PICK’N’MIX
As we approach International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it seems fi tting to recognise the work of Ajax Mbali. The 21-year-old activist from South Africa works with Rainbow Activist Alliance, an ActionAid supported group, to empower black lesbian and bisexual women who have been the victims of discrimination, violent attacks and so-called “corrective rape”. While South Africa has many legal protections for LGBT people, many aren’t put into practice and violence is a day-to-day reality. It might seem like a bleak situation, but Mbali, who recently came to the UK to speak as part of the Fearless Women tour, is doing everything she can to change the situation, sitting on the National Task Team lobbying for hate crime legislation and fi ghting tirelessly for the rights of lesbian and bisexual women. But funding is scarce, and Mbali and others like her need our support to make sure their hard work can continue. un.org/en/events/endviolenceday