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13 November 2018
Photo Moeketsi Mogotsi
Kovsies took an active stance against sexual and gender-based violence through various campaigns in October.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced that South Africa will launch a national strategic plan to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) after years of lobbying by activists. Speaking at the Presidential GBV Summit, the head of state commended activists who called for a nationwide shut down in August in response to high levels of GBV and femicide in the country. He says the government is now reviewing national GBV plans and will develop a national action plan.
Activism at the UFS
One of the efforts launched by the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Gender and Sexual Equity (GSE) Office in the fight against this plague is the # RESPECTME campaign. From 11 to 26 October 2018, the university held its own 16 Days of Activism.
Geraldine Lengau of the GSE Office believes that minority groups deserve the same amount of respect as all other citizens of this country, which is the core concept of the campaign. “The Campaign is a loudhailer to say, ‘just because I am different from you’, be it gender or sexuality, it doesn’t mean that I deserve any less respect,” she highlighted.
Lengau added: “Activism will forever remain important on our campuses as it creates an environment where the community is made aware of matters that would otherwise not have mattered had they not been publicised. Also activism becomes all the more important in advancing the university’s strategic plan.”
Policies advocating against GBV
As stipulated in the UFS Sexual Harassment, Misconduct and Sexual Violence Policy the university strongly believes in the principle of human dignity that is entrenched in the Constitution of South Africa (1996) which resolves to ensure a safe working and study environment for students.
Student Affairs also led a campaign which aimed to highlight the ongoing scourge of sexual and gender-based violence, in line with the policy. “The university is working relentlessly at endorsing the aspects and characteristic traits of respect amongst all of its stakeholders in an effort to reduce the notion of gender-based violence,” said the Dean of Student Affairs, Pura Mgolombane.
Meet Dr Mpho Jama, Prestige Scholar
2013-07-26
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Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector (right), visited Dr Jama at UCLA on his recent trip to the USA where this photograph was taken with Prof Bill Worger of UCLA’s History Department. Dr Jama will return to the UFS in December 2013.
26 July 2013 |
Dr Mpho Jama, Fulbright scholar, is a lecturer in Health Sciences Education and a member of the Vice-Chancellor's Prestige Scholars Programme since 2011. She is currently hosted by the Graduate School of Education at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), funded by Fulbright.
At UCLA, Dr Jama is collaborating with the David Geffen School of Medicine on a research paper focusing on stress among medical students.
She also works in collaboration with the Higher Education Research Institute on psycho-social and spiritual support for students in higher education with specific emphasis on medical students. Dr Jama has joined the Research Apprenticeship Committee of the Institute and participates in its activities.