Bindura, Zimbabwe 6 December: Today we commemorate the Montreal Massacre, a day to reflect on femicide and conversely to commit to positive masculinity. On December 6, 1989, Mark Lepine entered École Polytechnique at the Université of Montréal, Canada with the intent to kill women, blaming them for his failure to gain entrance to the engineering programme. […]
Sixteen Days: Shout out for positive masculinity Read More »
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, 5 December: Two years ago this month, l received a desperate call from community gender champions from Matobo district alerting me of a planned wedding in their village between a 15-year-old girl and a 38-year-old man. The champions said that the girl consented to this marriage because it was the only way to
Zimbabwe: Join the She is a child. Not a Mother Campaign! Read More »
Johannesburg, 29 November: For many decades in Southern Africa, the region in the world with the highest percentage of people living with HIV and AIDS, our biggest concern was treatment and care that remained outside the reach of the majority. Now that antiretroviral therapy (ART’s) are more readily available, we face a new, albeit much
Southern Africa: The silent HIV Crisis Read More »
Johannesburg, November 24, 2024: Gender Links (GL) and partners join the global community in saying “no” to gender violence with a concerted, multi-faceted campaign that moves from evidence to action during this Sixteen Days of Activism. The Sixteen Days spans the period from 25 November, International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women, to 10 December, International Human
Southern Africa: Uniting to end Gender Violence Read More »
Gaborone, November 7, 2024: As Botswana’s historic first change of government in almost six decades wraps-up, the National Assembly has elected Helen Pushie Manyeneng the Deputy Speaker of the 13th Parliament. On 6 November, elected parliamentarians voted for six Special Elected Members of Parliament (SEMP), half of whom were women. This brought women’s representation in the National Assembly
Botswana: Woman deputy speaker, but fewer women MPs Read More »
West Palm Beach, Florida 7 November: “He can be lawless. She must be flawless.” Those famous last words of CNN political commentator Van Jones just before the US elections are true for just about any woman who has run for political office, let alone bid for the most powerful job in the world. The words
US: Trump victory a wake up call on global backlash Read More »
23 October 2024: Young women have made an impassioned plea to the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) to secure a “safe and productive future” for the largest segment of the region’s population. Representatives of the Women of the South Speak Out (WOSSO) Fellows, and Voice and Choice South Africa Fund (VCSA) reminded law makers that
Southern Africa: Young women call for a safe future Read More »
28 September 2024: Access to safe abortion is a fundamental human right and essential for women’s empowerment, equality and dignity. While abortion is a quick and safe medical procedure, women continue to die in large numbers because of unsafe practices. To mark International Safe Abortion Day, celebrated annually on 28th September, members of the Safe Abortion Alliance of
Safe Abortion Day: Southern Africans Unite! Read More »
Harare, 16 August: Southern African women’s rights defenders are calling on heads of state meeting here on SADC Day, 17 August, to fulfil their commitments to the rights of women in all their diversity. “Tomorrow marks the sixteenth anniversary of the adoption of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development,” noted Emma
Southern Africa: Women call for action – HOS Summit Read More »
Harare 9 August: Women of the South Speak Out (WOSSO) fellows from Southern Africa make their debut on South African Women’s Day at the start of a packed programme in the wings of the SADC Heads of State Summit. “We are super excited to announce and onboard the 14 young women activists from six countries in Southern
WOSSO takes off on Women’s Day Read More »
