The Social Justice Activist:
“Thursdays in Black”
Thursdays in Black is a participative project spearheaded by the Diakonia Council of Churches – to encourage women and men to wear black every Thursday to create ongoing awareness about issues of gender justice, violence against women and corrective rape. This is especially pertinent during the annual 16 Days of Activism Campaign in which gender violence gets put in the spotlight.
The campaign was launched in Durban in 2008 to tie in with the 16 Days of activism,
Diakonia Council of Churches have specially-made buttons and wristbands to be worn to conscientise people about the issues, and to create awareness about the campaign which can be obtained through Diakonia Council of Churches in Diakonia Avenue.
Nomabelu Mvambo-Dandala is the Executive Director of Diakonia Council of Churches – an
ecumenical, inter-church agency, working with churches and church organisations in the pursuit of a more just society; an improved quality of life for the poor, as well as changes in attitudes and structures which perpetuate injustice.
“For me every day is a day of activism against sexual and gender-based violence. The scourge of violence in our society has reached such levels that we cannot wait for only 16 days towards the end of the year to rediscover our conscience.
“We cannot put up with the abuse and rape of women, children and the LGBTI community anymore. It is a scourge that we should all be ashamed of. Let us all work together and say NO to sexual and gender-based violence. Together as people of conscience, we can achieve victory,” she says.
