--- title: "This week in Civil Society — Unpacking food safety, discussion on decolonising conservation and tackling youth in crisis" description: "From food systems and pharmaceutical transparency to HIV justice, decolonising conservation, and youth activism — this week features a series of thought-provoking webinars hosted by Heala, Sanac, Plaas, HJI, and others." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "CIVIL SOCIETY WATCH 9-14 JUNE" author: "Lerato Mutsila" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/lerato-mutsila/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-06-09-this-week-in-civil-society-unpacking-food-safety-discussion-on-decolonising-conservation-and-tackling-youth-in-crisis/" published: "2025-06-09T12:57:49" updated: "2025-06-09T12:57:51" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 567 --- # This week in Civil Society — Unpacking food safety, discussion on decolonising conservation and tackling youth in crisis > From food systems and pharmaceutical transparency to HIV justice, decolonising conservation, and youth activism — this week features a series of thought-provoking webinars hosted by Heala, Sanac, Plaas, HJI, and others. By Lerato Mutsila · Published 9 June 2025, 14:57 SAST · Updated 9 June 2025, 14:57 SAST ## Key points - On June 9, Heala will host a webinar that promises to dissect the tangled web of ultra-processed foods and policy gaps contributing to South Africa's health crises, while also spotlighting the heroes — like caregivers and health workers — who are fighting for a healthier future. - Heala's webinar on 9 June will address the impact of ultra-processed foods and policy gaps on health issues in South Africa, featuring experts and personal stories. - Sanac's webinar on 10 June will focus on legal access for people living with HIV and TB, using case studies from Ghana and South Africa to highlight barriers to justice. - The Health Justice Initiative's 12 June webinar will discuss pharmaceutical transparency, showcasing global civil society efforts to enhance accountability in the industry. - Amandla.Mobi's Youth in Crisis discussion on 12 June will reflect on the lessons of June '76, tackling youth unemployment and the future of education. ## Content On **Monday, 9 June,** Heala will host a webinar on a holistic approach to health and food systems **at 2pm**. The webinar will explore how ultra-processed foods, policy gaps, and industry interference contribute to rising non-communicable diseases, obesity, and child malnutrition in South Africa. “We’ll unpack why grants like R530 fall short, highlight the need for stronger policies like Front-of-Pack Warning Labels and the Health Promotion Levy, and spotlight the essential role of caregivers, health workers, and school nutrition programmes in building healthier food systems,” Heala said. Speakers include Patrick Ngassa Piotie (Diabetes Alliance SA – UP) and John Nkuna (sharing his personal journey with diabetes). Register for this discussion [here](https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GWRqPXL7RGS0IB4OcmtMrg#/registration). ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Poster-1.jpeg) On **Tuesday, 10 June**, **at 12pm,** the South African National Aids Council (Sanac) will host a webinar on access to justice for people living with HIV and TB. “Reaching the Sustainable Development Goal of ending the HIV and tuberculosis epidemics by 2030 requires countries to address human rights and gender issues that hinder service access. An essential element is ensuring access to legal aid and redress for rights violations,” Sanac said. Using Ghana and South Africa as case studies, the webinar will unpack what needs to be done to break down barriers to access to services and facilitate justice. Register to join the webinar [here](https://sanac-org-za.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hWFwzMRMRH2qKLpqQ-b_bQ#/registration). ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Poster-2.jpeg) Also happening on **Tuesday****at 3.30pm is**the third bi-monthly Global Health Solidarity webinar. This instalment of the webinar will explore how solidarity has taken shape during key global and continental health crises, from resisting Aids denialism in the early 2000s in South Africa, to challenging vaccine apartheid during the Covid-19 pandemic, and confronting the impact of recent US funding cuts to African health programmes. Register for the discussion [here](https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UL84P9tNQUWE4Xa-eEjYUA#/registration). ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Poster-3.jpeg) On **Thursday, 12 June at 3pm,**the Health Justice Initiative will host a webinar on pharmaceutical transparency. During this webinar, experts from South Africa, Colombia and Spain will share real-world experiences on how civil society is making an impact in ensuring pharmaceutical transparency. Speakers: - Adrián Alonso Ruiz (Research and Advocacy Manager, Salud por Derecho) - Fatima Hassan (Founder and Director, Health Justice Initiative) - Claudia Vaca González (Deputy Ombudsperson for the Right to Health and Social Security, Colombia) Register [here](https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/1dd2cb2c-498a-491d-a11a-d7f4b73a5974@775b6dfb-d043-4e74-87a0-4fe977c3a85d). ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Poster-4.jpeg) Also on **Thursday, at 10am,** the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (Plaas) will hold a discussion on decolonising conservation, rights, livelihoods and access. “With the increasing acknowledgement of the legacy of colonialism on conservation, including related land dispossession, race-based exclusionary practices of accessing natural resources, to mention a few, calls for decolonising conservation have become common. Indeed, there are numerous efforts (at least on paper) that aim to redress the imbalances of the past. These efforts focus on strengthening rights of local/indigenous people in land and natural resources, as well as to enhance their livelihoods,” the poster reads. The webinar will explore what efforts to decolonise biodiversity look like, including why the challenges continue. Register [here](https://uwc.zoom.us/meeting/register/9uKcbvfmR_mG0AixAl4wOQ#/registration). ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Poster-5.jpeg) Also on **Thursday, at 5.30pm,** Amandla.Mobi will host a discussion in the build-up to Youth Day, which will take place on June 16. During Youth in Crisis: Lessons from ’76*,* speakers will discuss: - Education crisis and the future of the next generation. - Youth unemployment and the ticking time bomb. - Lessons of June ’76 for today’s youth. - The role of youth in resisting neoliberalism. **Venue:** 129 Rochester Road, Observatory, Cape Town RSVP for the discussion [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUUaTYbXF-p7WHh_TwZZxftHapbaJYBDTnwHAwR7y_SLxZxw/viewform). **DM** ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Poster-6.jpeg)