Health

Women call for end to violence, resumption of vaccine roll out Johannesburg, 14 July 2021, The Women’s Voice and Leadership South Africa (WVLSA) project condemns the violence and criminal looting that is ravaging South Africa amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. WVLSA calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure that law and order are restored […]

Johannesburg, 14 July: As many countries in the north start to open up for summer holidays, with lockdown restrictions being eased, South Africa, and most of Africa are going back into harder lockdowns. The reason for these starkly different realities is in large measure due to unequal access to vaccines. With the third wave, driven […]

Johannesburg, 14 July: The COVID-19 pandemic which has been raging across the globe since December 2019 has aggravated gender inequalities. As the majority of care workers, of the poor and those in the informal sector or in precarious work, women bear the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the vaccine roll out is to bring […]

By Kubi Rama, Johannesburg, 18 February: I am writing this piece as part of the GL series “lessons learnt during lockdown.” The deadline is past. I struggled to write this piece. My 12-year old son, Keshav, and I tested positive for COVID-19 on the 7 January 2021. My momentary response was blind panic. I know […]

By Dumiso Gatsha, Gaborone, 4 December: Botswana’s SRHR landscape is characterised by a lack of political will, policy frameworks and programming that safeguard and strengthen bodily autonomy and integrity for all its citizens. Whilst equitable comprehensive sex education, safe abortion and gender affirmative healthcare are notable shortcomings; progress has been made in raising the age […]

Sifisosami Dube 25 November : Lungelo woke up at four am in order to start the long walk to the nearest district hospital.  She  wanted to collect her monthly family planning pills as she was left with only two days’ supply. Upon arriving at the hospital, the process to collect the pills was slow as […]

By Sifisosami Dube, Johannesburg, 11 December : As soon as she settles down to eat her breakfast, Gogo Snanzeni is interrupted by a boy who has been sent to tell her that her midwifery services are urgently needed. She immediately realises that she has to walk almost five kilometres to assist Lindi to deliver her […]

Three Years of Safe Haven ‘Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time’ – Ruth Bader Ginsburg Background Since its inception in September 2017, Gender Links Safe Haven Halfway Home (SHHH) has been a refuge for 69 residents coming from different socio-economic backgrounds and having known numerous types of violence throughout their lifetime […]

By *Mapula Ditaba Johannesburg, 5 October:I remember vividly when a 21 day lock down was announced by the President from the 26 March 2020. I thought this is just 21 day all will be well and everything will be back to normal. It was not about the times and the dates it was about a […]

The Menstrual Health awareness campaign’s end result is to help break the silence and build awareness about the important role that good menstrual hygiene as well as being the pride of the mensuration period plays in enabling young girls to reach their full potential. Murewa Rural District Council through the Junior Council is working to […]