As we enter the 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse starting on the 25th November, the Joint Working Group calls on all South Africans to remember the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex victims of Gender Based Violence and Hate Crime at the same time as we remember all other victims of violence, abuse and prejudice in our country.

We remember Sizakele, Salome, Lorna, Gugu, Zoliswa, Thokozane, Jonas, Waldo, Daisy, Eudy and all the other LGBTI people who have been assaulted, raped or murdered because of their sexual orientation, their gender identity or their activism. We honour all LGBTI and Women’s Human rights defenders who work tirelessly and often at great risk to challenge prejudice and oppose violence.

We call for the 16 days to be used as an opportunity to call for justice for the victims of hate crime, for Sizakele Sigasa and Salome Masooa, in whose case no arrests have ever been made. For Zoliswa Nkonyana whose alleged killers are yet to face trial more than two years after the crime to took place. For Eudy Simelane whose killers must face trial in February of next year with no further hold-ups in the case. And for the many other victims of hate, whose cases are often never reported, not properly investigated, not prosecuted or not recognised as the hate crimes that they are.

We further acknowledge the violence and suffering being faced by our LGBTI sisters and brothers throughout the African continent who suffer abuse and violence not only at the hands of criminals but often also from the institutions of their states. It is our hope that the messages of the 16 days campaign will be heard throughout our continent.

We call on all South Africans and specifically the LGBTI community to engage with 16 Day activities, demand justice for victims of violence and prejudice, say no to hate, no to violence and no to homophobia and all other forms of prejudice.

Emily Craven
Coordinator
Joint Working Group
011 403 5566
011 403 5567
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Member Organisations of the JWG

• Activate WITS
• Behind the Mask
• Coalition of African Lesbians
• Durban Gay and Lesbian Community
• D Gayle
• Engender
• Forum for the Empowerment of Women
• Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action
• Gay and Lesbian Network (PMB)
• Gay Umbrella
• Gender DynamiX
• Glorious Light MCC
• Good Hope MCC
• Hope and Unity MCC
• IAM
• Jewish Outlook
• Out in Africa
• OUT LGBT Well-being
• OUT Rhodes
• Rainbow UCT
• SAYLO
• The Inner Circle
• Lesbian and Gay Equality Project
• Triangle Project
• Unisa Centre for Applied Psychology
• XX/Y Flame