heCareZA

The Centre for Analytics & Behavioural Change addresses a wide range of social prejudices and other issues of current concern. The overarching objective for this project is to counter misogyny and gender-based violence at scale through using a blend of advanced social media analytics and platforms, research, media attention, support, psychology, engagement, dialogue and partnerships. Through technological advancements in cutting-edge social media analytics it has become possible to quickly, and at scale, identify people who share particular interests and values, spanning socially progressive to anti-social stances on misogyny. We are able to engage, empower and amplify these progressive voices. We aim to bring the many progessive voices to bear on the anti-social ones. This project has the power to reach millions of people at unprecedented scale and to positively change the misogyny narrative. The project is being conducted in the misogyny conversation online and in the community offline in South Africa. Misogyny is a pre-existing environment that underpins gender-based violence and is a precursor to violence against women. Our intention is, through facilitating dialogue at scale, to shift the narrative in this space and to promote healing. This will be achieved by locating protagonists through mass media, sectoral engagement (SANTACO, House of Trad. leaders, Taverners, unions) and personally enskilling and activating them, facilitating structured dialogue at scale aimed at personal healing. Additionally we will develop and operate a public platform with a near-real time femicide monitor. As the projects reach expands more and more protagonists are gathered into a sustained process eventually eradicating rampant misogyny. This project is ongoing. The aims for the activating protagonists aspect of the project include the following: To use social media analytics to identify and stand with protagonists who are confronting misogyny. Support protagonists in their efforts to decrease misogyny that leads to GBV in South Africa. Enrich protagonists with the skills, tools, and encouragement to dialogically engage antagonists online in public social media and offline in day to day life. Dialogically engage antagonists in a manner that affects change in their construct or position, which perpetuated misogynistic behaviour. Create awareness and peer environments that assist and support antagonists’ healing and journey away from causing harm to self and others. The aims of the facilitated dialoguing competition include the following: Promote at the nexus between household and community discussion and dialogue around misogyny. Assist men in understanding how their personal history and social norms contribute to misogyny and GBV. Generate the creation of contextually appropriate content to share on social media platforms. The aims of the public femicide monitor include the following: Establish an ongoing database that will track violence against women in South Africa. Map these crimes at a micro level. Make the map publicly available to allow citizens of South Africa to get a sense of the scale of the issue of GBV and to motivate them to get more involved in taking action.