Latest News Archive
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News Items
| 2022-10-13 |
Vision 130 sets the tone for the UFS for the next 12 years |
| 2022-10-13 |
Vision 130 sets the tone for the UFS for the next 12 years |
| 2022-10-31 |
Netball star Sne Mdletshe hopes to inspire excellence |
| 2022-10-31 |
Netball star Sne Mdletshe hopes to inspire excellence |
| 2022-10-31 |
Prof Sithole to lend expertise on UNESCO science advisory board |
| 2022-10-31 |
Prof Sithole to lend expertise on UNESCO science advisory board |
| 2022-10-28 |
UFS Drama Department scores big wins at Vrystaat Arts Festival |
| 2022-10-28 |
UFS Drama Department scores big wins at Vrystaat Arts Festival |
| 2022-10-28 |
Global Citizen Series: A conversation with The Rt Hon the Lord Peter Hain |
| 2022-10-28 |
Global Citizen Series: A conversation with The Rt Hon the Lord Peter Hain |
| 2022-10-27 |
UFS student to produce cheaper sanitary towels for disadvantaged girls, women |
| 2022-10-27 |
UFS student to produce cheaper sanitary towels for disadvantaged girls, women |
| 2022-10-26 |
Expanded Collaboration for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Limpopo |
| 2022-10-26 |
Expanded Collaboration for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Limpopo |
| 2022-10-26 |
Socially developing communities or making them dependent |
| 2022-10-26 |
Socially developing communities or making them dependent |
| 2022-10-26 |
UFS research fellow appointed UNDP Human Rights Research Chair |
| 2022-10-26 |
UFS research fellow appointed UNDP Human Rights Research Chair |
| 2022-10-25 |
Celebrating excellence at the UFS Learning & Teaching awards |
| 2022-10-25 |
Celebrating excellence at the UFS Learning & Teaching awards |
| 2022-10-25 |
A journey of Pride – UFS commemorates Pride Month |
| 2022-10-25 |
A journey of Pride – UFS commemorates Pride Month |
| 2022-10-24 |
Celebrating more than 20 years of University-Community Engagement |
| 2022-10-24 |
Celebrating more than 20 years of University-Community Engagement |
| 2022-10-24 |
Prof Paul Oberholster latest UFS scientist inaugurated by Academy of Science |
| 2022-10-24 |
Prof Paul Oberholster latest UFS scientist inaugurated by Academy of Science |
| 2022-10-21 |
UFS doctoral student authors bat-centred children’s book |
| 2022-10-21 |
UFS doctoral student authors bat-centred children’s book |
| 2022-10-20 |
Putting mental health in the spotlight through filmmaking |
| 2022-10-20 |
Putting mental health in the spotlight through filmmaking |
| 2022-10-20 |
Making mental health conversations trend |
| 2022-10-20 |
Making mental health conversations trend |
| 2022-10-19 |
UFS names its top sport achievers |
| 2022-10-19 |
UFS names its top sport achievers |
| 2022-10-19 |
UFS Convocation reflects on past five years at AGM |
| 2022-10-19 |
UFS Convocation reflects on past five years at AGM |
| 2022-10-18 |
UFS staff member Nambitha Manqola scoops national Librarian award |
| 2022-10-18 |
UFS staff member Nambitha Manqola scoops national Librarian award |
| 2022-10-18 |
UFS Womxn’s Forum and KovsieAct join hands to Support the Jagersfontein Community |
| 2022-10-18 |
UFS Womxn’s Forum and KovsieAct join hands to Support the Jagersfontein Community |
| 2022-10-18 |
Register as a potential stem cell donor |
| 2022-10-18 |
Register as a potential stem cell donor |
| 2022-10-18 |
Participatory research illuminating complexities of poverty, the potential of youth fighting it |
| 2022-10-18 |
Participatory research illuminating complexities of poverty, the potential of youth fighting it |
| 2022-10-18 |
The ANC's elective conference – continued cycle of women's exclusion |
| 2022-10-18 |
The ANC's elective conference – continued cycle of women's exclusion |
| 2022-10-14 |
Students need a Sustainable Food System on Campus |
| 2022-10-14 |
Students need a Sustainable Food System on Campus |
| 2022-10-14 |
UFS Business School: The future of business is now |
| 2022-10-14 |
UFS Business School: The future of business is now |
| 2022-10-14 |
Invite: Tutu-Jonker Lecture, 'Faltering resilience – a nation in need of conciliation' |
| 2022-10-14 |
Invite: Tutu-Jonker Lecture, 'Faltering resilience – a nation in need of conciliation' |
| 2022-10-13 |
Invitation to apply for the Emerging Scholars Accelerator Programme |
| 2022-10-13 |
Invitation to apply for the Emerging Scholars Accelerator Programme |
| 2022-10-13 |
UFS biologists discover new tiny, white-thumbed bat species from Eswatini |
| 2022-10-13 |
UFS biologists discover new tiny, white-thumbed bat species from Eswatini |
| 2022-10-13 |
UFS among world’s best universities in Times Higher Education ranking |
| 2022-10-13 |
UFS among world’s best universities in Times Higher Education ranking |
| 2022-10-12 |
Global Citizen Webinar: A conversation with Judge Albie Sachs |
| 2022-10-12 |
Global Citizen Webinar: A conversation with Judge Albie Sachs |
| 2022-10-12 |
Advancing innovative, effective mathematics and science teaching |
| 2022-10-12 |
Advancing innovative, effective mathematics and science teaching |
| 2022-10-12 |
Great futures don’t fall from heaven – it has to be fought for |
| 2022-10-12 |
Great futures don’t fall from heaven – it has to be fought for |
| 2022-10-11 |
Qwaqwa research conference highlights value of research that is centred on humanity |
| 2022-10-11 |
Qwaqwa research conference highlights value of research that is centred on humanity |
| 2022-10-10 |
Plant-based medicine a possible cure for post-COVID-19 tuberculosis |
| 2022-10-10 |
Plant-based medicine a possible cure for post-COVID-19 tuberculosis |
| 2022-10-10 |
Making a difference with the No Student Hungry Programme |
| 2022-10-10 |
Making a difference with the No Student Hungry Programme |
| 2022-10-10 |
Raising hope and awareness for the homeless: the invisible who deserve to be seen |
| 2022-10-10 |
Raising hope and awareness for the homeless: the invisible who deserve to be seen |
| 2022-10-10 |
Annual conference enhances teaching and learning |
| 2022-10-10 |
Annual conference enhances teaching and learning |
| 2022-10-06 |
UFS students get to experience study abroad opportunities in Spain and Germany |
| 2022-10-06 |
UFS students get to experience study abroad opportunities in Spain and Germany |
| 2022-10-06 |
It’s a home semi-final for UFS netball team |
| 2022-10-06 |
It’s a home semi-final for UFS netball team |
| 2022-10-06 |
UFS counselling psychologist to lead mental health initiatives |
| 2022-10-06 |
UFS counselling psychologist to lead mental health initiatives |
| 2022-10-05 |
UFS preparing young people for the world of work |
| 2022-10-05 |
UFS preparing young people for the world of work |
| 2022-10-05 |
New advance medical imaging technology for the Department of Medical Physics |
| 2022-10-05 |
New advance medical imaging technology for the Department of Medical Physics |
| 2022-10-04 |
From kombucha to leather-like textile |
| 2022-10-04 |
From kombucha to leather-like textile |
| 2022-10-04 |
The arts coming together at the UFS |
| 2022-10-04 |
The arts coming together at the UFS |
| 2022-10-04 |
UFS scholar first to participate in the University of Michigan fellowship programme |
| 2022-10-04 |
UFS scholar first to participate in the University of Michigan fellowship programme |
UFS’s Unit for Children’s Rights instrumental in helping human trafficked victim
2010-03-29
 |
Adv. Beatri Kruger.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs |
“Wheeling and dealing is part of our daily life. But what if the ‘product’ bought or sold is not a spanner or a cell phone, but a living human being? Disturbing news came to the fore... apart from other places in the country, and for that matter all over the world, it was discovered that people are treated like commodities here in Bloemfontein as well,” said Adv. Beatri Kruger from the Unit for Children’s Rights at the University of the Free State (UFS).
Adv. Kruger was instrumental in completing and availing the first comprehensive Research Report on Human Trafficking in South Africa to the public on 23 March 2010. As a member of the Reference Group advising on interim research reports on human trafficking, she contributed to the report. The report proves to be an extremely valuable tool for, among others, government departments and non-governmental organisations that use it as a guideline in planning interventions to combat human trafficking.
The Unit for Children’s Rights is also one of the founding members of the Free State Human Trafficking Forum (FHF). To react on and fight the disturbing reality of human trafficking more efficiently, a number of concerned role players such as Child Welfare and other non-governmental organisations, police officials, prosecutors, social workers, health practitioners, private businesses, churches and community organisations joined forces and formed the FHF. The Unit for Children’s Rights hosts monthly meetings at the UFS to facilitate the coordination of this multi-disciplinary counter-trafficking team.
Adv. Kruger is very excited about some of the successes of the FHF; such as the story of Soma (not her real name). This Indian woman was recruited in India by an Indian couple who are staying in South Africa, by promising her a good job in South Africa. However, instead of finding the promised job, Soma was extensively exploited for labour purposes. With the help of a “good Samaritan” she managed to escape from the perpetrators and fled to the police. Soma was removed to ensure her safety and accommodated in a safe place in Bloemfontein. Counselling and other services were rendered to her by an organisation which is also a member of the FHF. One of the challenges facing Soma and the service providers was that Soma speaks a foreign dialect and for weeks a trusted interpreter could not be found.
This obstacle rendered communication with her to the bare minimum. The perpetrators were arrested but unfortunately the new comprehensive counter-trafficking law is not in force yet. Therefore the perpetrators could only be convicted of some offences in the Immigration Act. However, due to good police investigation followed by shrewd consultations, the perpetrators agreed to pay for the victim’s return flight to India as well as for the flight ticket of the investigating officer to escort her to safety. The Unit for Children’s Rights did networking with Ms Maria Nikolovska of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), who agreed to assist in the safe reintegration of Soma in India. Soma is now on her way back home. |