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Aligning African values with modern gender equality perspectives

19 September 2023 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Unsplash

As we reflect on the significance of Women's Month, which occurred last month, it is worth noting that the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO) at the University of the Free State (UFS) organised a thought-provoking seminar titled, "Bridging the gap: Exploring the Intersection of Traditional African values and Modern Perspectives in Achieving Gender Equality." This event, featuring distinguished guest speakers Prof Nokuzola Mndende and Dr Munyaradzi Mushonga, delved into the historical context of traditional African values and their impact on gender roles and norms. Their primary objective was to discern strategies for fostering dialogue, understanding, and collaboration between traditional and modern stakeholders, all in the noble pursuit of advancing gender equality in Africa.

Tradition versus Modernity

Prof Nokuzola Mndende, an adjunct professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Nelson Mandela University, as well as the President of We Come Back Spirituality and Founder of Icamagu Heritage Institute, emphasised the importance of African scholars embracing their roots. She stated, "It is important that young African scholars must be bold and change direction and start from home using African tools. In their endeavour to decoloniality, they must not forget their past." She also stressed the need to discard Western theories and spectacles that have been imposed, highlighting the scarcity of literature that portrays the positive aspects of African customs.

Dr Mushonga, the Programme Director for Africa Studies at the UFS Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, drew attention to the impact of modernity on a global scale. He referred to the 1500s when the world was pluricentric, as opposed to the current Eurocentric world order. Dr Mushonga cautioned against the seductive allure of modernity, which tends to cast African traditional perspectives as regressive while promoting Eurocentric ones as progressive.

Fostering equality in Africa

Siyanda Magayana, Senior Officer at the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office, shed light on the webinar's purpose. She explained, "the webinar intended to critically engage whether there is a gap between African traditional perspectives and values of gender equality against modern perspectives. In addition, we wanted to examine the emergence of modern perspectives and their influence in challenging gender inequality in an African context." She further highlighted the need for African institutions to adopt context-specific approaches to gender equality, rather than relying on Eurocentric models.

Magayana also echoed Prof Mndende's preference for the term "gender equity" over "gender equality," as the latter can inadvertently reinforce a perception of male superiority. Magayana emphasised that achieving gender equity in African contexts should deviate from Eurocentric perspectives, considering the unique histories, understandings, and people in the Global South.

Breaking the glass ceiling

As a prelude to the seminar, GEADO also hosted a webinar in honour of Women’s Month titled "Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Higher Education.” This webinar shed light on the unique challenges women face in academia, addressing implicit biases, stereotypes, and gender-based discrimination. It provided a platform for women to share their triumphs and experiences. Together, these initiatives propel us towards a future marked by diverse leadership and empowered strategies, ultimately promoting gender equality on the continent.

News Archive

Twee broers lewer intreerede

2004-06-10

‘n Unieke geleentheid sal homself môre, 9 Junie 2004, voordoen wanneer twee broers - proff Francois en Janse Tolmie - tydens dieselfde geleentheid hul intreeredes aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) sal lewer.

Prof Francois Tolmie is verbonde aan die UV se Departement Nuwe Testament en die onderwerp van sy lesing is Die impak van die metodologie op die verstaan van die Nuwe Testament. Prof Janse Tolmie, sy jonger broer, is verbonde aan die UV se Departement Rekenaarwetenskap en Informatika en die onderwerp van sy lesing is Die rol van inligtingstegnologie in kennisbestuur.

Hoewel die studievelde vér verwyderd staan, klop die twee broers se missies wat betref die terugploeg van die verworwe vakkennis ten bate van die gemeenskap. Prof Francois Tolmie is nóú betrokke by dowes en Prof Janse Tolmie tap weer kunsmatige intelligensie ten bate van die mediese wetenskap en geestesgesondheid.

Prof Francois Tolmie verwerf die grade BA, BA Honneurs (Grieks), MA (Grieks), B Th en M Th almal cum laude aan die UV. In 1992 verwerf hy 'n D Th (Nuwe Testament) en in 2004 'n Ph D (Grieks) aan dieselfde universiteit. Na sy militêre diens as kapelaan in Walvisbaai aanvaar hy 'n beroep na die NG-gemeente Walvisbaai. Hy begin sy akademiese loopbaan op 1 April 1990 as senior lektor in die Departement Nuwe Testament en word in 1999 tot medeprofessor en in 2003 tot professor bevorder.

Sy navorsingspesialiteit is die Johannesevangelie en die Brief aan die Galasiërs. Hy is tesourier van die Nuwe Testamentiese Werksgemeenskap van Suid-Afrika, lid van die Society of Biblical Literature en die Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, redakteur van Acta Theologica en assistent-redakteur van Neotestamentica. Hy het reeds 34 artikels in geakkrediteerde tydskrifte gepubliseer, asook drie populêr-wetenskaplike boeke en talle bydraes in populêr-wetenskaplike boeke. Hy het twee akademiese boeke in die buiteland gepubliseer - onderskeidelik in Nederland en in die VSA. Later vanjaar verskyn 'n derde akademiese boek in Duitsland. Hy is ook een van die vertalers van die Afrikaanse Bybel vir Dowes.

Prof Janse Tolmie verwerf die grade B Sc, B Sc (Hons) en M Sc (Cum Laude) in Rekenaarwetenskap aan die UV.

Hy is vanaf 1989 betrokke by die UV en was ook ’n dosent aan die Militêre Akademie in Saldanhabaai in 1990/91 en het klas gegee by DePaul Universiteit in Chicago in 2002.

In 1992 is hy vir ses maande gesekondeer na ’n patologiese firma, Van Drimmelen en Vennote, in Johannesburg vir die ontwikkeling van kennisgebaseerde sagteware. Met hierdie projek word hy een van slegs ’n handjievol navorsers in die wêreld wat daarin kon slaag om ’n mediese kundigheidstelsel te ontwikkel wat werklik gebruik word.

Hy verwerf sy Ph D in 1994 en in 1994/95 doen hy navorsing aan die Besigheidskool van Carleton Universiteit in Ottawa, Kanada. Hy word in 1997 bevorder tot mede-professor en in 2003 tot volprofessor. Vanaf 2003 tree hy op as departementele voorsitter van die UV se Departement Rekenaarwetenskap en Informatika.

Hy het meer as 30 publikasies al die lig laat sien, insluitend verskeie internasionale kongresbydraes en artikels in geakkrediteerde joernale. Hy was ook vir 2 siklusse geëvalueer by die NRF. Sy portfolio sluit in die ontwikkeling van sagteware of prototipes vir groot maatskappye soos Van Drimmelen en Vennote en Bayer Diagnostics (VSA). Sy privaatbesigheid fokus op die ontwikkeling van nismarksagteware vir tersiêre instellings. Die sagteware word tans gebruik deur afdelings aan verskeie universiteite in Suid-Afrika.

Die geleentheid vind om 19:00 in die CR Swart-ouditorium op die kampus plaas.

MEDIAVERKLARING

Uitgereik deur: Lacea Loader
Mediaverteenwoordiger
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Sel: 083 645 2454
E-pos: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

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