Keegan Mark Lakay

An attorney by profession and a graduate from the University of the Western Cape, Keegan obtained his LLB Degree in Law in September 2004 and was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court for the Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division in December 2005. Keegan joined Sonke Gender Justice in October 2014 as the CEM Manager for the Western Cape. In addition to his qualification and experience in the legal profession, Keegan had been employed as the Provincial Legal Officer and later as the Acting Provincial Coordinator for the Commission for Gender Equality in the Western Cape for nearly 8 years and brings with him a wealth of institutional knowledge pertaining to the operations of Chapter 9 institutions, which were established under the Constitution of South Africa to support Constitutional Democracy.

Prior to joining the Commission, Keegan was employed as a Professional Assistant at the Cape Law Society’s Disciplinary Department between 2005-2007 and completed his articles with a small Law Firm in Brackenfell, Stopforths Inc. in November 2005, where he specialised in civil and criminal law, family law, deceased estates and contracts.

However, through his activism and advocacy while at the Commission, Keegan developed a passion for the gender movement and has been a strong and involved member of various structures, both within civil society and government departments which is evident from his career highlights below:

• Lead a Task Team responsible for the evaluation, research and monitoring of International Instruments i.e. CEDAW, UNSRVAW (United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women) and National Report on Governments Compliance with the provisions of the Employment Equity Act. (January 2011 – December 2011).
• Co-Wrote a publication with Dr. Yvette Abrahams, Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality, detailing the History of the End Hate Campaign in the Western Cape with a focus on violence against LGBTI Individuals and the Corrective Rape of Black Lesbian women in 2011.
• Collaborated with the launch of and participated with the Department of Local Government’s Thusong Mobile Service Centres in the Western Cape from June 2011.
• Represented the Commission for Gender Equality Delegation at the 52^nd Session of the United Nations Pre-Session Hearings into CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women) at the United Nations, New York (July – August 2010).
• A steering committee member of the Executive Committee responsible for the launch of the South African Women Lawyer’s Association (SAWLA) in the Western Cape, in association with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (2007).
• A steering committee member of the Western Cape Provincial Task Team (WCPTT) to combat Human Trafficking in the Western Cape (2007).
• A steering committee member of the Provincial Task Team, in association with the Triangle Project, in launching the 777 – End Hate Campaign an initiative to combat hate crimes against individuals based on their sexual orientation (2007).