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UFS and PathCare draw attention to GBV on Valentine’s Day

14 February 2023 | Story Prof Nicholas Pearce | Photo Andre Damons

ADgbv — The Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of the Humanities at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with PathCare laboratories, joined forces on Valentine’s Day – since it is seen as a day of unconditional love that you share with your partner – reaching out to the community in the Bloemfontein CBD and Preller Square, by drawing attention to gender-based violence – a topic that is often misunderstood, not discussed, and often occurs behind closed doors.

The University of the Free State views gender-based violence (GBV) as a scourge of our modern society. In this vein, the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of the Humanities joined forces on Valentine’s Day, since it is seen as a day of unconditional love that you share with your partner.

In collaboration with PathCare laboratories, the university saw an opportunity to reach out to the community in the CBD and Preller Square. The idea was to draw attention to a topic that is often misunderstood, not discussed, and often occurs behind closed doors. Medical and Humanities students actively engaged with the communities by handing out Valentine’s chocolates and information pamphlets regarding GBV.

Community engagement forms part of the UFS’ strategic goals. The collaboration between these two faculties on such an important topic is testament to the university’s commitment to eradicating GBV in all forms and manifestations.

Prof Frans Maruma, Head of the Marketing Committee for the School of Clinical Medicine, stated that “gender-based violence has no place in our modern society. Most of the time, victims are among us and go unrecognised”.

The Faculty of the Humanities provided a visual aspect to this important topic by doing the make-up of the students involved in order to highlight the abuse these victims suffer. Mr Cloete (Faculty of the Humanities) indicated that “no person is immune to gender-based violence, and gender-based violence transcends race, gender, and wealth”.

Pathcare laboratories was proud to collaborate with the University of the Free State, as this aligns with their ideology of community-based care. PathCare recognises its role in the broader society by offering to test victims of GBV. PathCare offers a range of tests, specially catered towards GBV survivors to ensure that appropriate medical care can be provided in the shortest possible turnaround time.

Two thousand chocolates and pamphlets were distributed to members of the community through this collaboration. The university and the private sector hope to eradicate GBV on local and national level.

Gender-based violence may be any of the following: physical abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, socio-economic abuse, domestic violence, or abuse such as sexual harassment. Below are the UFS contact details for victims of GBV.

University of the Free State
Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO)

Bloemfontein Campus

Deputy Director: Nchabeleng Lentsu

nchabelengnv@ufs.ac.za

Senior Officer: Geraldine Lengau

Contact: +27 51 401 3982

Email: lengaugsk@ufs.ac.za

South Campus

Senior Officer: Mocwana Chelepe

Contact: +27 51 401 7544

mocwanacd@ufs.ac.za

Student Counselling and Development (SCD)

Contact: +27 51 401 9236

Victim Empowerment Centre (TCC)

Walk-ins.

HOTLINES:

UFS SART (Sexual Assault Response Team)

+27 57 401 7777

GBVCC (Gender-Based Violence Command Centre)

0800 428 428

Please call me facility:

*120*7867#

Skype line:

Helpme GBV for members of the deaf community.

An SMS-based line:

31531 for persons with disabilities (SMS ‘help’ to 31531)

News Archive

UFS releases draft charter to accelerate transformation

2007-02-02

The University of the Free State (UFS) today released a draft Institutional Charter which is intended to enhance and accelerate the ongoing transformation of the institution towards a non-racial, non-sexist future.

Speaking at the official opening of the university today, the Rector and Vice-chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, said the draft Institutional Charter, was an important milestone in the transformation debate for the university and the country.

“The draft charter acknowledges that black people, women and people with disabilities have been marginalised from job and developmental opportunities, within the higher education sector and at this university,” Prof Fourie said.

The charter commits the university to meeting the challenges of a transforming higher education institution in a developing society, in particular the challenges of nation-building, reconciliation, redress, non-racialism and non-sexism – and ultimately normalisation – within a high-quality academic institution.

The principles of the draft charter firmly signal the university’s commitment to diversity – attaining and maintaining substantive and sufficient diversity (including multiculturalism and multilingualism) – in its quest for quality and excellence.
Prof Fourie said the draft charter seeks to build consensus among staff and students at the UFS about the ultimate goals of transformation at a higher education institution.

The charter proposes several basic values and principles that should guide the transformation process and at the same time serve as a basis for a future, normalised university - a promised land to transform towards.

The discussion document says academic quality is intrinsically linked to transformation and it commits the university to strengthening the core competencies of research, teaching and learning as well as community service so as to ensure a robust university for future generations.

“Indeed the thousands of matriculants, black and white, who apply to study at the UFS want to study at a good university, and a good university wants to attract the best black and white students and the best black and white staff, male and female,“ Prof Fourie said.

He said the draft charter also seeks to safeguard academic freedom and institutional autonomy as the foundation of critical inquiry and scholarship.

Regarding the critical issue of creating a new institutional culture, the draft charter commits the UFS to creating a sense of belonging for all members of the university – black and white, male and female, of whatever language, religious, cultural or economic background, as well as people with disabilities.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
02 February 2007

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