Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA)

In February 2012, a small group of people tried to register an independent organisation in Botswana. The objectives of the organisation are to promote the universality of human rights in Botswana and to encourage the provision of health services without discrimination. The organisation would seek to achieve these objectives through advocacy, education and research.

So far, so good.

There should have been a huge outcry by now. Government ministers and artists and academics and journalists should be shouting from their pulpits. Because a unique part of South Africa's cultural heritage was stolen this week. The work of one of the country's foremost artists. Five years of images lost - many of them irreplaceable. But hardly a word. Why? Because what was stolen was a collection of photos taken by Zanele Muholi - stunning, striking, powerful images of black lesbians and of gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people and the prejudices they face.

The fight for sexual and reproductive rights has been the cornerstone of feminist activism and struggle for many decades. The second wave of feminism saw women’s organisations and feminists mobilising around (amongst other important struggles for political and social equality) the right to abortion, access to safe contraceptives, better policies and laws to address rape, domestic violence and the eradication of female genital mutilation. As a movement, we have won battles and we have lost battles.