Tag: Equality

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, who is a member of parliament representing the African National Congress (ANC) and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education. This committee conducts oversight and monitors the work that the executive is doing. We highlight some of the core focus areas of the Department of Basic Education in 2022/2023, notably the shift of early childhood development from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education, the Department’s Programme 5 – to end school related gender based violence (GBV), and building strategic relationships in the international arena. We consider some of the factors that contribute to building female leadership capacity through economic and education mechanisms. The more educated women become the more the country benefits - socially, economically and otherwise. Ms Mbinqo-Gigaba reminds us that “It doesn’t matter how you come, just make sure you arrive”. Tune in for more…

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September 28, 2022

ANC Parliamentarian & Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on Basic Education – Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, who is a member of parliament representing the African National Congress (ANC) and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Jyoti Bajpai, a Professor of Medical Oncology at the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai India and Dr Nermean Mostafa a lecturer of clinical oncology and early detection at the Ain Shams University in Cairo Egypt. They share some of their motivations for pursuing oncology as a specialisation and give an overview of the field in their countries. For example, Egypt has an intensive screening campaign for early detection of cancer and is improving palliative care. India has a population of more than 1.4 billion people and has wide variations in the type of care and infrastructure available to citizens, however there is a marked deficit of oncologists to cancer patients, currently the ratio stands at 1:2000, whereas in the USA it is 1:100. We note some of the challenges female oncologists experience, which often stem from social stereotypes and patriarchal cultures that limit people’s perceptions of women reducing them to mothers and care givers, not seeing them as professionals who excel in their chosen fields. Our discussion centres on the recent Global Women for Oncology Summit (GLOWS) which received delegates from every continent. GLOWS addressed pressing issues faced by women in their careers, such as how to navigate politics in the workplace, how to break the glass ceiling, the importance of #networking and the value of #mentorship and #sponsorship. We discuss distance mentorship, as a concept implemented through digital platforms to provide mentorship between women in different regions. Some of the benefits of this mode of mentorship for women include saving on travel expenses like accommodation or visas, the ability to remain at home and maintain family responsibilities, and connecting to the right mentor irrespective of geographic location. Tune in for more…

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September 21, 2022

Oncology Specialists Prof. Jyoti Bajpai (India) & Dr Nermean Mostafa (Egypt)

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Jyoti Bajpai, a Professor of Medical Oncology at the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai India and Dr Nermean Mostafa a lecturer of clinical oncology ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia - Mutale Nalumango, who is also Vice President of Zambia’s ruling party the United Party for National Development (UPND). Vice President Nalumango shares how her life path has been navigated by the drive to fight all forms of injustice, like social inequity, poverty alleviation, access to justice and empowering women to occupy their rightful spaces. She shares some of her visions for Zambia where unity and peace serve as foundational elements to development and productivity. She also reaffirms that education is the greatest equalizer and reminds those that think education is too expensive to try the cost of ignorance. We discuss women in leadership and mechanisms to better capacitate women, such as mentorship, effective networking, higher education, encouraging women to rise and also aligning men to the gender agenda – to acknowledge that they are beneficiaries of women’s economic participation. Although efforts are underway to progress the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality progress is slow in some areas of the continent. Some of the impediments to women’s progress include inhibiting cultures, religious expectations, social stereotypes and bearing the burden of unpaid domestic work. In the words of Vice President Nalumango, “Women are born as volunteers.” Women need to unite and collectively fight against injustices that discriminate against them. Women cannot let their life choices depend on other people; they have the capability to achieve their ambitions. In closing, Vice President Nalumango says, “Girls, rise up wherever you are, the sky is the limit, you can make it anywhere, everything is open to us in Africa”. Tune in for more…

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August 31, 2022

Vice President of Zambia – Mutale Nalumango striving for social justice, unity and equality

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia - Mutale Nalumango, who is also Vice President of Zambia’s ruling party the  United Party for Na...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Lindiwe Rusi from the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Mthatha. Judge Rusi’s disciplined upbringing compelled her to strive for order and equity, which formed foundational values for a vocation in law. During the early part of her career she was involved with several outreach programmes delivering much needed legal knowledge to underserved communities, particularly in areas of customary and family law, domestic violence and access to justice. Reflecting on recent amendments to Acts affecting women, Judge Rusi mentions changes to The Criminal Law Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act Amendment Bill. For example, amendments to the main statutes governing court processes in superior and lower courts makes provision for additional procedures in respect of how witnesses, especially victims of gender based violence, give evidence in court, such as using audio visual facilities, to help reduce secondary victimisation of those victims, because in the process of giving evidence they are forced to relive the experiences. The Domestic Violence Amendment Act sees new definitions of what constitutes domestic violence and places obligations on functionaries of government departments, like the way police render service to victims of domestic violence. To further advance gender equality Judge Rusi considers there are opportunities for government to implement policies aimed at ensuring gender parity and guard the right to equality. Additionally, society needs to stop typecasting women into traditional gender roles. Women should not allow anything or anyone to undervalue their self-worth and derail their dreams. Tune in for more…

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August 17, 2022

Judge Lindiwe Rusi – Eastern Cape Division of the High Court

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Lindiwe Rusi from the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Mthatha. Judge Rusi’s discipline...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Carol Sibiya from the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. Judge Sibiya shares her journey to the judiciary and rising through the ranks to the bench, which was motivated, in part, by her father who was a lawyer, the desire to ensure people have access to justice and growing up in apartheid South Africa. We discuss some of her memorable cases, highlighting the duty of the court to exercise judgements in the best interest of children, and the power the court has to make meaningful changes, for example Judge Sibiya’s ruling ensured LLB graduates from private institutions are allowed to enter the legal profession, previously only graduates from public universities were permitted to do so. We remark on the progress of women’s rights in South Africa and the positive effects that representation of women in different spaces has on people’s psyche, to understand the breadth of possibilities available to them. We highlight mentorship as a tool to help new recruits navigate their careers with the aid of  a solid sounding board to keep them accountable and remain true to their dreams. Tune in for more…

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August 3, 2022

Judge Carol Sibiya – KwaZulu Natal Division of the High Court

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Carol Sibiya from the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. Judge Sibiya shares her ...

Ayşegül Kandaş, the Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. We discuss some of her career highlights and the instrumental role that education played in her development, noting the power of knowledge. Generally, the number of women in the diplomatic corps is increasing, and there is a relatively strong representation of female diplomats in Africa. Ambassador Kandaş shares some of her key objectives to foster productive enduring relationships between Turkey and the three countries she is accredited to in Africa. This includes increasing the level of investment from Turkish firms, improving trade, establishing development co-operation initiatives, opportunities for scholarships and projects for women and youth. Some of the programs geared towards women include entrepreneurship training, establishing networks of female small and medium enterprises, and providing trading markets. We discuss women in leadership and remark on varying proportions of women to men in parliaments across the world, pointing out that countries with higher numbers of women in parliament tend to have more egalitarian societies . Tune in for more…

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June 29, 2022

Ambassador of Turkey – Ayşegül Kandaş

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ambassador Ayşegül Kandaş, the Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. We discuss some of her career highlights and the instr...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Director General of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) - Advocate Mikateko Joyce Maluleke. The theme of this year’s youth month is “Promoting sustainable livelihoods and resilience of young people for a better tomorrow”. Almost two-thirds of the South African population are under the age of 35. Advocate Maluleke shares some of the programmes that the department has initiated to help address the challenges confronted by youth. For example, the Nelson Mandela Youth dialogues on ethical leadership promoting peace, reconciliation and democracy; fostering stronger relationships between countries in Africa to embrace the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to improve intra-continental trade and socio-economic outcomes; work with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and initiating a programme to help unemployed graduates find gainful employment in their field of study. In terms of specific initiatives for women, the Director General discusses the goals of the Women Economic Assembly (WECONA), which is a partnership between the private sector, civil society and women’s organisations, businesswomen and government that aims to facilitate the participation of women-owned businesses in core areas of the economy. In keeping with the economic empowerment of women, the DWYPD is planning to establish the biggest market expo in the world on 9 August 2022, which will bring together 90,000 women to connect, collaborate and contract to win. Tune in for more….

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June 22, 2022

Advocate Mikateko Joyce Maluleke – Director General of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Director General of the Department of Wo...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in law, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Nomthandazo Ntlama-Makhanya who is a Professor of Public Law in the Department of Public Law at the Nelson R Mandela School of Law, Faculty of Law, at the University of Fort Hare. Some of her roles include acting as Head of UNESCO Oliver Tambo Chair of Human Rights, serving as the former Commissioner of the South African Judicial Services Commission (JSC) representing the Society of Law Teachers of Southern Africa, acting as a Judge of the High Courts and was appointed as a Non-Judge Member of the South African Electoral Court. Her core area of research is on Constitutional Law with a broader focus on human rights and customary law specifically on socio-economic rights, judiciary, gender equality and women’s rights. Our discussion includes: women in leadership, concerted succession planning efforts, transforming gender perspectives, developing practical gender policy frameworks, human rights education that entwines both rights and responsibilities and attaining an academic education to open doors that exceed your expectations. Prof. Ntlama-Makhanya shares how she overcame some of the challenges in her life through focus and a never give up approach, like having a brain tumour and going on to attain her doctorate. She reminds us that your past does not define your future. Tune in for more….

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June 15, 2022

Prof. Nomthandazo Ntlama-Makhanya – Public Law – Fort Hare University

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in law, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Nomthandazo Ntlama-Makhanya who is a Professor of Public Law in the Department of Public Law at the Nelson R M...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in law, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Caroline Ncube who heads up the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Cape Town. She holds the South African Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development. She serves as a member of the African Policy, Research & Advisory Group on STI, is a member of the Advisory Board of the African Network of International Economic Law (AfIELN) and of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). We discuss how these roles contribute to the discipline of law in both academia and practice; and note some of the accomplishments of women in the field of law. Some of Prof. Ncube’s collaborations with Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt form part of the Open African Innovation Research Partnerships. One of her recent projects addresses patents and access to medicines during the Covid-19 pandemic. We discuss the liberating effects of education on women. Prof. Ncube reflects on the influence of gender in personal and professional life, where the perception of traditional gender roles can inhibit some women from advancing in their careers until their children are less dependent on them. Establishing childcare facilities at institutions, formulating robust support networks and reconsidering gender roles are a few interventions that could help women navigate various stages of their personal and professional lives. In closing Prof. Ncube reminds us that the hopes of the continent are pinned on women and youth; so if you are young and female the moment is yours, the continent is wide open reach out and take it. Tune in for more…

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June 8, 2022

Prof. Caroline Ncube – Head Commercial Law Department – University of Cape Town

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in law, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Caroline Ncube who  heads up the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Cape Town. She holds t...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Ledile Mokoka who specialises in nephrology at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. Kidney disease is often a secondary effect of other conditions like hypertension and diabetes, according to the diabetesatlas.org,  24 million people in Africa (1 in 22) have diabetes.  These are non-communicable diseases that could be prevented if adequate awareness and education were offered to communities.  We discuss some of the kidney disorders that she treats and highlight conditions that women are more predisposed too. We note the healthcare challenges that women living in rural areas are exposed to, including the lack of access to facilities and presenting late stage diagnoses. Dr. Mokoka shares signs for women to be on the lookout for (like fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea) and address with health care practitioners. Tune in for more…

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June 1, 2022

Dr Ledile Mokoka – Nephrologist – Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Ledile Mokoka who specialises in nephrology at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. Kidney disease is of...

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