This week in Civil Society — Unpacking food safety, discussion on decolonising conservation and tackling youth in crisis

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.



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.



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. 



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)

• 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.