Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) is a gender justice and equality organization based in South Africa which claims to stand for the rights of women, men, and non-gender conforming individuals and is committed to feminist principles. ¹

Sonke works to end domestic violence, reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS, and promote women’s rights over “patriarchy.” Sonke has advocated for the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish responsibilities of men and boys in promoting a feminist agenda, decriminalize sex workers, mandate additional paternity leave for new fathers, oppose the reintroduction of the death penalty in South Africa, and allow transgender male prisoners in all-male prisons to dress as a woman prior to transitioning. ²

History and Mission

Sonke Gender Justice was established in 2006 as a non-partisan, nonprofit health and human rights organization in South Africa committed to feminist principles. ³ Sonke stands for the rights of women, men, and non-gender conforming individuals. ⁴ Sonke claims to contribute to social justice and the elimination of poverty by promoting gender equality and women’s rights, preventing gender-based violence, and reducing the spread of HIV and impact of AIDS. ⁵

Sonke Gender Justice seeks to promote its goals by partnering with governments to promote policy developments; through activism, advocacy, and community mobilization; by working with coalitions nationally and internationally; engaging in capacity building and training with partner organizations; implementing communication strategies to affect change; fostering community education and individual skills building; and conducting research, monitoring, and evaluation. ⁶

Sonke Gender Justice works in all nine South African provinces and more than 28 countries throughout Africa. ⁷ Sonke has 50 local community action team spread throughout South Africa to promote gender justice. ⁸ Sonke’s work has been noted by the World Health Organization, United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, United Nations Development Programme, and the International Women’s Health Coalition. ⁹

Positions

The chair of the board of directors has stated that intersectional feminism is an essential element of Sonke’s work. ¹⁰ During a review of United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 35/10 regarding violence against women and girls, Sonke advocated that feminist language be inserted to challenge “patriarchal masculinities” and outlined what it claimed are the roles and responsibilities of men and boys to support the feminist agenda. ¹¹ Sonke states that conservative social and cultural norms such as traditional gender roles hinder gender justice progress. ¹²

Sonke Gender Justice prioritizes work on behalf of marginalized communities including LGBT, sex workers, prisoners and ex-offenders, refugees and migrants, people living with HIV, and youths in general. ¹³ Through Sonke’s Generation Gender, outreach campaigns were conducted making males aware of mental health, available services, proper fatherhood, and the dangers of patriarchy. ¹⁴ In 2022, Generation Gender promoted a campaign targeting youth warning of the dangers of drugs, crime and violence, and “harmful gender norms.” ¹⁵

In Gauteng, South Africa, Sonke raised awareness in schools of teenage pregnancies and provided information on health, legal, psychological, and social services available. ¹⁶ In Malawi and Uganda, Sonke Gender Justice has advocated against early marriages, against female genital mutilation, and has provided information on sexual reproductive health information. ¹⁷ Sonke Gender Justice has advocated that South African police be given diversity training regarding sex workers and seeks to decriminalize sex work. ¹⁸

Sonke has gone to court on behalf of fathers demanding additional paternity leave for new fathers. ¹⁹ Sonke Gender Justice touts an Equality Court decision in South Africa that a transgender male prisoner who wished to transition to a female in an all-male prison be allowed to grow long hair, wear makeup, dress in female clothing, and be addressed as a woman. ²⁰  Sonke has advocated opposed re-introduction of the death penalty in South Africa. ²¹

Financials

As of February 2023, Sonke Gender Justice had total assets of $6,106,365 USD. ²² Donors to Sonke Gender Justice include the Open Society Foundation, Ford Foundation, Oak Foundation, and MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving. ²³

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20. Ampofo-Anti, Ohene Yaw. “Court Victory for Transgender Prisoners.” Sonke Gender Justice. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://genderjustice.org.za/article/court-victory-for-transgender-prisoners/.
21. Ballard, Clare. “Death Penalty Debate is a Cheap Political Trick.” Sonke Gender Justice. Accessed January 15, 2024. https://genderjustice.org.za/article/death-penalty-debate-is-a-cheap-political-trick/.
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