From Monday, 11 to Tuesday 12 October the Third Annual Thuli Madonsela Social Justice Summit will take place in Stellenbosch. The theme is “Social justice, economic equality and peace – a new socioeconomic pathway to South Africa and the continent”. Maverick Citizen editor Mark Heywood will be the rapporteur for the social security and basic income grant panel discussion. View the programme and register to attend here.

Also from Monday to Tuesday, Unicef and UNFPA will host the fifth anniversary event of the Global Programme to End Child Marriage. To attend the event contact [email protected]. 

On Monday, at 2pm, Professor Steven Friedman will launch his book, Prisoners of the Past: South African democracy and the legacy of minority rule. He will be in discussion with Professor Siphamandla Zondi and Ayabulela Dlakavu. You can register to attend the launch here.

On Tuesday, from 11am to 12.30pm, the South African Health Technologies Advocacy Coalition, global health non-profit PATH and Campaign for Cancer will be hosting a webinar discussion on Diversity and Gender Equity in Health. The discussants will be public health professional and health policy analyst Johnpaul Omollo, gender specialist and public policy analyst Nonhlanhla Sibanda Moyo, and group executive of the impact centre at the Human Sciences Research Council, Professor Heidi van Rooyen. You can join the discussion here.

Later on Tuesday, at 2.30pm, the Social Change Initiative will host a discussion on the growing problem of disinformation and what can be done about it. The discussants will be Mike Posner, director of the New York University Centre for Business and Human Rights, Aoife Gallagher, an analyst at the Institute of Social Dialogue, and Kavisha Pillay, a social change activist working with Corruption Watch. Register here.

At 6pm on Tuesday the Local Government in Crisis webinars continue and Maverick Citizen editor Mark Heywood will be in conversation with Phindile Kunene from the Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education and Ayanda Kota from the Unemployed People’s Movement. You can register to join the discussion here.

On Wednesday, 13 and Thursday, 14 October the Public Interest Law Gathering (PILG) will bring together activists to discuss how to use law as a social justice tool. This year’s theme is “Reflections on Defending and Advancing Social Justice during the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa”. You can register to attend here.

On Wednesday at 5pm the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics will be hosting a discussion titled “What ought to be done to increase vaccine uptake”, with Professor Ames Dhai, deputy chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Coronavirus Vaccines, and David Harrison, National lead: Covid 19 Vaccination Demand Acceleration Strategy. You can register to attend here.

On Thursday, from 10am to 12pm, the National School of Governance (NSG) will be presenting a masterclass on the “Transformative Mission of Meritocratic Bureaucracies”. The speakers will be venture capitalist and senior fellow at NSG, Dr Eric Li, and academic, public sector executive and senior fellow at NSG, Dr Cassius Lubisi. Register to join here.

On Thursday at 2pm, Wits University Press will be launching a book by John Marnell, Seeking Sanctuary: Stories of Sexuality, Faith and Migration. He will be in conversation with Kopano Maroga and Dumisani Dube, unpacking the questions: what does it mean to be an LGBT migrant, refugee or asylum seeker? What role does faith play in these individuals’ lives? How can storytelling contribute to the struggle for human rights? RSVP to [email protected] to receive the Zoom link.

On Friday, 15 October between 11am and 12pm, Grow Great will be launching its report on stunting, The Nutritional Status of Children under 5, in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape. The Grow Great campaign aims to galvanise South Africa towards a national commitment to achieving zero stunting by 2030. You can register to attend here.

Saturday, 16 October is World Food Day which seeks to promote global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger, and to highlight the need to ensure healthy diets for all. Maverick Citizen will be sending out a special newsletter focusing on this. Find out more about World Food Day here. DM/MC