History & Achievements since the Anti-Apartheid Movement

"And so we warmly welcome the transformation of the Anti-Apartheid Movement to Action for Southern Africa." Nelson Mandela.

ACTSA was formed out of the desire of anti-apartheid activists to continue to work for the good of all the peoples of southern Africa. Since its conception in 1994, ACTSA has made an important contribution in maintaining the focus of public opinion on southern Africa.

ACTSA works tirelessly to build a better future for the people of Southern Africa by campaigning for access to vital treatments for the HIV/AIDS pandemic; fairer trade for southern African producers; a tough stance on UNITA?s sanctions-busting and illegal diamond trade and access to sanitary products for thousands of Zimbabwean women.

Below is a selection of some of our most prominent and successful campaigns.

Dignity! Period.

Since launching the Dignity! Period. campaign in October 2005, ACTSA has delivered over 5 million sanitary products to women in Zimbabwe. To read about the continuing campaign for access to sanitary products in Zimbabwe click here

UN Women's Agency

ACTSA is leading a very successful campaign calling for a fully-funded, autonomous United Nations Women's Agency, to fight the marginalisation that women suffer across the world. ACTSA is now focused on getting the UN to formally introduce the necessary reforms and commit a minimum of $1billion funding for the agency.

Solidarity with Cape Asbestos victims

British company Cape Plc mined and milled asbestos in South Africa for 90 years, despite the health risks posed to its workers. From 1999 ACTSA stood in solidarity with asbestosis-sufferers in holding Cape to account. After a lengthy public campaign of protest marches, media coverage and vigils, justice was finally served in 2003, when a compensation settlement of £7.5 million was delivered to the stricken communities in South Africa where Cape had operated.

Striving for Peace in Angola

The 2002 death of Jonas Savimbi, leader of the rebel movement UNITA, paved the way for an end to four decades of war in Angola. UNITA's war was aided by the international community through a trade in conflict diamonds worth $3 billion. ACTSA played a central role in exposing these injustices to the western media. Pressure exerted on the British Government by ACTSA supporters in 1999 resulted in the Foreign Office Minister announcing a policy shift towards effective sanctions enforcement. Meanwhile ACTSA lobbied the diamond industry and inundated the International Diamond Manufacturers Association. The UN Sanctions Committee finally secured a commitment to action on conflict diamonds in 2000. ACTSA subsequently played an active role in the Kimberley negotiations which led to a global certification system to weed out illegal diamonds. The Angola Peace Monitor, launched by ACTSA in 1995, continues to provide a spotlight on the nation. Initially concerned with the road to peace, the publication has latterly monitored efforts at reconstruction.

Call for Justice

actsa, apartheid debt, cancelling african debt

The case for cancelling southern African debt is both economic and moral. During the 1980's countries across the region ran up considerable debts protecting themselves and their people from war waged by the South African apartheid regime. Estimated at £28 billion, apartheid-caused debt represents 74% of the region?s total debt. Read more about debt and aid

Freedom to Trade

Trade offers the greatest potential for economic development in southern Africa. Nevertheless, unfair trade rules and deals negotiated between unequal partners are having a detrimental effect on economic progress in the region. As it stands southern African producers are restricted access to western markets and hampered by subsidised food dumping. EPAs. Moreover, developing countries, many of whom are obliged to sign trade deals in order to secure aid packages, are facing pressure to open their own markets and liberalise their service industries. The much anticipated WTO trade talks in Hong Kong in 2005 did little to ameliorate the situation. Following the end of Apartheid, ACTSA led the battle to get Europe to open up its markets to southern African goods. ACTSA has targeted trade ministers, mobilised public opinion through leaflets and workshops and lobbied parliament ahead of WTO talks. In 2001, ACTSAs Freedom to Grow campaign backed African calls to end Europe's double-standards on trade in farm products.

HIV/AIDS and sexual reproductive health actsa, hiv/aids pandemic in africa

The HIV/AIDS pandemic represents perhaps the single greatest struggle for the people of southern Africa. Since 1999, ACTSA has been responding to calls for support from governments and campaign groups, working to end the injustices that obstruct Africans access to treatment. ACTSA has worked with a diverse spectrum of organisations and labour movements with the aim of ensuring that the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis receives the correct financial support. Meanwhile ACTSA has taken on the pharmaceutical multinationals, British and European governments and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). ACTSA stages annual HIV/AIDS conferences in support of collaborative action against the pandemic and most recently hosted UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis at City Hall. With a special emphasis on gender equality and addressing the plight of children, ACTSA continues to battle for access to treatment and proper funding of the global fund.

For information about our current campaigns please see our Campaign pages.

For more information about the Anti-Aparthied Movement click here.