South African Secularist of the Year 2021
Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng is South African Secularist of the Year
We are privileged to have been able to honour Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng with our Secularist of the Year award for 2021.
Dr. Mofokeng promotes, fights, and defends sexual and reproductive rights and health for all women. She serves as a positive role model with her tireless and committed efforts to advocate for women’s rights to safe medical abortion and campaign for sex workers’ protection and legislation. SASS believes that Dr. Mofokeng has made a significant impact in separating specific legislation concerning women’s reproductive affairs from religion and state.
Dr. Mofokeng was appointed the 44th session Special Rapporteur by the The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the right of all to have the highest attainable standard of physical health and wellbeing. She has been instrumental in lobbying for access to universal healthcare, HIV care, family planning, and promoting health in youth and women. She is a member of the Safe Abortion Action Fund; vice-chair of the Sex Worker Education & Advocacy Taskforce; country co-lead for Global Doctors for Choice and a member of the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition (SRJC). She is a woman of many facets, and this includes being a policy and program advisor for several other organizations such as Right to Care: Post Violence services for survivors of sexual violence; practice and prospects, Consultant; Quad Republic: LGBTIQA+ Community consultation; and International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC): Advocacy in Practice Alumni Program.
SASS fosters that every human being has significant value and potential, simultaneously being responsive to the needs and welfare of all in SA. Moreover, SASS believes in the dignity, equality and worth of all SA citizens which is fair and just and which protects and enhances the wellbeing of all.
Dr Mofokeng’s work and advocacy are exemplified in women’s sexual and reproductive rights and health. It is on a trajectory for safe and discrimination-free access to abortions and the decriminalisation of sex workers. This alignment between SASS and Dr. Mofokeng’s work makes it an honour to confer the Secularist of the Year Award 2021 to such a prestigious Recipient.
