Tuesday, 2 November is Intersex Awareness Day, a day of grassroots action to end the shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children. The day also provides an opportunity for reflection and political action. South Africa, in partnership with the European Union and civil society, is hosting a review of policy protections for transgender and intersex persons on 4-5 November 2021. You can join in the dialogue here.

On Tuesday, 2 November at 3pm, the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation will be hosting a webinar titled Low exclusive breastfeeding rates in South Africa: The stories behind the numbers. The speaker will be Dr Chantell Witten from the health sciences education division at the University of the Free State. You can register to join the discussion here.

On Wednesday, 3 November at 12pm, Maverick Citizen journalist Zukiswa Pikoli will host a webinar discussion on the issue of food justice. Participating in the webinar will be independent health journalist and editor Laura Lopez Gonzalez and public health lawyer Safura Abdool Karim. The discussion will be on how the food and beverage industry skirts legislation and manipulates people into making unhealthy food choices, resulting in an increase in malnutrition and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. You can register to be part of the discussion here.

On Thursday, 4 November at 2pm, the Budget Justice Coalition will host a discussion titled The local government framework and its impact on service delivery. Speaking at the event will be Dr Tracey Ledger, a senior researcher at the Public Affairs and Research Institute whose work focuses on analysing institutional failures in the public sector, mainly in local government, and on developing new institutional frameworks with which we can interpret institutional outcomes. Register to join the discussion here.

Also at 2pm on Thursday, the Department of Development Studies at Unisa will host a seminar titled Political vision outside the parties: South Africa’s Publics and the search for a future. The participants will be Prof Steven Friedman from the University of Johannesburg, Dr Trevor Ngwane from the University of Johannesburg, editor of Maverick Citizen Mark Heywood and journalist, activist and author Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki. You can join the discussion here.

Friday, 6 November is the Global Day for Climate Justice. Human rights organisation War on Want will be hosting marches in London and Glasgow. There will also be online actions that you can join in here. The organisation says it aims to show world leaders gathering at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow that “we will accept nothing less than an end to the injustice”. DM/MC