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Human Rights
Human Rights Month is a time to reflect on the past and celebrate the present.
On 21 March 2020, South Africa will celebrate Human Rights Day. The day has a specific meaning, as it commemorates the Sharpeville massacre which took place on 21 March 1960 in Sharpeville in the Vaal. After the community demonstrated against the pass laws, about 7,000 protesters went to the local police station where the South African Police opened fire on the crowd, killing 69 people and injuring 180.
 
The past, although dark and tragic, holds the power to propel a nation forward. Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Francis Petersen, said: “In remembering this day, we have the opportunity to reflect on progress in the promotion and protection of human rights in South Africa.”
 
Prof Petersen expressed pride in the great strides made at the UFS in this regard and which are cause for celebration. “As a university community, let us join the rest of the country this month and celebrate the rights of all people to be protected from violation, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Let us observe this day and stand together to promote respect for human rights,” he said.

Policies with a purpose
UFS is guided by principles of non-discrimination and values which seek to uphold the rights of all humans as stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Staff, students, and the general public enjoy the protection and dignity with policies such as Anti-Discrimination, Promotion of Equality and Social Justice Policy, the Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Policy, the Social Support Policy, as well as the Student Pregnancy Policy.

The objective of the Anti-Discrimination, Promotion of Equality, and Social Justice Policy is to clarify, deepen and promote an understanding of equality, social justice and unfair discrimination among the university community. In addition to other aims, it seeks to identify and promote an understanding of barriers to equality, as well as the various forms and practices of unfair discrimination that may occur. Preventing and eradicating such practices, identifying bullying practices within the various vertical and horizontal relationships at the university, is the policy’s ultimate mandate.

In a country plagued by gender-based violence and related crimes, the Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence Policy becomes all the more significant. The policy’s purpose includes establishing a safe and enabling environment, free from sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and sexual violence, for all UFS community members. Support for victims and putting disciplinary procedures for perpetrators in place is a high priority within the policy. 

Human Rights are of utmost importance for a transforming institution such as ours. Hence, the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) recently released the Social Support Policy Draft for public input. Its overarching goal is to establish an institutional climate and conditions that enable the UFS to retain its students and improve their chances of success by providing appropriate social support. 
 
As far as the Student Pregnancy Policy is concerned, creating conditions that are conducive for academic success and wellbeing during pregnancy is one of the ways in which the university upholds the human rights of mothers-to-be. The policy also ensures that pregnant students are not excluded from academic programmes, residences and other university activities.



News Archive

Help to rural women to become entrepreneurs
2006-10-24

Some of the guests who attended the ceremony were, from the left: Mr Donray Malabie (Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust), Ms Jemina Mokgosi (one of the ladies from Tabane Village who is participating in the Women in Agriculture project), Dr Limakatso Moorosi (Head: Veterinary Services, Free State Department of Agriculture), Prof Johan Greyling (Head: UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences) and Ms Khoboso Lehloenya (coordinator of the project from UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences). Photo: Leonie Bolleurs\

Alexander Forbes and UFS help rural women to become entrepreneurs
 
Today, the Alexander Forbes Community Trust and the University of the Free State (UFS) joined forces to create an enabling environment for rural women to become players in the private sector.

Three years ago the UFS set up a unique small-scale household egg production project called Women in Agriculture in Thaba ‘Nchu as a pilot project. The project was officially launched today by Mr Donray Malabie, Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust.

The aim of the Women in Agriculture Project is to create jobs, provide food security and to help develop rural women into entrepreneurs. A total of 25 women based in Tabane Village in Thaba ‘Nchu are the beneficiaries of the project.

“This is the first project in the Free State the Alexander Forbes Community Trust is involved with.  The project would help rural women acquire the skills they need to run their own egg-production business from their homes,” said Mr Malabie. 

“The ongoing debate on the shortage of skills ignores the fact that people with little or no education at all also need training. This project is special to the Trust as it provides for the creation of sustainable jobs, food security and the transfer of much needed skills all at once, particularly at this level,” he said.

Every woman in the group started with two small mobile cages that housed 12 hens each. The units are low in cost, and made of commercially available welded mesh and a metal frame. Now, each woman has four cages with 48 hens. The group manages to collectively produce 750 eggs daily.

The eggs are currently sold to local businesses, including spaza shops and the women are using the income generated to look after their families and to further develop their business.

The Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS identified the project and did the initial research into the feasibility of setting up such a project.

“A demonstration and training unit has been established at the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre and the women attended a short practical training course. Subsidies are provided for feeding, together with all the material and the lay hens necessary for the start of the business,” said Ms Khoboso Lehloenya, coordinator of the project from the Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS. 

“The advantage in using lay hens is that they are resistant to diseases and the women will not need electric heating systems for the egg production,” said Ms Lehloenya. 

According to Ms Lehloenya, the women are already benefiting from their egg production businesses.  “Some of them have used the profit to buy school uniforms and tracksuits for their children and others are now able to make a monthly contribution to their household expenses,” said Ms Lehloenya. 
“In South Africa, possibly due to cultural reasons and circumstances, most black people prefer to eat older and tougher chickens, compared to younger soft commercially available broiler chickens. This preference creates a further advantage for the women. At the end of their production cycle, old hens can be sold for a higher price than point-of-lay or young hens. This brings in further money to pay for more hens,” said Ms Lehloenya.

The Alexander Forbes Trust contributed R191 000 towards the project aimed at expanding it to benefit 15 more women.

“We are in the process of recruiting an additional 15 women in Thaba ‘Nchu who will be trained by the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre in order to replicate the model and extend its reach”, said Ms Lehloenya.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
20 October 2006

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