As part of the 16 Days of Activism on Gender Violence campaign, Gender Links is hosting a South African online discussion platform on gender violence.
Meetings were held between panel experts and decision-makers at the City of Johannesburg, Msunduzi Metro Council and at multi-purpose community centres to discuss and confirm content of these group discussions, says Susan Tolmay, programme officer at Gender Links.
The initiative runs simultaneously with the 16 Days of Activism campaign and will continue until 10 December.
Referred to as Cyber Dialogues, these discussion groups take place between 13:00 and 14:00 every day in real-time chat via the Gender Links Web site. Discussions are conducted in up to nine different languages. Each language will have its own chat room and each room is led by a panel expert who answers any questions members may have about discussion topics, says Tolmay.
Although members are likely to converse in their own language, certain key "regional days" such as World Aids Day on 1 December and International Human Right`s Day on 10 December will bring together all members into a single room to discuss related topics in English.
Some topics include young women, violence and HIV/AIDS, sexual harassment and places of safety and care. Tolmay sees Cyber Dialogues as a way for members to get information and disseminate it. Anyone with access to an Internet connection and an interest in discussion topics is being encouraged to participate.
"The interest so far has been phenomenal, which brings truth to its slogan of 'making IT work for gender justice`," says Kubi Rama, deputy director of Gender Links.
Forums for anonymous users to post comments, pledge their commitment or take part in the interactive daily polls addressing major issues are provided.
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