devastating effects GBV has on the emotional, physical and mental health of people and on the economy and health systems.
Feminists around the world have mixed reactions to Bono’s “Women of the Year” award, presented to him by Glamour Magazine.
Sonke’s Marlise Richter warns against the stigmatising language government is using and its targeting of South Africa’s most marginalised groups.
Dean Peacock shares his story with Aspire and offers some advice on what men can do to promote gender equality and human rights.
Making sex work safer can lead to less HIV infections and gender-based violence, studies have shown.
HIV services are not geared towards men even though they make up two-thirds of the HIV-related deaths globally.
Sonke’s Director of Programmes, Angelica Pino, says we need to have a frank discussion about how access to sexual and reproductive health services is critical for the health and development of women and young girls.
After years of deliberation, the Umlazi Regional Court has passed judgement in the Umlazi T section case that caused outrage in the country few years ago. In 2007 Zandile Mpanza was assaulted and made to walk naked in public in Umlazi’s T section for d …
Sonke’s Patrick Godana how many more people need to be violated, assaulted and murdered before our government takes the scourge of gender-based violence seriously.
This article was first published on Women Under Siege’s website: www.womenundersiegeproject.org. Republished here with kind permission from the author. Let’s blame men. Many of us do – many women and even men blame men for the mass rape of women in war …
How young boys are often expected to be leaders and breadwinners, when they are not the men of the house.
In 2016, 60% of women of 15 years or older living with HIV were on treatment. Less than half their male peers could say the same.
Results from the 2015 General Household Survey have revealed both positive and negative trends affecting South African children.
We are not going to deal with the issues of gender-based violence if we leave the boys behind. This is relevant when it comes to accessing health services and challenging norms.
Nabeelah Mia explores the potential benefits that alternatives to imprisonment provide for an already overburdened justice system.
On the anniversary of Sonke and Lawyers for Human Rights’ Pollsmoor overcrowding court victory, we should remember why the state of our prisons matter – and consider what we should be doing to improve conditions.
Wessel van den Berg argues that the acquisition of parenting skills should not be a prerequisite for the ending of corporal punishment.
This year’s International Youth Day theme “Youth Engagement for Global Action”, could not have come at a better time than now. Young people across the world are calling for their inclusion in governance and decision making platforms. The United Nations …
Videos
“I’m scared of my teacher”
“I’m Scared of My Teacher,” is a documentary produced by Sonke’s Gadeeja Abbas which the story of a young school girl who was beaten by her teacher, allegedly for not completing her homework. We ask, If corporal punishment was banned in schools in 1997 …
“Men are crucial for gender equality” – MenEngage Africa AGM
MenEngage Africa Alliance held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, Nigeria, from 12-13 February 2020. The meeting emphasised that in order to achieve gender equality, it is important to reach more men to change their mindsets – and to have them …
“The most urgent human rights issue in South Africa right now is…”
A recent report by Human Rights Watch pointed out human rights issues in South Africa, noting particularly the high rate of rape in the country. This Human Rights Day Sonke asked a number of South Africans what they feel the most urgent human rights issue is the country right now.
#OpenTheRRO Sifa’s story
The closure of Cape Town’s Refugee Reception Office has had a huge impact on asylum seekers in Cape Town. Watch Sifa’s story. Sonke Gender Justice, the Scalabrini Centre and partners are calling on the Department of Home Affairs to #OpenTheRRO. Also watch Mariam’s story here: http://bit.ly/2DGu4IR
#SpurVideo: Understanding the dynamics of power, privilege and race
Sonke Gender Justice speaks to Children’s Rights and Positive Parenting Manager, Wessel Van Den Berg, on the dynamics of power, privilege and race after an incident involving a black woman and a white man circulates the media.
A former inmate speaks out on the role of violence in his life
Jerry is part of Sonke’s Beyond the Bars programme, a support group for former inmates that meets weekly at Sonke’s Wellness Centre in Gugulethu in the Western Cape. Jerry spent 12 years in prison for a sexual offence. Here, he speaks to Sonke’s Czerin …
A message from Cameroon on International Day of the African Child
It’s International Day of the African Child on 16 June 2020. What is the significance of the day – and what challenges do African youths face today? Ashu Martha Egbe, a member of MenEngage Cameroon’s Youth Network, shares her views.
A Safer South Africa for Everyone
The “Safer South Africa for Women and Children” programme strengthens violence prevention mechanisms, and creates a protective environment for women, girls and boys. Sonke Gender Justice works with UNFPA, UNICEF, the UK’s Department for International D …
A safer South Africa for women and children
The Safer South Africa for Women and Children (2012-2015) joint programme strengthens violence prevention mechanism, and creates a protective environment for women, girls and boys. The programme is a joint initiative of the Government of South Africa, …
A warrior’s cry against child marriage | Memory Banda | TED Talks
Banda is a tireless leader for girls’ rights around the world. She is leading Malawi’s fight to end child marriage through her work with Let Girls Lead and the Girl Empowerment Network of Malawi. Only 18-years-old, Banda championed a successful nation …
A Way to Justice
Engaging men for women’s rights and gender transformation: a 2011 commissioned film about MenEngage in Africa. Filmed, Edited and Directed by William Nessen. Download Reources
A Way to Justice (trailer)
Engaging Men for Women’s Rights and Gender Transformation A trailer for the new 40-minute documentary film available here. A Way to Justice is also available through Sonke Gender Justice Network: info@genderjustice.org.za. Executive Producer Dean Peaco …
Africa Day 2015 VOX-POPS
Sonke Gender Justice has been working to address xenophobia and has been a part of the broad civil society mobilisation that has brought tens of thousands of South Africans out to the streets protesting xenophobia and calling on both our governments an …
Ashoka Fellow profile on Dean Peacock
Sonke’s Executive Director, Dean Peacock, discusses some of the issues around gender and gender-based violence that Sonke tackle’s every day, how Sonke works, its impact on communities, and our urgent calls for a fully-funded National Strategic Plan on …
Bafana Khumalo receives Vital Voices Solidarity Award in New York
Sonke co-founder Bafana Khumalo receives Vital Voices Solidarity Award for his contribution to ending violence against women together with US Vice President Joseph Biden, actor Patrick Steward and former NFL quarterback Don McPherson.
Bafana Khumalo speaks to International Women’s Health Coalition
Bafana Khumalo of South Africa’s Sonke Gender Justice Network discusses the high prevalence of gender violence and HIV/AIDS in South Africa, the missing link in strategies to address these issues, and the new forms of leadership required to bring about …
Brothers for Life – Zing PSA on MMC
New MMC Campaign calls on South African men and boys to “ZING”.
Can’t Just Fold Your Arms
Sonke Gender Justice Network’s quest to transform men in post-Apartheid South Africa.
Cecil Rhodes statue protest
On Wednesday 8 February 2017, as thousands of mine industry executives gathered at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the Invest in Africa Mining Indaba, Sonke Gender Justice protested in front of the Cecil Rhodes statue in the Company Gardens, Cape Town.
Conference on Community Mobilisation for Health, Human Rights and Gender Justice
In November 2015 Sonke Gender Justice in partnership with University of Witwatersrand School of Public Health, University of Cape Town School of Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of California San Francisco and the Cen …
CSW62: system-wide strategy on gender parity: How to walk the talk?
CSW62 Side Event
Cutting Edge: Former mine workers seek compensation for deadly disease
Cutting Edge explores the human toll of South Africa’s gold mining industry. Thousands of mineworkers sacrifice their health and well-being when they return home from the gold mines penniless and sick. The former miners have made history this year when …
Dealing with gender-based violence in Nigeria
Dr Chris Ugwu, Executive Director of Society for the Improvement of Rural People (SIRP) – Nigeria, the Secretariat of MenEngage Nigeria, appears on Shagalinku TV to speak about the rise in gender-based violence and how to solve it.
Dean Peacock interviewed on addressing violence against women
https://twitter.com/igepfinland/status/974580870110679040
Eastern Cape Water Scarcity
The video features the women of Toboyi and nearby villages in Ngqamakhwe (Ward 17), in the Eastern Cape, who are faced with the challenges of water scarcity. The presence or absence of a safe and adequate water supply, as well as improved sanitation fa …
Emachawe Asekhaya
This video is part of the Emachawe Asekhaya campaign which has been devised by KwakhaIndvodza, a member of MenEngage Swaziland. Kwakha Indvodza seeks to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence and HIV through interrogating and redefining masculin …
Engaging men in the HIV response
Men and boys are less likely to be tested for HIV, less likely to access treatment, have worse adherence and are 70% more likely to die from AIDS than their female counterparts. Quite evidently, this is bad for men. But it is also bad for their se …
Engaging religious leaders for gender transformation in the region
This inspiring film tells the story of Amanya Faith Betega, who leads the Prevention+ program in the rural district of Bushenyi, Uganda. Faith works with young people and local leaders, especially religious leaders, to promote gender equality and viole …
Enough: The Story of David Olyn
Sonke is working to make sure that the justice system responds fully to the brutal rape and murder of David Olyn, a gay man from Ceres.
Ensuring women’s meaningful participation in the UN system
The shrinking space for women’s voices at the UN has been an issue for a long time. In order to guide the UN away from a slippery slope and back to its Charter, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) gathered more than 150 women …
Fathers in caregiving: Strengthening Relationships – Patrick Godana at TEDx
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Patrick Godana calls for the trend of absent fathers to come to an end in our lifetime. In his talk he shares some stories about educating and encouraging men to …
FGM in Tarime
Female genital mutilation (FGM) affects 15% of women in Tanzania. In the district of Tarime more than 50% of women are victims of this inhumane brutality – that is about 5 in 10 women. This documentary by our partners, child marriage, a non-governmenta …
Gender Equality Benefits Society
Did you know that gender equality cannot be fully attained if men are not involved? Did you know that gender equality is not primarily about being ‘fair’ to women – it benefits the entire society too, both men and women included. Research shows that ge …
Gold industry could be forced to pay out to miner’s daughters and wives
Thabang Pooe, Policy Development and Advocacy Fellow at Sonke Gender Justice appeared on the Tim Modise Show to discuss the historic ruling in the silicosis class action lawsuit
Gugulethu community mobilises against hate crime
Community Action Teams (CATs) from Sonke’s Gugulethu Wellness Centre in Cape Town, Western Cape, take action against hate crimes perpetrated against the LGBTQI+ community in the township.
Gugulethu Men’s Wellness Centre PSA
A Story-driven Participatory Video film made by Sonke Gender Justice community mobilisers and facilitators in 2015. This film was the outcome of a learning process to build skills on participatory video facilitated by Tamara Plush, University of Queens …
HAKI YA BINTI – project mobilising action to safeguard rights of girls in Tanzania
This documentary showcases “Haki Ya Binti”, a project to mobilise action to safeguard the rights of girls and young mothers in Tanzania. The objective of the project is to combat all forms of gender-based violence (GBV), including female genital mutila …
High cost of sanitary pads puts South African girls’ education at risk
In partnership with Swedish NGO, Wise Economy and Project Dignity, Sonke Gender Justice visited Gugulethu Comprehensive Secondary School on 9 March, 2017 to uplift and empower young women in South Africa and offer a dignified solution to managing their …
HIV crisis among the youth in Kenya
In the face of HIV, it’s important to “tell the youth that it is okay to delay sexual activity, it’s also important to involve young people when developing HIV programmes for them, and if the youth get friendlier health workers at health facilities, th …
How can we create a gender equitable world?
As South Africans reflect on and pay tribute to the achievement and power of women on Women’s Day 2017, Sonke Gender Justice considers what it would take to create a gender equitable world free of gender-based violence. On this day, we celebrate the 61 …
In conversation with Fredalene Booysen
Sonke Gender Justice is calling on the government to take effective and pragmatic steps to combat the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide. Sonke welcomes the decision by the South African legislature to set up time in parliament for a debate …
International Day of Happiness
On International Day of Happiness, Sonke Gender Justice is pleased to share a new animated video, created through the Prevention+ program, which promotes gender-equal societies without violence, as well as happier and healthier relationships.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM
On International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM (female genital mutilation), February 6th 2020, MenEngage Sierra Leone, joined millions of activists around the world to call for the end of the practice that violates the human rights of women and girls, …
Interview with Ugandan LGBTI Activist Frank Mugisha – Part 1
In this 2010 interview, Frank Mugisha, Uganda LGBTI activist, tells of the treatment of gay and lesbian people in Uganda.
Interview with Ugandan LGBTI Activist Frank Mugisha – Part 2
In this 2010 interview, Frank Mugisha, Uganda LGBTI activist, tells of the treatment of gay and lesbian people in Uganda.
Jimmy Carter: Why I believe the mistreatment of women is the number one human rights abuse
With his signature resolve, former US president Jimmy Carter dives into three unexpected reasons why the mistreatment of women and girls continues in so many manifestations in so many parts of the world, both developed and developing. The final reason …
Justice for Nosipho Mandleleni
Nosipho Mandleleni, 24, was found dead at the house that she and her boyfriend, ANC Youth League leader for Yeoville, Patrick Wisani, were staying in. Nosipho was beaten to death with a sjambok and bled to death on the bedroom floor. In this video, Son …
Law and freedom
Part 1 : who was Mrs. Komani? One of the most important gains of the first ten years of democracy in South Africa has been the legal revolution brought about by the Constitutional Court, bringing to light the people who made possible the legal cases wh …
Living Peace: The story of Abby and Kyalu
Promundo’s latest short film, “Living Peace: The Story of Abby and Kyalu”, follows a couple who were abducted by rebels in eastern Democratci Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2008. Abby was forced into hard labour and his wife, Kalyu, was raped and had a chi …
Mabingwa “The Champions”
Mabingwa “The Champions”, is a movie of change showing work done to promote gender equality, positive fatherhood and non-violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The movie was commissioned by the Congo Men’s Network, one of 17 alliances in the Men …
Mad at Mandela | Sisonke Msimang | TEDxSoweto
Writer, activist and opinion-maker Sisonke Msimang shares thoughts on how she finds herself wondering, given the number of recent violent and racist incidents that have taken place in South Africa, if Nelson Mandela’s chosen path of reconciliation and …
Majority of African fathers are absent in their homes
This Sunday, the world marks Fathers Day. Statistics from the inaugural State of the World Fathers Report indicates that majority of African fathers are absent in their homes. Research however shows that fathers contribute to the well-being of their fa …
Man Up!
South Africa is a violent country with some of the highest levels of gender-based violence in the world. Men are the primary perpetrators of such violence. Man Up! offers a critical look at manhood in South Africa by unpacking the realities of men’s li …
Mariam’s story #OpenTheRRO
The closure of Cape Town’s Refugee Reception Office in 2012 has had a huge impact on asylum seekers in Cape Town. Like Mariam, who comes from Somalia. Her mother was killed by Islamist militant group, Al-Shabab and she fled to Cape Town two years ago t …
Medical male circumcision commercial
As partners in the Brothers for Life campaign, Sonke has joined numerous organisations in South Africa in promoting Medical Male Circumcision. Watch out for Sonke staff member Justice Khumalo in this latest Brothers for Life ad.
Meet Eastern Cape gender activist Sithile Nohaya
The brutal murder of Sandiswa Mhlawuli, 27, by her ex-boyfriend, compelled taxi driver and community activist Sithile Nohaya to take a stand against gender-based violence in his community.
Men, Peace & Security Symposium: Agents of Change
Sonke’s Executive Director, Dean Peacock, features in this video about the ‘Men, Peace & Security: Agents of Change’ symposium co-convened by Sonke, The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), The World Bank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institut …
MenCare South Africa – The Gift of Fatherhood
Fatherhood is a gift to children, but it’s also a gift to dads. In Khayelitsha, Themba inspires his younger brother, Andrew, who is about to become a father. For more information, please visit MenCare here.
MenEngage Africa Symposium 2009
Highlights from the 5-day MenEngage Alliance Africa Symposium in Johannesburg in 2009, the largest gathering of organizations, individuals and institutions involved in the work of engaging men for women’s rights and gender transformation in Africa. Thi …
MenEngage Sierra Leone observes International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM
MenEngage Sierra Leone joined a growing number of activist individuals and civil society organisations on International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, on the 6th of February 2020, to condemn the practice and to call for its end. In …
MenEngage: Engage with Gender Equality
MenEngage is an alliance of 600 organisations working with men and boys in over 30 countries around the world in support of gender equality.
Message of support from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Jody Williams
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of Nobel Women’s Initiative, Jody Williams, gives a message of support for the upcoming MenEngage Global Symposium in Delhi, India.
Mobilising for Justice
Throughout this year, Sonke has worked to promote justice in the murder of Sandiswa Mhlawuli, a 27-year old mother-of-two who was stabbed to death in a taxi by her partner last year during 16 Days of Activism. Sonke’s Patrick Godana who led our activis …
One Man Can Campaign in Sudan
A video on the implementation of Sonke’s One Man Can Campaign in four states in Sudan.
One Man Can in Bushbuckridge – King
King’s story tells how One Man Can and the support of his friends helped him find new outlets for life and fun instead of drinking and living a risky lifestyle.
One Man Can in Bushbuckridge – Marvel
Marvel Ubisi tells the story of how One Man Can helped her leave alcohol and find her children.
One Man Can in Bushbuckridge – Orphen
Orphen Sibuyi tells how One Man Can helped him understand and deal with his anger and violent behaviour.
Ordinary people, extraordinary laws
Female sex workers in South Africa provide for an average of 4 adults and/or child dependants. Less than a third of female sex workers have permanent partners. This places a large responsibility on them to provide for their dependants as well as themse …
Our struggle is not over: Vuyiseka Dubula at TEDxEuston
Vuyiseka Dubula is South African and was elected General Secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) in 2008, in which she has been actively involved with since 2001. As a young woman she joined TAC after learning her HIV positive status. Founded …
Panel: Men’s Engagement Crucial To Stemming HIV/AIDS Epidemic
Part 1: Tim Shand presents at the International AIDS Society Conference in Washington DC, July 2012 on Panel with UNFPA, Sida, MenEngage and the Institute for Development Studies: Men’s Engagement Crucial To Stemming HIV/AIDS Epidemic. http://vimeo.com …
Perspectives of men working for gender equality and social justice: interview with Dean Peacock
Dean Peacock interviewed by Institute for Development Studies on “Perspectives of men working for gender equality and social justice”, Washington DC.
Pollsmoor Remand: “They treated us like animals”
Pollsmoor Remand Detention has been overcrowded for the last decade, hovering between 200 and 300 percent capacity. In April 2015, in terms of section 99 of the Correctional Services Act, Justice Cameron visited the remand section, which holds detainee …
President Ramaphosa launches the GBVF Declaration and opens the Booysens Magistrate’s Court
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at the Presidential launch of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Declaration. The launch event, at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court in Oakdene South, Johannesburg, coincides with the offi …
Protection
Protection brings alive tensions, contradictions and realities surrounding condom use for men in these times of HIV. The film offers vivid glimpses into attitudes and emotions of men of different backgrounds and ages in South Africa, Kenya and Sierra L …
Protection – Kenya
Protection brings alive tensions, contradictions and realities surrounding condom use for men in these times of HIV. This film offers vivid glimpses into attitudes and emotions of men of different backgrounds and ages in Kenya, in rural and urban conte …
Raising boys to be men who care
Watch this two-minute animation to learn how you can start reimagining a world free from gender-based violence, using lessons from the MenCare+ program. The film was produced by Rutgers and Promundo, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of …
Red Card Ambush Theatre
Sonke’s One Man Can Project created the Red Card Campaign to raise awareness of harrassment and violence against women and equip people to prevent it in their own communities. You can also watch the film in other languages: http://www.youtube.com/watch …
SABC Profile: Dean Peacock
Sonke’s Executive Director, Dean Peacock, speaks to the SABC about his early days in activism, starting Sonke Gender Justice and working with men and boys.
SABC report: Mbuyiselo Botha on Malema Equality Court ruling
The SABC interviews Sonke’s Government & Media Relations Manager, Mbuyiselo Botha, on the Equality Court against Julius Malema. Malema was found guilty of hate speech and harassment regarding his comments about rape survivors.
SABC report: Sonke takes Malema to Equality Court
In January of 2009, Julius Malema, while addressing 150 students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, suggested that the woman who accused Jacob Zuma of rape had a “nice time”. Sonke took the matter to the Equality Court and won.
Safe Ride Campaign to get men involved in preventing sexual assault
Sonke Gender Justice and the South African National Taxi Association Council’s Safe Ride campaign aims to prevent the sexual assault of women and girls in taxis and at taxi ranks in South Africa
Say no to xenophobia
With this PSA, Sonke Gender Justice calls on all South Africans to embrace African unity and to rise up against xenophobia. Choose humanity, unity and freedom.
Sensitising boys to promote gender justice in Nigeria
African Focus for Youth Development (AFFYD), a member of MenEngage Nigeria, had a two-day training in February to engage young men in Kano State on how to advocate for women’s rights, rights of vulnerable groups, and gender justice. AFFYD Executive Dir …
Silicosis: “A tragic history of rights violations”
This week, Sonke Gender Justice and the Treatment Action Campaign are joining former miners in a court hearing seeking certification for a class action lawsuit seeking damages to be paid to former gold miners who are now sick with #silicosis and/or # …
Sivuno Sakusasa Project
Sivuno Sakusasa, which means Future Champions in isiSwati, has contributed to reducing gender-based violence in Ngwenya, Eswatini, through engaging young men and boys (in and out of school) to challenge the social norms which perpetuate gender inequali …
Soccer as a tool to build social cohesion
When xenophobic violence first broke out in Johannesburg, quickly spreading to the Western Cape in May 2008, Sonke Gender Justice’s One Man Can campaign organised a street soccer festival in Khayelitsha to foster peace and tolerance between locals and …
Sonke campaigns against GBV at Ivory Park taxi rank in Johannesburg
Watch the eNCA broadcast here.
Sonke Gender Justice 10 year anniversary film
Founded in 2006 in South Africa, Sonke Gender Justice has been advancing gender justice for more than ten years. This video tells the story of the organisation, the nearly 250 people who have worked there as well as the people whose lives have been imp …
Sonke Gender Justice Ambush Theatre for Red Card Campaign
Sonke Gender Justice Networks performs an ambush theatre piece at the Claremont transport hub in Cape Town, South Africa to create awareness of the Red Card Campaign Against Sexual Exploitation.
Sonke opens its first men’s wellness clinic, in a Cape Town township
Sonke Gender Justice Network of South Africa opened its first Men’s Wellness Clinic, in Gugulethu, in 2012. Have a look at the festive, informative day!
Sonke: Mobilising Men for Gender Transformation in post-Apartheid South Africa
This video demonstrates the work that Sonke does in working with communities – men and boys and women and girls across South Africa and the African region – to transform mindsets and change behaviours about the ill of gender-based violence (GBV) throug …
Sonke’s Ariane Nevin interviewed on eNCA on historic Pollsmoor remand victory
On 5 December 2016 the Western Cape High Court found conditions in Pollsmoor Remand Detention Facility to be unconstitutional.
Sonke’s Dean Peacock speaks at UN HQ in Geneva on International Day to End Violence Against Women
Remarks made November 23rd on panel to celebrate International Day to End Violence Against Women by Dean Peacock, Executive Director at Sonke Gender Justice Network and Co-Chair of the MenEngage Alliance.
Sonke’s Dean Peacock talks about MenCare on SABC’s Expresso show
16 Days of Activism has started. Sonke Gender Justice is an NPO and one of their many campaigns to oust gender-based violence in Africa is the One Man Can Campaign. We find out how men CAN make the right choice.
Sonke’s Mbuyiselo Botha in Nelson Mandela Foundation dialogue with Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet and Graça Machel
Sonke’s Government & Media Relations Manager, Mbuyiselo Botha, joins the President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, the University of Cape Town (UCT)’s Chancellor, Graça Machel, and distinguished panellists Nomboniso Gasa and Zethu Matebeni at the Nels …
Sonke’s Michele Muzaneza Interviewed about Gender, HIV and GBV on World Aids Day
Yesterday was the 25th annual World Aids Day, and today is the 8th day of 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women and Children.
Sonke’s Tim Shand at TEDxBarcelonaWomen
Tim Shand is the Director of International Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Programmes for Sonke Gender Justice, a South African NGO working to engage men in preventing gender-based violence and sexually transmitted diseases. He talks about men’s …
Sonke’s Patrick Godana and Dean Peacock talk about MenCare on SABC’s Expresso show
Sonke’s vision is a world in which men, women and children can enjoy equitable, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of just and democratic societies. Sonke Gender Justice Network works across Africa to strengthen governme …
Special Assignment: The human toll of South Africa’s gold mining industry
The human toll of South Africa’s gold mining industry is laid bare in this heart-wrenching Special Assignment documentary. Thousands of former mineworkers return from the goldfields – penniless and broken. Sick with an incurable lung disease, the forme …
State of the World’s Fathers: Being a Father
Ahead of this month’s release of the inaugural State of the World’s Fathers (SOWF) Report, Sonke’s Demelza Bush and Khopotso Bodibe asked South Africans what fatherhood means to them. From paternity leave, to sharing the care-work, men, women and children shared their views about why fathers matter in a country where more than half of the children are growing up without a father present in the home. In addition the global SOWF video, this South African SOWF video will be broadcast at the Africa launch of the SOWF report in Nairobi this week.
State of the World’s Fathers: South Africans speak out
Ahead of the release of the MenCare Global State of the World’s Fathers (SOWF) report, which will highlight research data, policies and programmes from around the world, related to men’s participation in fatherhood and care-giving, Sonke took to the st …
Stopping violence in communities in action
Domestic violence is scarring many families and the violence that characterises many communities and societies is as a result of what happens in our homes. Thus, it is important to identify and address the root causes of violence within families in ord …
TEDxGöteborg – Remmy Shawa
In this 2009 TEDx talk, course instructor Shawa talks about men and gender norms that have been entrenched in society.
The Department of Happiness Affairs
On Friday 6 April 2018, Sonke Gender Justice, together with various civil society partners, will stage a creative activism event – “The Department of Happiness Affairs”, based on the principles of The Theatre of the Oppressed.1 Refugees and asylum seek …
The Norad Conference 2015 – Bafana Khumalo
Co-founder of Sonke Gender Justice, Bafana Khumalo, spoke at Norad’s 2015 conference on gender equality and human rights yesterday, 09 December 2015.
The Norad Conference 2015 – Dean Peacock
Dean Peacock, co-founder of Sonke – together with Bafana Khumalo – gave a speech at Norad’s 2015 conference on gender and human rights on 09 December 2015.
The Price of Gold
The dangers of working in the South African gold mines have long been documented. A forthcoming court hearing highlights the injustice of mine workers who contract silicosis and are sent home, too sick to work, with little or no compensation. As they a …
The price of gold: silicosis class action
Follow photographer Thom Pierce on a journey to document the lived experiences of the class action representatives. The journey culminates with an exhibition and possibly certification of the class.
The Price of Gold: The Caregivers
Thousands of women are left to care for and support their husbands who have been left jobless and sick after contracting silicosis in the gold mines. Silicosis is a preventable lung disease that affects thousands of gold miners in South Africa. When mi …
The Swedish Model: Why partial criminalisation of sex work will not help sex workers or SA society
Our animated video, produced by Sonke, in partnership with Sex Workers Education & Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), Sisonke Sex Worker Movement, and the Women’s Legal Centre, was featured on Upworthy last month and has had thousands of views. Breaking down the Swedish/Nordic model, this video explains why South Africa must fully – not partially – decriminalise sex work in order to protect sex workers, empower them, and improve their working conditions.
The true story of Ghati and Rhobi
“The True Story of Ghati and Rhobi” is a short animated film aimed at raising awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM). It tells the inspirational story of two girls, Ghati and Rhobi, resisting their community’s practice of FGM. They show courage b …
Tsima Project – Mpho’s journey with HIV
Mpho tested positive for HIV in 2002 and he started taking antiretroviral treatment in 2005 when his infection intensified. Taking antiretrovirals has improved his health significantly. Today, Mpho encourages people in his community to test for HIV. He …
Tsima Project – Mpho’s journey with HIV (Shangaan version)
Mpho tested positive for HIV in 2002 and he started taking antiretroviral treatment in 2005 when his infection intensified. Taking antiretrovirals has improved his health significantly. Today, Mpho encourages people in his community to test for HIV. He …
Tsima Project – Rhulani’s journey with HIV
Rhulani has been living with HIV for the past 11 years. In this short video, she says she wouldn’t have been alive today had it not been for accepting her HIV-positive status and taking and adhering to treatment the way she has been advised at her loca …
Tsima Project – Rhulani’s journey with HIV (Shangaan version)
Rhulani has been living with HIV for the past 11 years. In this short video, she says she wouldn’t have been alive today had it not been for accepting her HIV-positive status and taking and adhering to treatment the way she has been advised at her loca …
Tsima Project PSA 1 – Dumi & Mobilisers
This is the first in a series of five PSAs promoting the Tsima project, which is being implemented in the Bushbuckridge area in the province of Mpumalanga. The main goal of the project is to mobilise communities to learn and understand that HIV treatme …
Tsima Project PSA 2 – Nurse Lazarus
This is the second in a series of PSAs promoting the Tsima project, which is being implemented in the Bushbuckridge area in the province of Mpumalanga. The main goal of the project is to mobilise communities to learn and understand that HIV treatment i …
Tsima Project PSA 3 – Induna Mayinga
This is the third in a series of PSAs promoting the Tsima project, which is being implemented in the Bushbuckridge area in the province of Mpumalanga. The main goal of the project is to mobilise communities to learn and understand that HIV treatment is …
Tsima Project PSA 4 – Temby & Arthur
This is the fourth in a series of PSAs promoting the Tsima project, which is being implemented in the Bushbuckridge area in the province of Mpumalanga. The main goal of the project is to mobilise communities to learn and understand that HIV treatment i …
Tsima Project PSA 5 – Compilation of previous PSAs
This is the last in a series of PSAs promoting the Tsima project, which is being implemented in the Bushbuckridge area in the province of Mpumalanga. The main goal of the project is to mobilise communities to learn and understand that HIV treatment is …
Tsima Project Public Service Announcements
These are Public Service Announcements (PSAs) to promote the Tsima project. Tsima is a three-year community mobilisation intervention and research trial that Sonke is implementing in eight villages of the Bushbuckridge area in the Mpumalanga province. …
Unstoppable Indians: Sonagachi’s Union
Sonagachi in North Kolkata is home to an estimated 12,000 sex workers. These women have organised themselves in a union to fight for their basic human rights and protect their future.
We demand an NSP now!
A short outline of the civil society campaign for a National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence in South Africa.
When Men Change: A Promundo Film
When Men Change tells the story of four men who changed the way they think about gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, and violence. In recent years, there has been increased interest in exploring how men can contribute to promoting gender e …
Why Did Mrs X Die?
“Why Did Mrs X Die, Retold” is a short animated film telling the story of one unfortunate woman’s journey through pregnancy and childbirth. In doing so, the film paints an accurate picture of the dangers women are facing across the world, and our need …
Why is it important to engage men in the fight for gender equality in Africa?
The 2nd MenEngage Africa Symposium was recently held in Maputo, Mozambique. The symposium brought together a network of gender justice activists, NGOs, government leaders, policy-makers and other actors working with men and boys on the African continen …
Xenophobia: “We were treated like animals being slaughtered”
In the wake of the wave of xenophobic violence Sonke’s Gadeeja Abbas tells the story of Lionnel Drench who fled the conflict in Congo Brazzaville. But his pain and suffering continued in Cape Town. He opened up about the murder of his brother – Ma …
Youth must stand up to be seen, heard and recognised
The voices of young people are rarely heard or considered in development matters in many countries around the world. What is the solution to this? Teboho Potsane, a Lesotho member of MenEngage Africa Youth, says young people must stand on their feet to …