Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
04 April 2024
|
Story Lunga Luthuli
|
Photo SUPPLIED
Dr Juliet Kamwendo champions gender-inclusive climate action in Africa. Her expertise at the recently held AFR100 workshop highlighted vital steps towards sustainable and equitable development.
Dr Juliet Kamwendo, Lecturer and Programme Director for Gender Studies in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State, is spearheading efforts to integrate gender considerations into Africa's climate restoration agenda. Reflecting on her involvement, Dr Kamwendo stated, "This is particularly crucial, as women make up almost 50% of the population in Africa, and the depletion and degradation of land affect them disproportionately."
She recently served as a gender expert at the AUDA-NEPAD AFR100 workshop in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 25 to 29 March 2024. This initiative aims to restore forests and degraded land across Africa by 2030, with a focus on gender equality.
The workshop emphasised the integration of gender perspectives into the AFR100 project, acknowledging the disproportionate impact of land degradation on women. Dr Kamwendo's expertise highlighted the need to empower women in climate change interventions, addressing existing gender inequalities exacerbated by environmental degradation.
“Women – who are primarily responsible for household food security and water provision – bear the brunt of environmental degradation, leading to increased workloads, reduced income opportunities, and heightened vulnerability to climate-related disasters. Furthermore, the loss of forest cover and biodiversity further exacerbates the challenges faced by women, particularly in rural areas where they depend heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods,” added Dr Kamwendo.
Her participation highlights academia's crucial role in fostering inclusive and sustainable development, emphasising interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle complex environmental challenges. Through initiatives such as AFR100, stakeholders are working towards a more resilient and gender-responsive future for Africa.
Ferial Haffajee among graduates at Summer Graduation
2016-12-02
A total of 124 master’s, 37 doctoral degrees, and
464 undergraduate degrees are conferred on students from
all seven faculties during the Summer Graduations.
Photo: Johan Roux
Graduation is a time to celebrate and to reap the fruits of hard work. The journalist Ferial Haffajee (Humanities) will be among the 124 master’s and 37 doctoral students receiving their qualifications in all seven faculties at the Summer Graduation of the University of the Free State (UFS). At the ceremonies on 8 December 2016 in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus, the university will also confer 264 Education qualifications to students from its South Campus, as well as 200 undergraduate degrees in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Haffajee joins likes of Tutu and others
Haffajee, a renowned newspaper editor whose expertise has made her one of the most prominent journalists in South Africa, will receive an honorary doctorate at the morning ceremony. Until recently she was the editor-in-chief of City Press newspaper. She joins the likes of Desmond Tutu, and others who have received honorary doctorates at the UFS.
Earlier this year, four distinguished individuals also received honorary doctorates from the university. They were Max du Preez, Trevor Manuel, Prof Joel Samoff, and Dr Reuel Jethro Khoza. The Summer Graduation once again promises to deliver the cream of academic excellence.
Dr Rakometsi to address UFS graduates
The guest speaker at both ceremonies is Dr Mafu Rakometsi, Chief Executive Officer of Umalusi. Dr Rakometsi also serves on the board of the Council of Higher Education. He is deeply committed to see the South African education system function at an optimum level in order to give all children equal educational opportunities.
Master’s and Doctoral degrees: All faculties
Date: 8 December 2016
Place: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus
Time: 09:00
Education qualifications – South Campus, as well as undergraduate degrees in the Faculty of Health Sciences
Date: 8 December 2016
Place: Callie Human Centre, Bloemfontein Campus
Time: 14:30