Tag: Education

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Nicky Falkof, who is a cultural studies scholar based in the Media Studies department at the University of the Witwatersrand. Media is ubiquitous and takes multiple forms, that impact how individuals perceive themselves and others, construct their identities, and navigate their social worlds. Prof Falkof shares some insights into the themes of her academic qualifications; studying a Masters in critical theory with a dissertation on race and masculinity in 1980s action films and then studying an interdisciplinary PhD at the London consortium, which was a collaboration between the Tate Modern, The Science Museum and the Architectural Association.  Her current work explores the ways in which persistent negative emotions, like anxiety and fear intersect with race, particularly in urban areas and how these emotions structure social life. Part of her driving impulse is the desire to take emotional life seriously, because there is a trend where society tends to dismiss the way that we feel, but feelings are fundamentally the things that make us act the way that we do. She unpacks the collective emotions that define communities and influence behaviors, drawing on learnings from cities like Mexico City, where positive patriotism fosters a sense of unity and hope amidst adversity. We discuss aspects of the Me-Too Movement, emphasising there isn’t a universal expression of feminism and that countries in the Global South have had long standing feminists that have been empowering women in ways that are relevant to their social constructs. Implanting an ideology from one hemisphere of the world into another, is not necessarily a solution if it doesn’t take cultural differences and contexts into consideration. We also reflect on organisational systems as impediments to wide scale change and maintaining the status quo. Corporate, political and social systems that were designed by men tend to be operated by people that think like the system’s architects. This is one of the reasons why gender discrimination is still pervasive, even if some organisations have women at their helm. In closing the conversation Prof. Falkof emphasises that change doesn’t materialise unless we make it happen. Tune in for more.

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April 12, 2024

Prof Nicky Falkof – Media Studies Wits University: Emotion Directs Behaviour and Constructs Society

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Nicky Falkof, who is a cultural studies scholar based in the Media Studies department at the University of the Witwatersrand. Media is ubiqu...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Marí Thiart who is a Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon based at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. She is President of the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance (IODA) and founder of the South African Female Orthopaedic Surgeons' Society (SAFOSS) In South Africa only 5% of orthopaedic surgeons are female; unfortunately this is a global trend. One of Dr Thiart’s objectives is to promote diversity and inclusivity in the field.  These ideals are advocated by IODA and SAFOSS. Industry partners are also helping to evolve the discipline by making tools and instruments more women friendly to accommodate their physiology. Dr Thiart shares some of her passion for pursuing orthopaedics as a specialisation, noting that in this discipline she aims to treat and cure patients rather than manage a condition. She has a special interest in treating children, addressing conditions like bone and joint infections, cerebral palsy and limb reconstruction. She describes how rewarding it is to see children transition into better versions of themselves after treatment. Dr Thiart closes the discussion with a few words of wisdom that encourages women to believe in their natural talents and develop them and to look for allies to help open doors to opportunities to help you reach your goals. Tune in for more…

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April 5, 2024

Dr Marí Thiart – Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon – Stellenbosch University: Diversity and Inclusion

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Marí Thiart who is a Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon based at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. She is P...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Eunice Mphako-Banda from the School of Mathematics at the University of Witwatersrand. Mathematics is instrumental to science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers. According to the Pew Research Centre, jobs in STEM occupations have grown by 79% since 1990. STEM jobs are projected to grow at a higher rate than non-STEM subjects and have higher earning potential.  Despite these statistics, women make up approximately a third of the STEM workforce, demonstrating that the STEM landscape is still male biased. Prof Mphako-Banda shares her journey into the mathematics discipline. Starting in Malawi her first-grade teacher remarked to her father, “Your child is going to be a doctor”. The combination of her aptitude for mathematics and positive support system in her early years nurtured her self-confidence. She considers these factors to be pivotal to overcoming the misconceptions girls face in patriarchal society and gender stereotyping. She strongly advocates for girls to be empowered from an early age to believe in themselves, that they can do anything, and should be exposed to women from different fields to realise what is possible. Furthermore, we are products of our environment; people and place play an instrumental role in shaping who we become. Choose your friends wisely. After graduating from the University of Malawi with a B.Ed. in sciences in 1992, Prof. Mphako-Banda sought to further her studies and applied to institutions in the UK. She hand wrote and posted hundreds of letters and received just as many rejections. Her perseverance paid off with a British Council Scholarship that funded her Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Mathematics in the UK. Determined to fulfil her dream of being a doctor, after sending 101 applications for her PhD, she received three letters of acceptance and travelled to New Zealand to attain her Ph.D. in Discrete Mathematics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Travelling and living in different countries is an invaluable learning experience. Today, Prof Mphako-Banda’s research areas include Matroid Theory, Low-Dimension Topology-Knot Theory, Combinatorics, and Graph Theory. She shares an example of how she uses pure mathematics to help design chemical compounds to treat conditions like Alzheimer’s. Prof Mphako-Banda has achieved significant personal goals in her career and aims to encourage and mentor women. She urges women to not compete against one another, but rather work together, celebrate each other, lift one another up and embrace opportunities in STEM. #WomeninMaths Tune in for more…

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March 28, 2024

Prof Eunice Mphako-Banda – School of Mathematics – University of Witwatersrand: Breaking gender stereotypes

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Eunice Mphako-Banda from the School of Mathematics at the University of Witwatersrand. Mathematics is instrumental to science, technology, e...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr René Ferguson, who was formerly the Head of the Social and Economic Sciences Department at the University of Witwatersrand. Dr. Ferguson’s work focuses on teacher education with an emphasis on life orientation subject matters. Life orientation studies form part of the national school curriculum in South Africa and aims to equip learners with essential life skills, which promote personal, social, and intellectual development to be functional members of society. Gender stereotypes, inequality, inadequate information on reproductive health, gender-based violence and economic empowerment are issues that impact women. Unfortunately, sometimes these perspectives are normalised in society. Some of the university’s programs incorporate gender related issues, such as personal development, self-awareness, self-actualisation, women in sport, democracy and women’s rights. The legacy of patriarchy still impacts South African society, and its overtones are also felt in religious contexts. For some women growing up in a patriarchal society shaped their worldviews to the extent that they defend the system, because it was their lived experience. For other women the realisation that there are alternative ways of seeing the world, has opened the possibility that they can achieve what they want and not be denied their dreams because of their gender. We remark on the importance of education for women, that it is a crucial tool to achieving independence and purpose in life. Dr. Ferguson reminds us that we may be individuals, but we are part of the collective an each of us has the responsibility to contribute positively to the lives of others and greater society. Tune in for more…

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February 8, 2024

Dr René Ferguson – University of Witwatersrand Department of Social and Economic Sciences

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr René Ferguson, who was formerly the Head of the Social and Economic Sciences Department at the University of Witwatersrand. Dr. Ferguson’s ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Australia Tegan Brink, she is accredited to seven countries in Southern Africa – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and eSwatini. Prior to this appointment she was posted in New York as Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Permanent Mission to the UN, and Chef de Cabinet to the President of the UN General Assembly. She also served in the Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Advisory Centre on WTO Law in Geneva. Her interest in cultural diversity and a desire to have a positive impact on the world began in childhood. She further credits her education with studies in Australia, America, the Netherlands, and China as steppingstones that successively created opportunities that progressively built upon each other.  She believes that through hard work and working methodically towards your goals, you can attain them. Personal goals are important. We discuss how by using creative resource management she was able to excel in her roles and not forfeit opportunities. We discuss some of the multilateral objectives of the Australian High Commission, touching on trade, mining, scientific collaborations (like the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project), sports diplomacy and soft power. Additionally, Australia is committed to gender equality and women’s rights. Its development programs are mandated to include an 80% performance target that effectively addresses gender equality. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consciously works to encourage women to take up leadership positions. Some of the High Commissioner’s leadership tools include being prepared, cultivating networks and adopting inclusive leadership that empowers people to lead at all levels. Tune in for more.

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January 25, 2024

High Commissioner of Australia – Tegan Brink – discussing international relations, gender equality development and more

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Australia Tegan Brink, she is accredited to seven countries in Southern Africa – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, N...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of the European Union Sandra Kramer, the Ambassador of Denmark Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone and the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania Rasa Jankauskaite. This conversation takes a multi-dimensional view of women pursuing their careers and being leaders. Some of the internal factors that play a role for the individual include earning technical qualifications, being mentored, receiving support from peers, applying for promotions and believing in one’s capabilities. Externally, visible women in prominent positions have a role-modelling effect that may inspire other women to emulate their achievements “If you can see it, you can be it”. We talk about trail blazers like Ursula von der Leyen the President of European Commission, Mette Frederiksen the Prime Minister of Denmark and Dalia Grybauskaitė the former President of Lithuania. These are examples of powerful women that influence societies. However, according to the World Economic Forum the world is at least 169 years away from closing the economic participation gender gap and requires 162 years to close the Political Empowerment gender gap. Some of the interventions to reduce these gaps at a country level include agreement to follow particular directives, or more formally establishing legislation and action plans. For example the Netherlands’ zipper system sets proportional representation of men and women in its electoral systems, and the European Union recently adopted a regulation that non-executive boards of companies must have at least 40% women serve on their board. As individuals and communities through behavioural change and the adoption of gender positive legislation at national and international levels we can address gender inequality. Tune in for more.

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January 18, 2024

Ambassadors of European Union, Lithuania and Denmark inspiring women to lean in and lead themselves

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of the European Union Sandra Kramer, the Ambassador of Denmark Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone and the Ambassador of the Republic of Lith...

Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity for our final broadcast of 2023. We hope that this mix inspires you to consider possibilities, find passion and purpose. Today’s guests are role models who prove there is no space that women cannot be. Namibia’s Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab demonstrates some of the factors that strengthen gender parity in Namibia. Professor Liezl van Dyk, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at North West University, encourages women to seek career opportunities in engineering. Judge Soma Naidoo, who is a Permanent Judge of the Free State High Court talks about some of the obstacles she overcame and building a pipeline of female judges. We close today’s show with world acclaimed soprano Pretty Yende who reminds us to follow our dreams. Warm wishes for the festive season from Womanity

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December 29, 2023

Women Belong Everywhere: Sharing Wisdoms from Female Role Models

Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity for our final broadcast of 2023. We hope that this mix inspires you to consider possibilities, find passion and purpose. Today’s guests are role models who prove there is no space th...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Advocate Thando Gumede, a Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), which is one of six Chapter 9 institutions tasked with guarding South Africa's Democracy. We discuss the role of the CGE, which is mandated to promote, respect, protect, develop and attain gender equality, as well as making recommendations affecting the status of women. Several international instruments promote and uphold the rights of women, which have been ratified in South Africa. These include, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Sustainable Development Goals (notably Goal 5), and SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. These regional and global frameworks address diverse forms of gender discrimination #16DaysOfActivism. However, policy without implementation is meaningless. Citizens need to be aware of their rights, take ownership of them and act when infractions occur. People should also exercise their power on political leadership and hold them accountable to deliver what they commit to.  Advocate Gumede notes a positive trend where women are reshaping their ideals in society and recognising their value as individuals; they are not defining their identities in relation to someone else i.e. a girlfriend, fiancé, wife. Advocate Gumede reflects on her journey as a gender activist, where unfortunate circumstances in life redirected her passion for engineering and innovation to study law with an entrepreneurship mind set. She received an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation scholarship to finance her studies. After ten years in the making, she was appointed to be a Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality.  She reminds us to find our courage, that life is a constant journey, and to be receptive to inputs that shape us into becoming the humans we were destined to be. Tune in for more…

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December 15, 2023

Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality – Advocate Thando Gumede

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Advocate Thando Gumede, a Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), which is one of six Chapter 9 institutions tasked with guardin...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Amanda Dempsey who leads the School of Accounting at the University of Johannesburg, prior to this role she served as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Financial Sciences at the University of Johannesburg. She is a Chartered Accountant registered with SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants), holds a BCom and MCom in accounting. This year she received the SAICA Chairman’s Difference Makers Award for Academia. She reflects on pivotal moments and values that have shaped her as a person and contributed to her career path. For example, establishing a strong network of female friends that have been cheerleaders for each other and encouraged professional growth. Prof. Dempsey highlights how women’s rights in the workforce have transformed since the 1980s, for example, she couldn’t join the institution’s pension fund, she was not entitled to a medical aid allowance and did not receive a housing subsidy. Today she chairs the University of Johannesburg’s pension fund which manages approximately R4bn. Prof. Dempsey is conscious about nation building and developing people’s potential. One of the pioneering programmes she was involved with is the Thuthuka programme, which aims to produce black chartered accountants that contributes to the economic and social upliftment of themselves and South Africa. This professional qualification enables women to choose jobs that fit their lifestyles and ambitions, whether it’s a career in corporate or being self-employed. Part of Prof. Dempsey’s success has been viewing challenges as opportunities and embracing every opportunity that comes her way. They open more doors. One of her mottos in life is “Just Do It”. Tune in for more…

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November 23, 2023

Professor Amanda Dempsey: Head of the School of Accounting at the University of Johannesburg

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Amanda Dempsey who leads the School of Accounting at the University of Johannesburg, prior to this role she served as Executive Dean of the F...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ayanda Mafuleka – CEO FASSET (Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority) who has partnered with The International Women’s Forum South Africa (“IWFSA”) to deliver the Women in Leadership Programme or Women Legacy Programme (“WLP”), which aims to develop 1000 women in the financial sector over a 3-year period. Women are underrepresented in the financial services sector, currently there are less than 10% black female chartered accountants in South Africa. FASSET aims to increase the flow of entrants into the finance sector and has partnerships with several institutions. Every sector of industry has a need for finance professionals. FASSET has several programs in place as well as bursaries that are listed on their website. Ms Mafuleka encourages people to pursue professional qualifications. We discuss some of the programs that are in place for women, such as the Women Creating Wealth program with the Graça Machel Trust, which is an entrepreneurship program designed to equip women with confidence, skills and networks to grow their businesses and shift from income generation to wealth creation. Ms Mafuleka walks us through her career journey and factors that have contributed to her success, from being raised by strong women, to aspiring to be different, to working hard, to dreaming big and manifesting intentions where passion meets purpose. As a women leader she consciously draws people up with her and grows the sisterhood. Tune in for more…

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November 9, 2023

Ayanda Mafuleka CEO Financial Accounting Services Seta

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ayanda Mafuleka – CEO FASSET (Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority) who has partnered with The International W...

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