Sonke Gender Justice

Publication Type: Materials

  • Rights, action and accountability

    Rights, action and accountability

    A citizens’ guide to local government action and accountability for gender-based violence prevention and response

    This Manual is designed as an educational resource for facilitators who will lead training workshops to strengthen the capacities of Sonke Community Action Teams (CATs) to:

    • Raise awareness of gender-based violence (GBV).
    • Promote the inclusion of GBV prevention and response in the plans and projects of local governments.

    Trigger warning: The content of this training manual will engage with issues relating to gender based violence (GBV). Much of it will be emotionally and intellectually challenging and may cause a psychologically taxing response or be traumatising. Effort has been made to compile the material in a manner that is thoughtful. It is important to engage with the content in a mindful and respectful manner. If the material triggers some trauma or psychological response, it is important to seek help or guidance in this regard.

  • Peace and Security Terms of Reference

    Peace and Security Terms of Reference

    Sonke is looking for a consultant to conduct desk-top policy research and analysis on Peace and Security related policies across 15 countries in Africa. Please find the terms of reference herein.

  • What did you do to promote respect, diversity and gender equality in your workplace today?

    What did you do to promote respect, diversity and gender equality in your workplace today?

  • How to report abuse

    How to report abuse

  • You have the right to work in a safe and respectful environment!

    You have the right to work in a safe and respectful environment!

  • We Stand Against Xenophobia

    We Stand Against Xenophobia

  • Timeline of complaint against DM Mkongi

    Timeline of complaint against DM Mkongi

    On 14 July 2017 Deputy Minister of Police Mkongi made xenophobic remarks in public. This document represents a timeline of complaints against Mr Mkongi, which resulted in a public statement issued by him on 21 August 2018.

  • Digital Stories from Southern Africa

    Digital Stories from Southern Africa

    Gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS are recognised as significant public health issues throughout Sub- Saharan Africa. Countless women, men, and children in the region are affected by these twin epidemics. While an array of programmes and advocacy strategies have emerged to challenge men’s violence and slow the spread of the virus, much remains to be done. Crucial to the success of this work is ensuring a central role for those most directly affected by violence and HIV.

  • “We All have Rights”

    “We All have Rights”

    HIV/AIDS is changing the landscape of family and home for South African children and youth. Across rural parts of the country, children’s need for protection from HIV exposure and violence is increasing as they lose caregivers to the virus. When this happens, the social, psychological, and material support that caregivers provide is also lost. Now, more than ever, communities must take responsibility for the care and support of these vulnerable young people. In response, grassroots groups are focusing on ways to prioritise child safety and protection in the areas most affected.

  • Stories of Courage and Leadership

    Stories of Courage and Leadership

    In recent years, the important role that Traditional Leaders and their Councils can play in promoting gender equality and addressing violence, HIV and AIDS, and other health issues has been broadly recognized in South Africa. At the local level, Traditional Leaders can influence social norms by condemning HIV myths and stigma and speaking up with compassion on behalf of violence survivors. At the provincial and national levels, Leaders can contribute to the development and implementation of fair and effective child welfare, criminal justice, and health policies.

  • Letter to African Commission on Xenophobia in South Africa

    Letter to African Commission on Xenophobia in South Africa

    “We, the undersigned civil society organisations write to you to raise concerns about the continued recurrence of xenophobic attacks against non-nationals living in the Republic of South Africa. In the past, we approached the Commission with similar concerns highlighting the need to impress on the government of South Africa to end xenophobic attacks perpetrated against non-nationals living in the country. As human rights organisations, we are particularly concerned about the absence of appropriate and practical action including the lack of serious interventions, poor policy response and inappropriate action by the government of South Africa to stop the recurrence of these attacks. We are also concerned about the limited responses by the criminal justice system to deal with the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators. We believe that the government of South Africa should undertake practical and policy measures to address the root causes of these attacks including addressing its social and economic obligations in order to meet the country’s constitutional, socio-economic and human rights obligations…”

  • Children’s Institute et al vs. The Times

    Children’s Institute et al vs. The Times

    This ruling is based on the written submissions of Dr Stefanie Röhrs, senior researcher of the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town, with Mr Wessel van den Berg (Children’s Rights and Positive Parenting Manager, Sonke Gender Justice) and those of Jillian Green of The Times newspaper.

  • Request for adjudication

    Request for adjudication

    We have read through the letter submitted by the editorial team of The Times in response to our complaint. While we appreciate the letter, and some sentiments expressed in it, we still feel that this provides insufficient remedy to the complaint, and we stand by the request for a retraction of the article and an apology to the readership of the paper.

  • Reasons delivered in the matter between Sonke Gender Justice and the Pollsmoor Remand Detention Facility

    Reasons delivered in the matter between Sonke Gender Justice and the Pollsmoor Remand Detention Facility

  • Violation of Code of Ethics by The Times

    Violation of Code of Ethics by The Times

    We wish to bring to your attention an article published on the front-page of The Times on 11 January 2017. The hard copy headline was: ‘Pupils prefer the pain’. The strapline underneath read: ‘Corporal punishment “understood and accepted”’. The article was also published online with the headline: ‘Some pupils would rather get a smack at school than have their parents called in’. The online article continued with the following statement: ‘Pupils would rather be beaten than have their parents called in to be lectured by a teacher, a new study shows. This, and the lack of political will to enforce the law, is why corporal punishment continues to be inflicted in schools 20 years after it was outlawed.’

  • Pollsmoor Court Order

    Pollsmoor Court Order

    The Court Order can be downloaded by clicking the “Download PDF” button below.

    The Reasons Delivered can be downloaded here.

  • CHARISMA Intervention Overview

    CHARISMA Intervention Overview

    CHARISMA (Community Health Clinic Model for Agency in Relationships and Safer Microbicide Adherence) is a pilot intervention to increase women’s agency to consistently and safely use microbicides while reducing their risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) and promoting healthy relationships.

    Microbicides were designed to give women an HIV prevention tool they could use without a male partner’s involvement. However, research suggests that the approval or support of male partners is often desired, or even required, to enable women to use microbicides. Secondary data (both qualitative and quantitative) from the ASPIRE, VOICE, CAPRISA 008, and other trials, as well as a review of primary and secondary analyses of data from six qualitative studies implemented in conjunction with microbicide trials (in South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania), showed that for some women, microbicide use improved communication with partners, reinforcing product adherence. However, it increased partner conflicts and the risk of IPV for others.

  • Court Order in Pollsmoor Remand Overcrowding Case

    Court Order in Pollsmoor Remand Overcrowding Case

    On 5 December 2016, the case launched by Sonke Gender Justice and Lawyers for Human Rights, in response to the extreme overcrowding and inhumane conditions suffered by detainees awaiting trial in Pollsmoor Remand Detention Facility, was heard by Judge Saldanha in the Western Cape High Court. The court found in their favour and declared that the Government’s failure to fulfil its obligations in terms of the Correctional Services Act is unconstitutional.

    Government has been ordered to:

    • Reduce overcrowding to no more than 120% of its approved capacity – unless it can show good cause as to why they cannot by Wednesday 21 December.
    • Develop and file a comprehensive plan, by 31 January 2017, including timeframes for its implementation, which addresses and will put an end to: “the deficiencies in the provision of exercise, nutrition, accommodation, ablution facilities and healthcare services to the inmates of Pollsmoor RDF; and the deficiencies identified in Prison Visit Reports by Justice Cameron, dated 27 July 2015 and 13 August 2015 (the Cameron Report).”
  • Appointment of Executive Director

    Appointment of Executive Director

    Sonke is recruiting a visionary leader to serve as Executive Director.

  • Men and HIV in the ESA Region

    Men and HIV in the ESA Region

    This pamphlet highlights the urgent need to engage men and boys more fully in the AIDS response in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. The information draws on UNAIDS’ 2016 Platform for Action on Men and HIV, and a literature review conducted by Sonke Gender Justice for UNAIDS focused on the Eastern and Southern Africa region which highlights the evidence of men’s low uptake of HIV services and disproportionately high morbidity and mortality. This pamphlet was developed by Sonke Gender Justice with technical support from UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa.

  • Eleventh and twelfth respondents’ notice of application for leave to appeal

    Eleventh and twelfth respondents’ notice of application for leave to appeal

  • Bongani Nkala & others v Harmony Gold & others

    Bongani Nkala & others v Harmony Gold & others

    Leave to appeal the certification judgment was heard on 23 June 2016

    The application for the certification of a class action was heard in October 2015. This resulted in a historic judgment handed down on 13 May 2016, certifying a class action for those who developed silicosis or TB due to exposure to silica dust in the gold mines. The judgment also developed the common law in line with the Bill of Rights to enable the transmission of any general damages to a deceased mineworker’s estate so that the dependents may benefit.

    On 23 June 2016, the South Gauteng High Court heard applications for leave to appeal the whole of its judgement brought by the mining companies, including Harmony Gold, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Gold Fields, DRD Gold, Anglo American and African Rainbow Minerals.

  • iALARM Project Summary

    iALARM Project Summary

    In South Africa, the country with the highest burden of HIV infection in the world, men either fail to access or drop out early from the ‘cascade’ of HIV testing, treatment and care at considerably higher rates than women. Linking men to care earlier, and keeping them retained and adherent for longer, will improve not only their own health, but will also directly translate into a range of better health outcomes for their partners, families and communities.

  • Judgement – Bongani Nkala and Others v Harmony Gold Mining Company

    Judgement – Bongani Nkala and Others v Harmony Gold Mining Company

    The judgement handed down by the South Gauteng High Court, is in favour of the constitution of a class action lawsuit of 56 current and former goldmine workers, representing hundreds of thousands, against 32 gold mining companies – comprising the entire gold mining industry in South Africa. Additionally they have ruled in favour of the transmissibility of damages to also be included in the class action. The full judgement can be found here.