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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.
Community builders honoured at Community Engagement Awards
2016-10-13
Photo: Charl Devenish
The office of Community Engagement held its annual Community Engagement Awards at the University of the Free State (UFS) on 5 October 2016. This year, the ceremony celebrated people who gave themselves selflessly to improve the lives of those around them who are less privileged. Key players in various sectors of society were recognised and honoured for their contribution and commitment towards a common good.
Dr Richard Teare, president of the Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL), was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. GULL, a non-profit foundation, operates across the world, providing access to lifelong learning for communities, giving each individual an opportunity to make a difference in their world. Dr Teare talked of places that lack the provision and infrastructure to access higher education and said that through community service programmes, social and economic development was enhanced, and the necessary expertise and resources were provided to drive a community towards a greater good. “Community engagement espouses academic excellence—it enables people to discover their full potential.”
Through its partnership with GULL, the University of Free State has worked with women from Bloem Shelter, an organisation that provides assistance to underprivileged women and children from diverse walks of life. The women were equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge they needed to become self-sufficient - an experience that has yielded positive, constructive change in the women’s lives.
The awards also acknowledged the boldness and innovative support of members of the Free State community in their various sectors. Among those awarded was Dr Choice Makhetha for her contribution in building capacity for those involved in community service programmes. She also designed and created approaches to improve situations in schools, churches, community organisations and small businesses. Also presented with an award was Dr Dipane Hlalele of the Qwaqwa Campus for his role as principal investigator in two National Research Foundation (NRF) -funded projects; Rural Relational Leadership and Sustainable Rural and Urban Connection. The ICT Innovation in School Education division of the South Campus was also recognised for its Internet Broadcast Project (IBP), which provides lessons on different subjects to 72 000 learners and 3 000 teachers each week.