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09 March 2020 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Sonia Small
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

Students receive hands-on crime scene investigation training
2016-09-02

Description: Crime scene investigation training Tags: Crime scene investigation training

Ntau Mafisa, a forensic science honours student
at the UFS, and Captain Samuel Sethunya from
the SAPS Crime Scene Management in
Bloemfontein.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

With murder and robbery rates on the rise, the Forensic Science Programme of the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State is playing a key role in training South Africa’s future crime scene investigators and forensic laboratory analysts.

According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), murder and aggravated robbery rates for 2014/2015, as recorded by the South African Police Services (SAPS) have increased. Incidents of murder increased by 4.6% in the period from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015 and aggravated robbery increased by 8.5 % in the same period. The ISS is an African organisation thant enhances human security by providing independent and authoritative research, expert policy advice and capacity building.

Dr Ellen Mwenesongole, a forensic science lecturer at the Department of Genetics, said the university was one of a few universities in South Africa that actually had a forensic science programme, especially starting from undergraduate level.

Crime scene evaluation component incorporated in curriculum
As part of its Forensic Science Honours Programme, the department has, for the first time, incorporated a mock crime scene evaluation component in its curriculum. Students process a mock crime scene and are assessed based on how closely they follow standard operating procedures related to crime scenes and subsequent laboratory analysis of items of possible evidential value.

The mock crime scene forms part of a research project data collection of the honours students. In these projects students utilise different analytical methods to analyse and distinguish between different types of evidence such as hair fibres, cigarette butts, illicit drugs and dyes extracted from questioned documents and lipsticks.

Students utilise different analytical methods to analyse
and distinguish between different types of evidence.

This year, the department trained the first group of nine students in the Forensic Science Honours Programme. Dr Mwenesongole, who received her training in the UK at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, and Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, said incorporating a crime scene evaluation component into the curriculum was a global trend at universities that were offering forensic science programmes.

Department of Genetics and SAPS collaborate
It is important to add this component to the student’s curriculum. In this way the university is equipping students not only with theoretical knowledge but practical knowledge on the importance of following proper protocol when collecting evidence at crime scenes and analysing it in the laboratory to reduce the risk of it becoming inadmissible in a court of law.

The Genetics Department has a good working relationship with the Forensic Science Laboratory and Free State Crime Scene Management of the Division Forensic Services of the SAPS. The mock crime scene was set up and assessed in collaboration with the Crime Scene Management Division of the SAPS. Although the SAPS provides specialist advanced training to its staff members, the university hopes to improve employability for students through such programmes.

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