Based in Johannesburg the organisation aims to enhance the capacity of women and men to equip them with the skills to engage critically in democratic processes.
The organisation, which coordinates the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance, a network of regional theme clusters and interest groups, is recognised globally for bringing together a coalition of non-governmental organisations campaigning for the elevation of the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development into a Protocol. The protocol seeks to work towards attaining millennium development goal number three: the attainment of gender equality by 2015.
Equal participation
Formed in March 2001, Gender Links is committed to a region in which women and men are able to participate equally in all aspects of public and private life in accordance with the provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
The organisation is SADC focused and it aims to mainstream the Gender Protocol into civil society for adoption and implementation. It strives to develop policies and conduct effective campaigns to end gender-based violence and promote economic and climatic justice. Since its formation, the organisation has been involved in lobbying and advocating for a gender-just society using the mainstream and new media.
To date, it has conducted research to identify gender gaps, conducted advocacy campaigns and lobbied for the development of action plans that bring together a broad cross section of partners.
It has fundraised to promote income-generating activities through the Gender Links Services and Gender Links Training Institute.
Media literacy
The organisation strives to ensure that countries in the SADC region promote democracy through building gender responsive governance, in which the media plays an integral role. To achieve this, Gender Links is involved in media literacy related work where the organisation works with local government while also reaching out to the community media.
It creates linkages among various government and non-governmental organisations and produces useful tools and services that have the power to create synergies.
Its pioneering work in developing strategic communications campaigns is linked to the Sixteen Days of Activism against gender-based violence campaign, which has grown to include initiatives to ensure sustained, year-long campaigns for ending gender violence and indicators for measuring the impact of this work. These indicators are being cascaded to local 365 Day Campaigns to end gender violence.
Awards
In October 2010, Gender Links won the ‘Investing in the Future Award’ administered by the Mail and Guardian newspaper for its Gender, Justice and Local Government Summit. In 2009, the organisation received the ‘Top Gender Empowered Government Agency or Parastatal Award’ from the Top Women Awards. It has been a finalist in the ‘Drivers of Change Award – Civil Society Category’ administered by the Mail and Guardian newspaper and the Southern African Trust.
Gender Links has a 12-member Board comprising of 10 SADC nationalities chaired by Muna Ndulo from Zambia. It has established offices in Mauritius, Mozambique, Lesotho, Madagascar, Swaziland, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
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