Synopsis  |  Background  |  Objectives  |  Target groups  |  Key activities  |  Social media  |  Outputs  |  Outcomes  |  Resources

Synopsis

The #Voice and Choice campaign, launched in August 2018, builds on the global and regional momentum on SRHR. It moves the gender justice agenda from the Post 2015 era to include individual and collective voices to advocate for change. The agenda is driven by citizens’ demands and voices. By improving citizens’ wellbeing, institutions and other stakeholders are building a critical citizenry that can hold governments accountable.

During the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence from 25 November to the 10 December Gender Links and the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance will hold dialogues on key thematic areas with stakeholders to take stock of what was achieved over the last year and identify priorities for the next year. Evidence gathered through the 2020 #Voice and Choice Barometer will guide discussions.

Key dates include:

25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
1 December – International Aids Day
3 December – International Day of the Disabled
6 December – Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre
10 December – Human Rights Day

Background 

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign that takes place annually from the 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. The 2020 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence occurs in the shadows of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted increased economic insecurity, unemployment, food shortages, school closures and increased forms of violence against women and girls.

The global theme for the campaign in 2020 is “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!” The theme builds from the UN Inter-Agency Statement on Violence Against Women and Girls in the context of COVID-19.

The theme includes the following key areas:

Fund

  • Prioritise funding for a minimum package of essential services that include GBV prevention in COVID-19 fiscal stimulus packages.
  • Make flexible funding available for women’s rights organisations working at the nexus of COVID-19 and GBV.
  • Prioritise funding for GBV prevention and response in the Global Humanitarian Response Plan COVID-19.

Prevent

  • Declare national zero tolerance policy for GBV with a concrete action plan in place.
  • Launch a COVID-19 behaviour change social mobilisation campaign (attention on system and social norm shifts, positive masculinities, and GBV against women, including those facing intersecting inequalities).

Respond

  • Undertake explicit measures so that services for survivors of GBV are maintained as essential during COVID-19 lockdowns, including ensuring a continuum of adequate criminal justice response.
  • Ensure minimum essential services maintained and adopted where they are non-existent.

Collect

  • Collect data for improvement of GBV services and programmes (always ensuring survivor-centred and ethical safety standards).

The GL and Alliance 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence occurs under the banner of the #Voice and Choice campaign. GL, Alliance partners and the Local Government Centres of Excellence for Mainstreaming Gender implemented 54 national campaigns and 130 local campaigns between 2019 and 2020.

The campaigns included menstrual health, maternal health, comprehensive sexuality education and teenage pregnancies, safe abortion, HIV and AIDS, gender-based violence, harmful practices and sexual diversity. Key successes include amongst others policy change including new laws on SRHR in some countries, removal of tax for sanitary products and anti-child marriage laws.

The GL and Alliance 2020 16 Days Campaign will integrate the global theme into the Southern African regional programme of activities.

Objectives

  • Highlight the impact of COVID-19 on GBV and advocate for action plans and long-term strategies to prevent, respond, and support GBV actions and service provision.
  • Lobby for the incorporation of gender considerations in all responses to COVID-19 and the recovery phases to ensure that actions during and after the crisis build more equal, inclusive, and sustainable economies and societies.
  • Increase media coverage on SRHR and COVID-19 that integrates gender.
  • Launch the SRHR checklist to assess provisions in SRHR policies in the Southern African region and identify gaps to guide lobby and advocacy strategies.
  • Promote collaboration between governments, civil society and other stakeholders to increase the impact of interventions and promote coordination of GBV responses, especially during emergencies like COVID-19.
  • Emphasise the need for increased funding for GBV and SRHR in governments and for civil society organisations working in these areas.

Target Groups

    • Civil society organisations
    • Women’s groups
    • Faith Based Organisations
    • Survivors of Gender Based Violence
    • Policy makers and government departments
    • UN agencies and funding partners
    • Media
    • Men’s groups
    • Local councils
    • Junior councils and youth formations
    • Key populations

Key activities 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions the main thrust of the 16 Days activities will be virtual. The activities will be anchored in a series of virtual thematic dialogues or cyber dialogues through the Southern Africa Gender Community (SGC).

Virtual thematic dialogues through the Southern Africa Gender Community
A series of thematic dialogues will run from the 25 November to the 10 December 2020 from 12h00 to 14h00 SA time. The Alliance focal points in 15 Southern African countries will mobilise at least 20 partner organisation to join the regional cyber dialogues. Click here to see the schedule online.

To join the dialogue please sign up or login to the Southern Africa Gender Community (SGC). After logging in, click on the “Cyber Dialogues” icon. Click the “Join Meeting” button on the meeting details presented. Please note that only members of the SGC can join the Cyber Dialogue. You can also download the app on your phone by going to the App Store and searching for Gender Links.

Schedule of virtual discussions

Taking stock and launching SRHR policy checklist launch
The first dialogue will assess progress made over the last year overall across all thematic areas. The SRHR checklist will be launched during the introductory cyber dialogues. The SRHR policy checklist draws from the study of laws, policies and strategies related to SRHR in all member states of the SADC done by GL in 2019 and updated in 2020.

GL reviewed sexual and reproductive health laws strategies and reports, academic research, analysis of laws and practice as well as newspaper articles. This second edition of the Audit of SRHR Laws and Policies in SADC now includes information on Comoros, the newest member to join SADC as well as additional information and updates at various points within the SRHR themes presented. What unfolds is a picture of a region with a diverse SRHR landscape. There are areas with strong legislative and policy framework such as GBV and HIV, and there are others where legislation and policies are patchy.

Moving forward the SRHR Checklist provides asset of standards to measure the efficacy and quality of SRHR policies as well as identify any gaps. It is an important tool for SRHR policy advocacy and lobbying.

Popularising the findings of the 2020 #Voice and Choice Barometer
The introductory cyber dialogue will be followed by a series of eight thematic dialogues. These include: GBV and COVID-19; Maternal and Menstrual Health; HIV and AIDS; Sexual diversity; Media; Safe abortion and ASRHR. The dialogues will be guided by the findings and recommendations presented in the 2020 #Voice and Choice Barometer.

Social media
Join the campaign by using the hashtags on Facebook and Twitter:

#VoiceandChoice

#PreventGBV

#FundSRHR

#Patriarchymustfall

#Peacebegins@home

#Mybodymychoice

#RightbyHer

#OurGirlsMatter

#SafeAbortionsSavesLives

 #SDG2018

#SexualityEducation

#YouthSRHNOW

#EndAIDS

#orangetheworld

#MenstruationMatters

#period

#SADCGenderprotocol

Outputs

  • Ten virtual video discussions and summaries.
  • Campaign materials.
  • Media articles on SRHR.
  • Social media messages on SRHR.

Outcomes

  • Robust campaign on ending GBV showing how CSO’s and women’s rights organisations are on the frontline of the response to ending violence against women and girls in the context of COVID-19.
  • SRHR policy and legislative changes in the countries that are campaigning for those.
  • Generating a groundswell of activity at local level for better SRHR including education and service delivery.
  • Media coverage moves beyond GBV to holistic coverage on SRHR.

Resources

  • For more information on the SRHR campaigns, click here.
  • For more information on the Sixteen Days 2020 campaign click here.
  • For more information on Gender and COVID-19 resources, click here.
  • To read the Audit of SRHR Policies and laws in SADC, click here.
  • To read the Foreword to the 2020 Voice and Choice Barometer, click here.
  • To read the Executive summary to the 2020 Voice and Choice Barometer, click here.
  • To read the Introduction to the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, click here.
  • To access the Sexual and Reproductive Health chapter in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter, watch video.
  • To access the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights chapter in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter, watch video.
  • To access the Safe abortion chapter in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter, watch video.
  • To access the HIV and AIDS chapter in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter, watch video
  • To access the Gender-based violence chapter in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter.
  • To access the Harmful practices in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter, watch video.
  • To access the Sexual diversity in the 2020 Voice and Choice SRHR Barometer, read chapter, watch video.