End of Year Reflections on The Wise Collective in 2019

Onica Nonhlanhla Makwakwa, Director Wise 4 Afrika

It has been both a challenging and inspiring first year for The Wise Collective (doing business as Wise 4 Afrika). We have worked hard to establish our organisation, strategize our future direction, and mobilize with inspirational and determined women online and off. Establishing our core values as an unapologetic feminist organization that is about change - an ongoing exercise - has been of equal importance to us. 2019, was one of planning and action; as demonstrated by the opportunity to strategize and act on impactful initiatives to set the tone for our collective work. We sought to address the scourge of violence against womxn as well as to challeng and dismantle the systematic patriarchal values that enable it; including but not limited to, the necessary shift in economic power to ensure gender equality. A critical part of this journey was gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges regrding effective implementation of prevention and response services and ensuring access to justice through legal representation for womxn victims/survivors of violence.

Despite the magnitude of the pervasive and persistent culture of violence against womxn and its inherent impunity, The Wise Collective remained steadfast in our determination to effect change, under the #FixingTheCountry mantra, we are pleased with the accomplishments to date: From fighting against the granting of lenient bail to perpetrators of femicide to defending young womxn charged with defamation of character and/or /crimen injuria for the public naming and shaming of men who sexually violated them, and the many more secxual harassment cases, the Wise Collective launched into the necessary work to legally challenge impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of violence against women. From filing Watching Briefs in the case against Obed Leshoro for the murder of Naledi Lethoba case, we provided legal representation to many others on defamation/crimen injura cases, and joined arbitration case of Nyathi vs Special Investigative Unit as Observer among others. Wise’s legal defense efforts were an important step in the much-needed challenge of the legal system and tested the possibilities for public interest litigation in the future.

#wiseTalk, a video series, anchored by two of Wise Collective’s directors, is a conversation starter; rallying action and engagement on current and burning issues related to all things GBV. Hosted live on the Facebook platform, with recorded sessions shared via a YouTube channel and our website, the series reached over 10,000 individual accounts online with a combined total of over 50,000 views. In addition, The Wise Collective online presence enjoyed growth, engagement and continues to emerge as a relevant space for interaction both on social media and through the newly launched website at www.wise4afrika.org.

Launched #wiseConsent campaign, a two-part video and visual series - developed by young people, both part one and two videos seek to spark conversation among peers on consent and to develop a common understanding, through conversation, on the importance of consent as a starting point in addressing sexual violence against womxn. Premiered online, these videos have reached thousands of individuals including being featured on Cape TV’s The Womxn’s Show. In addition, the visual posters have been viewed by many and remain excellent conversation starters for establishing consent.

Launched Harassmap - an online platform, inspired by womxn in North Africa, that seeks to combat the prevalance of sexual harassment through geo-locating incidents of abuse. The collected data will be used to identify hotspots for sexual harassment while also enbling victims/survivors the privacy to report without the stigma that often comes with legal/criminal sexual harassment charges. In addition, the data will be used to chart effective response for advocacy and interventions to address violence against womxn.

In addition, we also launched an #iWillWalkWithYou campaign, enlisting citizens of South Africa to sign-up for an opportunity to accompany victims/survivors of abuse to police stations where they can lodge cases, courts, Thuthuzela Care Centres, medical centres, etc. to access care and support. To date, over 200 volunteers have raised their hands, fulfilling request(s) daily and heeding the call to #BelieveHer and provide the necessary support for victims of violence to reclaim their lives through access to justice as well as care and support services necessary in their healing journey.

Publicly calling out the impunity and demanding accountability remains a central part of The Wise Collective’s fight against patriarchy. From protest letters to government and private sector, and civil society entities, our big wins include the withdrawal of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s participation in the PowerFM Chairman's Conversation with Given Mkhari who had been implicated in a domestic violence case as well as the blocking of convicted rapist musician, Koffi Olomide, who was successfully prevented from entering the country to perform.

Finally, in an effort to impact long term change towards ending gender based violence and femicide (GBVF), over the course of 2019 we’ve participated in the Presidential Interim Steering Committee (ISC) on GBVF where the Wise Collective directors have contributed in (i) co-chairing the ISC representing the CSO sector, (ii) co-drafting of the National Strategic Plan on Gender Based Violence and Femicide including facilitating the accompanying public stakeholder consultations, and (iii) co-drafting of the Emergency Response and Action Plan. Overall, 2019 was another brutal year with regards to the onslaught on womxn’s bodies as seen through the increased rates of domestic violence and sexual offenses as well as femicide. However, we are grateful for the impact we are forging through the efforts of the Wise 4 Afrika, supported by many woxmn and men who gave their resources, time and talent to this cause. Most importantly we wish to thank our donors whose generous financial contributions supported our work in 2019. Sign up to receive our newsletter, follow and join our work and to join our efforts in fighting to end patriarchy, misogyny and toxic masculinity and to advance gender equality.