male and female gender activists tell their stories

December 2, 2005: On 8 December 2005, EngenderHealth and the Men as Partners (MAP) Network will be officially launching a new project, working with gender activists to utilize age-old traditions of story telling to mobilize others to take action. With support from UNAIDS, 20 gender activists from the MAP Network worked with the Centre for Digital Storytelling to document their stories related to ending gender-based violence, reducing the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS, and promoting gender equality. Each activist wrote, narrated and produced a three-minute multimedia ?digital story,? all of which have been reproduced in DVD format to be used by MAP Network partners in community-based settings to mobilize men to take action against gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. The stories are personal in nature, sharing experiences many of the activists went through which have motivated them to be activists today.

Initiated in 1998 by EngenderHealth, the Men as Partners (MAP) Network works to challenge the attitudes and behaviours held by men that compromise their own health and safety as well as the health and safety of women and children; and to encourage men to become actively involved in responding to gender based violence and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The MAP network is comprised of numerous international, national, regional and community-based NGOs, government agencies and individuals motivated to make change in their communities and all of South Africa.

Engenderhealth and the MAP Network are excited to be bridging the ancient tradition of storytelling with the digital age. These activist?s personal experiences of dealing with violence and HIV/AIDS will speak courageously to thousands of South Africans who are struggling to take action against violence and secure their role as activists,? says Dean Peacock, of the MAP Network and Country Representative for EngenderHealth/South Africa.

In recognition of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence and World AIDS Day, Engenderhealth/MAP will be honouring these story tellers by hosting a Digital Story Telling launch event at its offices in Newtown.

Date: 8 December 2005
Time: 15:30 - 18:00
Location: Engenderhealth Offices, CIVICUS House/31 Quinn Street
(corner of Quinn and Pimm Streets), Newtown; Johannesburg
Phone: 011.833.0503

Kent Klindera, MPH
Postnet Suite 245; Private Bag x 31; Saxonwold 2132; Johannesburg, South Africa
+27.72.709.1534 (cell); +27.11.477.4075 (phone/fax)
Khotso! Pula! Nala! (Peace, Rain and Abundance)
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