Asante Gender Action

12/03/2026

Be a , sponsor a learner, shape the future. 12 teens. 3 days. One life-changing camp. Support healthy masculinity, fight GBV and create teen leaders for change.

Sponsor a learner today: R800 full camp/R270 a day.

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Join the One Kid Campaign! At Asante Gender Action, we believe in the power of positive masculinity to prevent gender-based violence (GBV...

26/02/2026

Grade 12 girls at Kloof High got hands-on with tyre changes, warning lights and vehicle diagnostics thanks to Hyundai Automotive SA, proving that car knowledge isn’t a “boys’ club”.

When young women are equipped with practical skills, they gain confidence, independence and safer mobility choices. Breaking stereotypes starts with opportunities like these. 🚗✨

Girls at Kloof High School in Durban recently benefitted from an automotive skills workshop.

25/02/2026

Meet Daniel Seiti — chairperson of Asante Gender Action and a young leader redefining masculinity. Daniel champions positive masculinity and drives prevention of gender-based violence. Youth leadership like his is vital to our movement. Join us. Stand with the next generation.

19/02/2026

We w𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 — join us in the global Thursdays in Black movement against r**e and gender-based violence.
1 in 3 women face violence. 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸, 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Believe with us, act with us — wear black on Thursdays.
Angus Nel, on our communications sub-committee, in black today.

17/02/2026

Report: ‘𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆’ 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱
Online, there is growing engagement with ideas of “positive” or “progressive masculinity”, including concepts that reinterpret strength and autonomy in healthier ways. At the same time, critics argue that framing positive traits as masculine risks reinforcing gender hierarchies, calling instead for a focus on shared human values.
- 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 (𝘊𝘈𝘉𝘊)

16/02/2026

Report: 𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵
Encouragingly, some men publicly reject practices such as the so-called “bro code” when it is used to excuse abuse or violence against women. However, these voices are frequently mocked, dismissed or labelled “simps” (a man who attempts to gain the favour of women by being submissive), revealing powerful social enforcement of rigid masculinity.
Facebook discourse also reflected narratives of “weak men,” with some posts arguing that women publicly humiliate men perceived as lacking strength. At the same time, counter-narratives redefined strength as loyalty, emotional support, and commitment to family, highlighting an emerging contestation of traditional masculine ideals.
This creates what the report describes as a “perception gap”: many men want change, but fear social ostracisation or public shaming if they speak out.
“𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗿,” says the report.
- Masculine Norms on South African Social Media: One Year Later, social media report by Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC)

13/02/2026

Positive masculinity isn't about being soft. It's about being skilled.

Skilled at regulating emotion. Skilled at accountability. Skilled at protecting people without controlling them.

You weren't born emotionally closed. You were trained. Time to retrain.

💬 What emotion you were told to hide growing up?

13/02/2026

Report: 𝗕𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲
A recurring theme critiques the belief that “boys are easier to raise than girls”. Social media users link this mindset to boys being neglected in hygiene, emotional development and basic life skills, while being socialised primarily for toughness or financial success.
“South African social media is openly questioning a parenting culture that equips boys to perform masculinity, but not to cope with life,” the report observes.

- 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 (𝘊𝘈𝘉𝘊)

12/02/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 — join the global Thursdays in Black movement against r**e and gender-based violence. It’s a simple, powerful sign of solidarity with survivors and a protest against the systems that allow violence to continue.

1 in 3 women face violence. 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸, 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Stand with us — wear black on Thursdays.



Our Secretary, Charmell Nel, in black today

12/02/2026

Report: 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁
Despite ideals of responsibility and leadership, conversations continue to highlight how care work remains disproportionately carried by women, while men often have the option to disengage from caregiving altogether.
Posts repeatedly contrast the permanence of motherhood with the social acceptability of male absence, reinforcing long-standing gender inequalities in the home. On Facebook, researchers observed narratives of struggling single fathers seeking assistance, met with a mix of empathy, suspicion, and criticism, illustrating how 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱.
- 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 (𝘊𝘈𝘉𝘊)

11/02/2026

Report: Financial provision remains central – but is now openly linked to mental health strain
𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗛𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻, with many men describing stress, anxiety and declining wellbeing linked to economic pressure.
“The provider role has not disappeared – but it is now being openly discussed as a mental health risk rather than a badge of honour,” notes the report.
Counter-narratives advocating shared financial responsibility are gaining traction, with users linking reduced pressure on men to healthier relationships and improved quality of life. Facebook discussions further reveal tensions around financial expectations in relationships, with debates over entitlement, gratitude for financial gestures, and the risks of relationships driven primarily by money.
- 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢: 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 (𝘊𝘈𝘉𝘊)

10/02/2026

A year-long analysis of South African social media reveals a deeply contested 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.
It is marked by rising 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀.

This is according to a new report by the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) titled Masculine Norms on South African Social Media: One Year Later. The report analysed more than 2.1 million social media mentions from over 156,000 unique accounts across platforms, including X and Facebook.
The research forms part of CABC’s ongoing work aligned to South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and UN Sustainable Development Goal 5. The research tracks how gender norms evolve and how they fuel or challenge violence, inequality and harm.

Over the next few days we will highlight key findings from the report.