By Oliver Meth and Bongani Sibeko South Africa was the first country in the world to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. It was the first country in Africa, and the fifth worldwide, to legalise same-sex marriage. This places South Africa at the forefront of global efforts to adopt a comprehensive rights-based approach to the […]
Health
Posted inHealth, Media, News/Politics
The problem with the ACDP’s anti-abortion Facebook post
If there’s one thing South African politicians should know about social media, is that it’s a double-edged sword. When used correctly, it can add value to the party’s concerns. Think about the successful Twitterviews held by the ANC, the engaging Twitter Town Halls run by the DA and the highly publicised online Q & A […]
Posted inHealth, Lifestyle
A non-Valentine’s post
Love doesn’t get much of a look-in on Thought Leader. Politics, race and power interest the readers here. But Valentine’s Day is upon us, and the shops are full of heart shaped chocolates and glutinous messages, so I hope you will indulge me. I used to write a lot about love here – the absence […]
Posted inHealth, Lifestyle
27 Weeks
The gestation period of the human being is conventionally held to be 280 days. Nine months to get used to the idea, which is a good thing, because some of us, like me, have a lot to get our heads around. Those of you who’ve read my previous musings on the subject of children will […]
Posted inEquality, Gender violence, Health
It is quite possible for women to have sex and get a degree
I saw an article today that I found extremely worrying. It suggested that 16 bursaries were awarded to female matriculants who underwent a virginity test, and passed. In order to keep these “maiden” bursaries, the women must “remain pure” and undergo regular testing throughout their undergraduate degree. These bursaries are premised on the idea that […]
Posted inEnvironment, Equality, Health, Lifestyle
How to help students succeed at university
By Rakhee Naik and Safiyyah Pahad After 21 years of democracy, people still question whether apartheid is a prominent reason impacting on the current state of education. Whether acknowledged or not, we must consider its impact on predominantly black students in accessing resources and educational opportunities. This is exacerbated by their limited social and cultural […]
Posted inGeneral, Health, Lifestyle
On idiots and aliens
So, how many of you have ever been abducted by aliens? I first realised I might have been when I googled “aliens” after hearing that July 2 was World UFO Day. Up popped a story on Metro.co.uk headed “I was abducted by aliens — and they put a machine in my body” where a fellow […]
Posted inHealth, Lifestyle, Media
Sex is complex: Gender, HIV and Charlie Sheen’s disclosure
By Pierre Brouard So Charlie Sheen is in trouble again — this time because he has been forced to disclose his HIV status to be one step ahead of the tabloids, and to cut off the money supply to extortionists who had him over a barrel. The competing narratives around his disclosure have been fascinating: […]
Posted inHealth
An open letter to Discovery Health from a diabetic, this National Diabetes Month
Dear Discovery Health, Earlier today I was driven to tears by an excruciatingly frustrating encounter with Discovery Health. What surprised me most was not, sadly, that a conversation with my medical aid would move me to tears, but that none of my colleagues seemed surprised. In fact, many of them had had a similar experience. […]
Posted inHealth, News/Politics
The dangerous accountability deficit in Malawi’s health sector
By Annabel Raw Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and is heavily dependent on aid. About 40% of its annual budget comes from international donors. However, following the revelation of a massive corruption scandal dubbed “cashgate”, donors have been slashing their disbursements. In October, the IMF also suspended loans to Malawi […]
Posted inEquality, Gender violence, Health, Lifestyle
Normalising intimate partner violence among Soweto youth
By Matamela Makongoza, Mzikazi Nduna and Janan Dietrich One of the greatest challenges facing young people today is intimate partner violence. This is usually perpetrated by young men against their female partners. For instance, three out of 10 adolescent males in the Eastern Cape reported beating or raping their partners, and this type of intimate […]
Posted inEquality, Health, Lifestyle
Urgently rethinking mental health in South Africa
As troops of psychologists flocked into Joburg last month, Emperors Palace morphed into a marketplace of ideas. My everyday work context is a busy public hospital setting, so as I prepared for this annual congress, mental health was on my mind. And it still is, because October is mental health month, and Saturday was World […]