The Sonke Gender Justice project, started in February 2006, tries to address the social aspects of the HIV epidemic, with a particular focus on gender issues.

Sonke Gender Justice's vision is a SADC region in which men, women, youth and children can enjoy equitable, healthy, and happy relationships that contribute to the development of a just and democratic society.

To achieve this, the Sonke Gender Justice project works to build government, civil society and citizen capacity to achieve gender equality, prevent gender based violence and reduce the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS.

Goals and Objectives

Sonke Gender Justice aims to:

• Build government capacity across the SADC region to develop policies and successfully implement initiatives that address HIV/AIDS and gender based violence as matters of national and regional priority.  
• Build civil society capacity across the SADC region to use rights-based advocacy to promote gender equality, end gender based violence and reduce the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS.
• Improve the cohesion and coordination of government and civil society sector responses to HIV/AIDS and violence against women and promote peer to peer exchanges.
• Provide training and technical assistance on the implementation of Men as Partners activities that encourage men at all levels of society to take a stand for gender equality, oppose gender based violence and be more involved in reducing the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS.
• Promote positive shifts in social norms regarding gender roles and relations in the region through partnerships with existing media and the development of new IEC materials.