The series of Seminars on Sexual & Reproductive Justice (SRJ) came to an end with the last Seminar, hosted by the Northern Cape Department of Social Development, on 7 - 8 March 2023, at Boontjieskraal, near Kimberley.

This Seminar focused on Intersections, Power and Sexual Justice: a Focus on Patriarchy, Language and Religion.

A total of eight seminars on SRJ, each with a specific thematic focus, were facilitated by the Population Development Unit at the National Department of Social Development, in collaboration with stakeholders, throughout the country, between October 2022 and March 2023.

The aim of these seminars was:

•  To provide a platform for in-depth engagements on SRJ by stakeholders ;
•  To showcase innovations and successes in SRJ training, education, practices, research and policy engagements;
•  To strengthen partnerships and collaboration among policy-makers and practitioners in the areas of SRJ.
• This was the last of the Seminars, which was preceded by:
•  Inaugural Seminar on SRJ: October 2022, Gauteng
•  SRJ for Underserved Groups: October 2022, Eastern Cape
•  Service Delivery and SRJ: October 2022, KwaZulu-Natal
•  A World of 8 billion: Towards a Resilient future. Harnessing Opportunities and Ensuring Rights and Choices for All: November 2022, North West
•  SRJ and Migration: 31 January 2023, Mbombela, Mpumalanga
•  Urbanization and SRJ: 07 February 2023, Polokwane, Limpopo
•  Poverty, Inequality and SRJ: 27-28 February 2023, Cape Town, Western Cape

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The first day, Tuesday, 7 March 2023, kicked off with Ms Shouneez Wookey, the Acting Head of the Department, opening and welcoming all stakeholders to the 8th SRJ Seminar.

Mr Jacques van Zuydam, Chief Director: Population Development at the National Department of Social Development discussed the background and purpose of these SRJ Seminars, as well as provided feedback on the previous SRJ Seminar.

Several presentations were done during Day 1, in preparation for the Group Discussions on Day 2:

Prof Catriona Ida Macleod, from Rhodes University, did an online presentation on “Framing sexualities and reproduction: from population control to rights to justice”.

A presentation on “Youth perceptions on patriarchy, religion, culture and masculinity” was delivered by Ms Kgomotsegang Nkadimang, Founder and Chairperson of the O mang? (Who are you?) Youth Development Initiative. This presentation focused on how the above-mentioned factors are perceived to impact on Sexual and Reproductive Justice.

Ms Megan Reuvers, from Rhodes University, presented: “We all get pregnant under different circumstances” using a supportability framework for understanding support (in)equities during pregnancy.
“How power (institutional and cultural) plays out in forced coerced sterilization”, on HIV Positive Women, presented by Ms Khensani Motileni of the Women’s Legal Centre.

Ms Jedidah Maina from the MAMA (Mobilizing Activists around Medical Abortions) Network delivered a presentation on “Putting back the power in women's hands: advancing SRJ through Hotlines in Africa”.  MAMA is a network of grassroots organizations that support those who seek self-managed abortions by abortion pills in Sub-Saharan Africa.

On Day 2, Wednesday, 8 March 2023, Ms Lizelle Henney, Senior Manager: Population Development did a recap on the previous day before Rhodes University presented on “Refining Youth Sexuality Education Programmes in South Africa: The Masizixhobise Toolkit”.

Ms Nosiphiwo Rasmei, from the Northern Cape, and Mr Jacob Ramokhoase, from the Free State, shared experiences on working for common good project.

Ms Morongwa Serumula, from the National Department of Social Development, then set the scene for group discussions, on the following topics: Culture; Language; Religion; and Patriarchy.

All Groups had to answer the following questions:

•  What are the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and Justice key issues for your specific topic?
•  What could be regarded as good practices regarding Sexual Reproductive Justice related to your specific topic?
•  To what extent do you think South Africa’s laws and policies should safeguard Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights within your specific topic?
•  These Seminars culminated in a SRJ Conference on 22 - 24 March 2023 in Gauteng; with the following objectives:
•  To highlight areas of priority that require intensified interventions by all role players within the context of SRJ in South Africa;
•  To provide recommendations on how to facilitate and strengthen SRJ across all sectors of our society.
•  It is anticipated that the recommendations of the SRJ Conference will inform and support the development of a national strategy to promote SRJ in the country.
•  Documents leading to  this SRJ Seminar Series were:
•  The White Paper on Population Policy for South Africa (1998) highlights the high incidence of unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies, risks associated with early childbearing and maternal mortality as major population concerns.
•  The recommendation of the 2015 report to Cabinet on the “Fifteen Year Review of the Implementation of the Population Policy for South Africa” (1998) and the “International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme Action” (1994) @ 20’ that the country should ‘approach sexual and reproductive health and rights from a sexual and reproductive justice perspective as gender equality, Equity and the genuine empowerment of women, including SRHR, can only be realized sustainably if reproductive justice is achieved’.
•  The National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRH&R) Framework was approved by Cabinet in February 2015. This strategy was developed as an explicit strategy that would serve as an action guide to stakeholders that is underpinned by evidence contained in reports and strategies that examined various aspects of ASRH&R in South Africa.
•  2019 internal implementation evaluation of the National ASRHR Framework Strategy; this report was shared with all stakeholders.The 2021/22 APP (Annual Performance Plan) of the National Department of Social Development, has set a target for the National Population Unit to implement the Adolescent SRHR Programme, which included conducting Sexual and Reproductive Seminars across the Provinces.
•  2021 Report of the High-Level Commission on the Nairobi Summit on lCPD25 follow-up (of which Minister Lindiwe Zulu is a member) recommendations, titled “No Exceptions, No Exclusions: realizing sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all” on ‘making SRJ the goal by conducting all SRHR work under a justice framework’.