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Xhosa Student Association and GEADO host dialogue about gender-based violence

05 September 2023 | Story Nicole Bongo | Photo Supplied

GBV dialogue 2023 — The UFS Xhosa Student Association and Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office joined forces to host a dialogue to enlighten students on combating gender-based violence.

The Xhosa Student Association at the University of the Free State (UFS), along with the UFS Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO) on its Bloemfontein Campus, recently hosted a dialogue titled ‘Aiding the Victim’, to educate students about what perpetuates gender-based violence, and inform them about UFS support services available to help fight GBV.

The discussion was held at the Education Auditorium on 25 August 2023, and students were challenged to pinpoint what GBV is and what it looks like. Balisa Nqambuza, Chairperson of the Xhosa Student Association and second-year BA student majoring in psychology and philosophy, said, “There is a need to have these tough conversations, as they provide insight on how to combat GBV in the future... We have had enough talks about the problem, and it is very important to start speaking about solutions that inform people of what they can do when encountering GBV.”

The event organisers said the dialogue was an opportunity for GEADO and the Xhosa Student Association to inform students about support structures within the university that provide help for students through free counselling sessions.

“The objective was to bring awareness about GBV victims amongst us, and how to assist them better, and to also highlight comprehensive approaches, as dialogues may discuss holistic approaches that address the multidimensional impact of GBV, including psychological, emotional, physical, and economic consequences,” said Pebetsi Kgole, a guest speaker and intern from GEADO.

In May 2023, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund reported a shocking rise in violence against women in South Africa, with 969 murders and 1 485 attempted murders recorded over this period. The UFS has put many structures in place to help in the fight against the scourge of GBV.

Other support services available include a sexual offense response team made up of GEADO, Protection Services, Kovsie Health, access to psychologists and social workers, and free services to help victims feel safe in a secure environment.

News Archive

Achieve academic goals with an online presence

2016-10-28

Description: Achieve academic goals Tags: Achieve academic goals

Photo: iStock

With the recent break in the academic activities at most of the countries’ universities, higher education managers are pressured to come up with ways of completing the rest of the 2016 academic year.

An approach introduced by the University of the Free State (UFS), is the use of online learning platforms.

For the remainder of the year, students will be required to do the majority of their work online. To support students during this time, the UFS has created an Academic Reboot Pack 2.0, which included #8 Habits of Highly successful online students.

Stay informed and prioritise your work
Make the online environment the top priority in your daily schedules. Be extra vigilant in your studies and use online learning platforms such as Blackboard to check your modules for new announcements and academic information.

You will also need to prioritise between important and less important tasks. This will give you an indication as to which tasks to focus on first.

Optimise your environment and work until you achieve goals
You need to optimise your study environment in a space where you can be productive and study efficiently. Continue working until you have achieved your goals, but also remember to reward yourself when you have reached them.

Staying organised
Remember, you need to stay organised and declutter your environment. It will be best to create a filing system for your paper-based notes, as well as the electronic files on your computer.

Get study buddies and keep a healthy body and mind
Get study buddies as this provides a good opportunity to share knowledge. If you are not sure about something, contact your lecturers via email or on their office numbers.

Lastly, keep a healthy body and mind because you will need to keep going a little longer than anticipated this year.

Get your copy of the Academic Reboot Pack 2.0 on Blackboard under announcements or click here to download it.

Also see the first Academic Reboot Pack.

If students have any question or queries regarding the Academic Reboot Pack 2.0, they can send an email to: advising@ufs.ac.za

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