An Evaluation of Sonke's Work in Responding to the Crisis of Gender-based Violence amongst Migrants in and around Musina

This 27-page study serves as an evaluation of Sonke's involvement in Musina, a town on the South Africa/Zimbabwe border, to address the crisis of gender-based violence (GBV) in the area. The evaluation found that the One Man Can (OMC) campaign initiative is an effective method of reaching out to men and boys, the main perpetrators of gender-based violence. It evaluates the success of the individual activities, which included workshops, sensitisation and awareness campaigns, and the distribution of reading materials on the issues of GBV, HIV/AIDS, xenophobia, and human rights.

Sonke and People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) carried out the programme in 2009 and 2010 with funding and support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Prior to the initiative, Sonke participated in a consultative process facilitated by UNICEF designed to assess gender-based violence in the area, particularly as it affects refugee women and girls from Zimbabwe. Sonke's response to the GBV crisis in Musina was designed to: mobilise men and boys to take a stand against sexual violence; raise awareness around, and mobilise the community to challenge, xenophobia; strengthen community cohesion and promote human rights; and raise awareness among the general population on how to support family members/peers in the event of sexual violence. Sonke's intervention was structured around the One Man Can Campaign. This campaign works to support men to advocate for gender equality, including taking active stands against domestic and sexual violence. It is also designed to promote and sustain change in participants' personal lives to protect themselves and their partners from HIV/AIDS.

In determining whether Sonke has achieved its objectives in Musina, this study sought to find out if the people of Musina understand the issue of GBV and its impact on their community. It also assessed whether the people of Musina: know where to seek help if faced with a situation of GBV; understand the essence of Sonke's intervention; and deem it necessary to address the current situation in Musina.

The findings of the study are grouped under 3 themes: working with men and boys, community mobilisation and awareness campaign, and collaboration with stakeholders. The study found that respondents understood the objectives behind Sonke's work with men and boys and that there was general approval of the work. It also found that Sonke's sensitisation campaign has been successful in communicating the causes of GBV. Respondents also stated that Sonke's intervention has helped the community deal with issues of GBV. They also said that, in the future, they would take action such as reporting the case to the relevant authorities and trying to educate perpetrators. Respondents also confirmed that they had received educational reading materials on GBV and HIV/AIDS from Sonke and POWA. However, the majority of respondents felt that the reading materials were not useful for disseminating information on GBV because people do not like reading thick books. Most of the population is not literate, especially those who are most vulnerable, and people prefer to read information in their home language. People would also rather look at posters than pamphlets, especially if they have animated characters or are not too large.

Two other approaches used by Sonke to engage the community were painting murals and developing PhotoVoice posters with young people. According to the study, the mural process and the result were positively received. Although PhotoVoice workshops were not yet completed at the time of the study, the author notes that participants found the workshop very interesting and empowering.

The study suggests that Sonke has been able to raise awareness in the broader community, though further thought needs to be given to the format of educational materials and the way that they are integrated into other activities in order to maximise their usefulness.

The study highlights a few gaps and issues in the programme and provides a number of recommendations for future work. These include the following:

• Sonke should continue sensitisation and awareness campaigns on the issue of GBV in the area and employ a range of media to extend the reach.
• For development efforts to be sustained, Sonke should take into consideration the diversity of the community and ensure that all stakeholders are involved.
• Extensive training of stakeholders needs to be undertaken and serious thought given to developing a sustainable strategy.
• Development efforts around Musina should also be designed for rural areas and farms, with a focus on awareness and prevention.
• Inter-agency coordination and collaboration is essential in addressing GBV, and Sonke should try to include as many agencies as possible in its work.
• Continued monitoring and evaluation needs to be put into place to ensure that the projects remain as relevant and appropriate as possible.
• Future work with the justice system should try to address the difficulties highlighted around taking cases forward when the population is very mobile.