The Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office

The Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO) reports to the Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Change, Student Affairs and Community Engagement. It forms part of the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice and aims to serve the staff and students of the University of the Free State.

The GEADO is part of the Student Experience as well as the Student Accommodation and Residence Culture work streams. Through the abovementioned work streams, the GEADO intends to proactively create safe spaces for student experience by implementing its SART and Sexual Harassment policy. It also advocates for a university culture that is inclusive, humanising, and socially just through the participation of all clients in conscientisation workshops.

Strategic Plan (2018-2022)

With just one year to go before the end of the UFS Strategic Plan (2018-2022), the GEADO intends to use its Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence policy and the Anti-Discrimination, Promotion of Equality and Social Justice policy and procedures to reflect the university’s transformative drive.

Vision

To create a socially inclusive university through institutional change, to conduct research on high-impact practices, as well as advocacy.

Mission

To deal with incidents of unfair discrimination and gender-based violence and to conduct advocacy and training on the above.

Contact information

Bloemfontein Campus: +27 51 401 3982

South Campus: +27 51 401 7544

Qwaqwa Campus: +27 58 718 5431

Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)

www.ufs.ac.za/sart

Toll-free number +27 80 020 4682