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06 March 2025 | Story Tshepo Tsotetsi | Photo Supplied
Human Rights Month 2025
UFS: Promoting human rights and empowering equality every day.

As we celebrate Human Rights Month, the University of the Free State (UFS) remains committed to fostering a campus culture where human rights are actively upheld and respected. This ongoing dedication aligns with Vision 130, a guiding principle that drives the UFS’s efforts in creating an inclusive, equitable environment for students, faculty, and staff.

 

Fostering a human rights-centred education through Vision 130

At the heart of the UFS’s mission is Vision 130, a strategic framework aimed at positioning the university as a leader in inclusivity, social justice, and academic excellence. It ensures that the university’s commitment to human rights and equality is reflected not only in academic programmes but also in everyday student and staff interactions.

For students like Nomathemba Mhlafu, a final-year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Psychology, these principles resonate deeply. “Honestly, it’s about having the right to education and access to resources,” Mhlafu says. “The fact that I can come here, study, and actually get my degree? That’s everything.”

 

Human rights: A shared responsibility

The promotion of human rights at the UFS is not only an institutional effort but one that includes students, faculty, and staff. Martie Miranda, Head of the UFS’s Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS), emphasises that promoting inclusivity for persons with disabilities requires a unified effort. She underscores that staff must provide accessible communication, including principles such as using clear, simple language in written and verbal communication and ensuring that alternative formats for documents, such as braille, large print, or digital versions, are available.

Miranda stresses the importance of respect and awareness. “Students need to treat students with disabilities with respect and dignity, being mindful of ableism and microaggressions,” she says. This everyday care practice ensures that all students, regardless of ability, can thrive.

Similarly, Oratile Lentsela, CSRC for Universal Access, advocates for a campus that embraces all students, regardless of background or ability. “We must continue to raise awareness and remove barriers to learning,” she says. “This includes creating more accessible spaces and improving support services.”

 

The role of students in shaping a human rights-conscious campus

Students are at the core of shaping a campus that is both human rights-conscious and inclusive. Dr Annelie De Man, Division Coordinator of the Advocacy Division at the Free State Centre for Human Rights, says, “Students have an indispensable role to play in ensuring that they are not only aware of the rights that they possess as human beings, but also the means available to them in situations where their rights are not respected, protected, and/or fulfilled.”

 

According to Dr De Man, students can contribute by:

• Creating or joining student associations that advocate for human rights.
• Educating peers on human rights and redress mechanisms through workshops and discussions.
• Demonstrating inclusivity and respect by fostering a welcoming environment for students from diverse backgrounds.
• Engaging in social justice discussions and contributing to solutions for addressing injustices.

• Providing peer support and guiding affected students to appropriate reporting channels when human rights violations occur.

Furthermore, the Human Rights Ambassadors programme, an initiative led by the Advocacy Division, empowers students to take the lead in promoting human rights within their residences. Ambassadors organise events such as poetry performances, debates, and awareness campaigns to inspire a culture of human rights on campus.

 

Public engagement as a step forward in human rights advocacy

As part of its ongoing efforts, the Free State Centre for Human Rights continues to host a variety of events to promote human rights awareness. Dr De Man highlights the importance of events like public lectures, seminars, and workshops in raising critical discussions about human rights. One such event is the centre’s first annual public lecture on 19 March 2025, which will feature Prof JL (Loot) Pretorius presenting on ‘Courts, Human Rights, and Democracy’.

“The collaboration between the different divisions of the centre allows us to engage the wider university community on issues of great importance,” Dr De Man notes. The upcoming lecture will provide a platform for the UFS community to reflect on the intersection of law, human rights, and democracy in South Africa.

 

A rights-conscious campus for all

A commitment to human rights is integral to both the UFS’s daily operations and long-term vision. Through initiatives like the Human Rights Ambassadors, the work of CUADS, and student leadership, the UFS continues to build a campus environment that prioritises equality, inclusivity, and social justice.

Mhlafu says this commitment extends beyond academics for her. “I had an injury once and went to Kovsie Clinic for help. It’s a service that’s always available to students, every day,” she explains. “That was a moment where I really saw how important the right to healthcare is. You don’t think about it until you need it, and when you do, it makes a huge difference.”

In line with Vision 130, the UFS remains steadfast in its dedication to providing every student with the resources, education, and support they need to succeed. With human rights at the forefront of every effort, the UFS is creating a campus where all individuals are empowered to thrive, ensuring that respect, dignity, and equality are not just ideals but a lived reality.

News Archive

UFS launches projects to assist communities and current students
2011-03-16

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector and Mr Rudi Buys, Dean: Student Affairs, with learners at the  Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The University of the Free State (UFS) has launched four exciting projects set out to improve the circumstances of its current and prospective students. These include a project that will honour dedicated and influential educators.

These community service projects in the starting blocks are: the UFS Schools Partnership Project, Extreme Make-over Project, Great Teachers Project and the No Student Hungry Campaign.
 
The Schools Partnership Project aims to support 21 schools across the Free State in helping them to become top achievers in the next three to five years. The schools involved were selected last year, after which the groundwork for the project was finalised. Although it mainly focuses on improving scholars' results in mathematics, accounting, physical sciences and English, it is also custom-designed according to the specific needs of the school, as indicated by the respective governing bodies beforehand. As a bonus, scholars of the schools involved will be given an opportunity to be introduced to student life; something Dr Choice Makhetha, UFS Vice-Rector: External Relations (acting), claimed to be of great importance. “We will invite Grade 10 to 12 learners to winter and summer schools being presented at the university. We will connect learners with students (one student adopts one learner for the day) for them to experience campus life. Grade 12 learners will also receive an invitation to the May 2011 graduation ceremony,” Dr Makhetha said.
 
Adding to the university's involvement at schools on local level, the newly upgraded Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School with its 112 UFS-sponsored tables will officially be revealed by the end of April. Although this school's upgrade showcases the power of partnerships, it is of special importance to the university, as it also marks the first school to receive an extreme make-over as part of the 'Extreme Make-over for Schools Project'. This project, in conjunction with the local business community, university staff and students, the community, the Department of Basic Education and SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), is considered to be a flagship project of the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof. Jonathan Jansen. Part of the project’s agreement includes visits from a group of about 100 students representing campus initiatives such as the UFS’s Kovscom, Rag and SIFE, which will contribute to the improvement of the schools' resources within a period of 10 – 15 weekends. “We invite support from all corners. South Africa has a business community committed to improving the social circumstances of its community and we plead that they also come to the rescue of the Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School,” said Dr Makhetha.
 
By spreading a 'can do' attitude, the UFS aims to honour noble and remarkable teachers across the country by means of its 'Great teacher's project'. Through the project, fellow citizens are encouraged to submit their stories on their former or current teachers’ dedication and their positive impact which are often overlooked. The panel of seasoned education scholars and practitioners will select the top 500 stories based on the stories' clarity, distinctiveness, plausibility and affectability, which will be perpetuated in a book called 'Great Teachers', to be released at the end of this year. Proceeds are destined to serve as bursaries for students who wish to pursue a career in education. According to Prof. Jansen the ideal teacher is: “Somebody who was among, but stood out above, their colleagues, a person who made a lasting impact long after the details of subject matter content of examination preparation were forgotten.”
 
Regardless of this exceptional effort of supporting schools across the province, the UFS remains committed to its students and their social welfare by means of the 'No student hungry' campaign. This project provides financially challenged students the opportunity to purchase food from the Thakaneng Bridge on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein by using their student cards at two selected kiosks serving balanced meals. The project, which is under the guardianship of Ms Grace Jansen and Dr Carin Buys, relies solely on several fund-raising projects across the country. These women are the respective spouses of the Rector and Dean: Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys. According to Ms Jansen this initiative was proposed after UFS staff reported that many students were struggling to concentrate on their studies due to hunger pangs. Although the campaign recognizes students with strong academic records, it doesn't overlook those who need a food bursary which might result in them dropping out. Ms Jansen said as the external funds gathered increase, so will the amount of students being supported by the project. “The plan is to continue until the fate of hungry students had come to an end,” she said.
 

Media Release
14 March 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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