Update on the Men’s Sector Conference

The SANAC Men’s sector represents organisations and other bodies that work with men and/or run programmes focusing on men in the area of Health and Social Upliftment. The sector supports initiatives that address the role of men in combating the spread of HIV and AIDS, as well mitigating the impact of the disease in communities. The sector also seeks to support all other national initiatives aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of all South Africans.

SANAC Men’s Sector Conference

The sector hosted its 2nd Annual South African National Men’s Sector Elective and Policy Review Conference on 28-29 August 2012. All provinces attended the conference.

Resolutions, agreements and action points:

• The conference accepted all the provincial reports and appreciated the work done so far by the provinces. However, there is more that needs to be done to strengthen the provinces, such as Western Cape, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.
• The conference adopted the Secretariat’s report. All the challenges were noted. The secretariat will try to assist the provincial men’s sector formations and link them with the Provincial AIDS Councils, with the intention of transmitting the work of the men’s sector at the district level.
• The conference decided not to revive/review any policy that was adopted by the previous conferences or by SANAC, but to continue with programs such as the implementation of MMC and the recognition of Traditional Male Circumcision Act (scaling up) by all the provinces. The conference recommends that SANAC reject the use of Tara Klamp in the implementation of Medical Male Circumcision in SA.
• Concerns were raised about the crafting of the Traditional Courts Bill
• The Men’s Sector should take centre stage in making sure that awareness is raised and programs undertaken to address the deaths of male initiates as a result of illegal initiation schools by non-registered traditional nurses.
• The Men’s Sector conference will continue to work with Brothers for Life as its tool to engage South African men on issues of HIV-prevention and GBV.
• As the Men’s Sector, we condemn harmful cultural practices, such as ukuthwalwa (trafficking of young girls) in some parts of the country.
• The sector will raise the issues of men’s mental health and access to health care.
• On the issue of the men’s sector participating in the newly formed GBV Council and sector, we agreed to wait for the formal invitation from the Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities.
• Men’s Sector’s Plan will be consolidated and be submitted to SANAC and to other potential partners.

The constituency also agreed on the following National Executive Committee Members for the years 2012-2016:

Ps. Mbulelo Dyasi is the Secretariat Coordinator of the South African National AIDS Council Men’s Sector