International AIDS Conference 2012

Moving men into policy and ‘holding watchdogs to account’

22 July 2012

By Cherith SangerPolicy Advocacy and Research Unit Manager

Moving Men and Boys into Policy

What do we mean by ‘moving men into policy’ for a gender just HIV response?

Engaging men and boys should become a key preventative measure that forms part of a broader advocacy strategy to develop a gender just response to HIV.

It should be written into the language of laws and policies to create duties that state actors and other stakeholders can be held accountable for when they fail to fulfil these duties.

Moving Men and Boys into Policy (continued)

CSOs working with men and boys should build the capacity of men and boys to support women to hold law and policy makers and implementers accountable i.e. men and boys should be encouraged to be activists in relation to laws and policies that impact on gender equality and HIV.

Moving Men and Boys into Policy (Continued)

How can we call for the inclusion of engaging men and boys in law and policy and move men and boys into the realm of

policy for a gender just HIV response ? Lobby decision makers i.e. law and policy makers by:

Making submissions to parliament during the legislative process Meetings, dialogues and letter writing Coalition building and Campaigns

Impact/Strategic Litigation Gain support for advocacy efforts through capacity building in

communities Media Advocacy

Watchdog & State Accountability

How do we ‘hold Watchdogs to Account’? Sonke uses several advocacy strategies to hold institutions to account to ensure that they carry out gender transformative work to address the gender inequalities that drive HIV:

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE)MonitorJulius Malema – Equality Court case Traditional Courts Bill

THANK YOU!