Intersectional Synergies: Advancing SRHR and GBV through Transdisciplinary Innovation
Project Summary
Intersectional Synergies: Advancing SRHR and GBV through Transdisciplinary Innovation The project seeks to critically examine the intersectionality of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) through a Group Model Building (GMB) approach in four towns (Diepkloof, Diepsloot, Eldorado Park, and Tembisa) around Johannesburg in South Africa. It explores how high levels of violence, poverty, and socio-economic challenges impact women and other marginalized groups’ access to SRHR services, despite existing government policies and strategies. Relation to CfE principles: The project tackles structural inequalities by addressing unequal access to SRHR services and the burden of GBV among women and other marginalized groups. Intersectional and transdisciplinary frameworks ensure that diverse people inform the design of solutions to their problems. Inclusion has been intentionally embedded in the design of the project as voices that are often overlooked such as community members’ are considered as co-creators of knowledge. The GMB approach is highly collaborative as it puts shared learning and problem solving in the hands of multiple stakeholders to build a collective understanding of GBV/SRHR challenges.
Organisation Snapshot
Sonke Gender Justice is a womxn’s rights organisation committed to feminist principles, using a rights-based and gender-transformative approach to achieve human rights and gender justice. In line with the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) motto, ‘Leave No One Behind’, Sonke prioritizes work that improves the lives of the most marginalised populations, including, but not limited to children, LGBTQIA + community and youth. Sonke works in 23 countries across Southern, Eastern, Central, and Western Africa through the Regional Programme and Networks Unit and the MenEngage Africa (MEA) Alliance. In South Africa, Sonke works in Western Cape Province in Cape Town, Gauteng Province in Johannesburg, Mpumalanga Province in Bushbuckridge, and Eastern Cape Province in Butterworth.
Project Team
Malintle Lehata
Research specialist
Malintle Lehata is a Research Specialist at Sonke Gender Justice, with over eight years of experience in MEL, specializing in gender justice, health and livelihoods programming. She is skilled in mixed methods research designs, participatory data collection, evidence-based research methods and outcome mapping. She has a strong track record in Monitoring and Evaluation, developing Theories of Change (TOCs), facilitating stakeholder learning processes, and integrating feminist and rights-based approaches to research. Malintle is also a member of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA).
Tshepo Mahuma
Acting Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning manager
Tshepo has over fourteen years of experience in Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning. She currently serves as the Acting Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager at Sonke Gender Justice. Throughout her career, Tshepo has contributed to a range of projects focused on community systems strengthening for adolescents and young women, sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV prevention, and the prevention of gender-based violence. She is highly skilled in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including the application of visual participatory approaches such as Photovoice.
Nomhle Soni
Assistant coordinator (Community field workers supervisor)
Nomhle Soni joined Sonke as a Trainer in the Community Education and Mobilization Unit. Now she is an assistant coordinator and regional facilitator. She has facilitated in countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. Nomhle sports a Bachelor of Social Science from University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN), a diploma in project management, and a certificate in human resources. She’s been active in the NPO sector for the past 14 years and worked in various sectors within the human rights space. She worked as a project coordinator in conjunction with the HSRC and accumulated vast knowledge in the areas of GBV and the LGBTIQA+ communities. Nomhle also has working knowledge of human rights, and the children’s sector and has been part of the task team of the uMgungundlovu AIDS Council and the local Aids council of Msunduzi Municipality.