Tag: gender equality

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda, who lectures in culture and heritage studies at the University of Mpumalanga. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences specialising in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). Dr. Bhuda shares her journey into the field, describing it as a calling that began when she first enrolled in sociology and IKS at Northwest University in 2013. Supported by funding from the Department of Science and Innovation, as well as the Department of Arts and Culture, Dr. Bhuda was part of a pioneering cohort studying ancestral knowledge systems. Focusing on the role of women in society, Dr. Bhuda emphasizes that women have always held significant positions in indigenous communities, even before colonial encounters. She highlights the long-standing influence of African queens, whose leadership and stabilizing roles were instrumental in shaping civilizations. Today, in democratic South Africa, we see a revival of this heritage, with opportunities for women to lead and succeed in powerful roles. The conversation highlights how Indigenous Knowledge Systems, passed down through generations, are as fluid and adaptable as culture itself. These systems are deeply integrated into various aspects of life, including agriculture, health, and community sustainability. Dr. Bhuda elaborates on the diverse methods of knowledge transmission—ranging from oral storytelling to observation, participation, and apprenticeship. Dr. Bhuda reflects on how women's roles have evolved over time but stresses that their contributions to society have always been vital. Education is key, she argues, in shifting mindsets and ensuring that people recognize the unique strengths women bring to leadership and community-building. Dr. Bhuda also shares her thoughts on the importance of two significant indigenous practices in South Africa: the spirit of Ubuntu, which emphasizes compassion and interconnectedness, and the rites of passage that guide individuals through life's stages. She sees these traditions as valuable lessons that other societies could learn from. Closing the discussion, Dr. Bhuda speaks passionately about the power of having a vision and pursuing it relentlessly. She encourages women to dream boldly, envision the person they are meant to become, and work tirelessly toward realizing their potential. Tune in for more.

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September 27, 2024

Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda – Culture, Heritage & Indigenous Knowledge Systems – University of Mpumalanga – Generational Knowledge

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda, who lectures in culture and heritage studies at the University of Mpumalanga. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences special...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Dovile Jakniunaite from the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University and head of the Institute’s Russia and Central Eastern European Studies Centre. There are different iterations of feminism, which are influenced by context. Prof Jakniunaite shares how when Lithuania attained independence in 1990, there was an influx of ideas from the West, including their ideas of feminism, whether that be liberal or social perspectives. In time, as societies mature, they realise that they do not necessarily have to absorb everything from other countries, but can look within themselves for concepts relative to their circumstances. On the one hand there may be some common ideas, but on the other attitudes to certain issues may differ. For example, some people have a romantic notion of socialism, but women in Eastern Europe who experienced socialism first hand tend to consider the failures of this construct. Lithuanians do not have a universal outlook towards women’s roles in society. For example, youth consider equality to be common sense and that women can occupy any role they choose. However, in segments that expect women to care for most of the household responsibility, there is an impact on the amount of time that women can devote to careers, which compromises their professional development. We note that female trailblazers across disciples serve as role models of what activities are possible for women. The fact that Lithuania has had a female president and has a female prime minister helps normalise the presence of women in politics. We discuss some of the impact that countries with feminist foreign policies exert on the world. For example, when a country with a feminist foreign policy donates funds to an entity or another nation it signals that the issues that it cares about need to be addressed as part of the deal. In this way the funding country influences gender equality in the region it is contributing finance to. In closing, Prof Jakniunaite encourages women to build their confidence, and to think of confidence as a skill which with practice develops over time.

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September 13, 2024

Prof Dovile Jakniunaite – International Relations and Political Science – Vilnius University – Evolving Feminism

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Dovile Jakniunaite from the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University and head of the Institute’s Russ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss South Africa 2024, Mia Le Roux. Mia is deaf, and she knows first-hand what if feels like to be excluded from opportunities, from the big, as well as seemingly insignificant things that many able-bodied people take for granted. Mia decided to participate in Miss SA because she did not want to feel excluded anymore and wanted to step up onto a platform for herself and others to feel included. In the winning, ‘pinch-me’, moment, when she was crowned with the Miss SA Mowana cornet, she said, that she knew it was for everyone that feels different. Part of Mia’s aspirations is to help the included make room for inclusivity. She explained some of the challenges that she experienced, such as lack of access to information, for example, watching TV for news or going to the cinema for entertainment – without captions on the screen – she has to work harder to consume this content. Growing up, after receiving a cochlear implant, Mia’s parents were concerned for her well-being and ability to cope and be independent in the world. Mia shares a few pivotal moments in her life, from the support of her family and community, to appreciating values from her mum which built her internal strength, to having ambition to live a bigger life. For example, when she moved to Cape Town, within one week she had a new car, new apartment and new job, which are testament to her determination, resilience and independence. Mia considers that for women to make more progress, as a collective we have to support each other and lift one another up. Helping others to shine doesn’t dim your light, it just makes the world brighter. She closes the conversation with the following inspiring words, “Your dream has to be stronger than your fear.” Tune in for more to hear this determined, resilient, dream-living, inspiring young woman that embodies the four pillars of Miss South Africa – duty, championship, empowerment, and beauty. #Empowerment #Resilience #Dream

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August 23, 2024

Miss South Africa 2024 – Mia Le Roux – Unstoppable Inclusion

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss South Africa 2024, Mia Le Roux. Mia is deaf, and she knows first-hand what if feels like to be excluded from opportunities, from the big, as we...

This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Rachel Jafta, a Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University and Director at Naspers / Prosus. Professor Jafta believes economics is fundamentally about people. Her diverse research covers topics like International Trade, Industrial Organisation, Technological Change, R&D, Affirmative Action, and Black Economic Empowerment. In this insightful conversation, she emphasizes how a nation's wellbeing hinges on the participation of its entire population in the economy, highlighting the detrimental effects of excluding women. She also sheds light on the opportunities brought by digitalisation, which could unlock global markets for female entrepreneurs, and the potential of a single African market to expand opportunities for women. She notes the work that Naspers Labs does to equip youth with digital skills training to access the digital economy, not just as job seekers but as entrepreneurs.   Professor Jafta also explores the key barriers women face: access to markets, finance, networks, and knowledge. She shares an example from India, where individuals without collateral use track records in place of credit profiles, illustrating innovative ways to address financial access issues. Reflecting on her own journey, Prof. Jafta recalls how education was a priority in her family, even though her parents didn’t attend school, they ensured that their six children were educated.  Prof Jafta had supportive teachers and one of them thought she should enroll for a university degree, at a time when it was not the norm for girls to go to university.  After graduating she wanted to go to Mexico but was unable to, due to Apartheid travel restrictions, and so, at the tender of age of 23, she applied to be a junior lecturer at the University of Venda but instead ended up pioneering the formation of its economics department. Reflecting on this experience she views it as a valuable opportunity for leadership and institutional legacy building.  Her parting advice? "Never underestimate your potential, be kind to yourself, and don’t hesitate to ask for help—because if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no!" Tune in for more on this inspiring episode! #WomenInLeadership #Economics #GenderEquality #Empowerment #DigitalEconomy #WomenInTrade #Womanity

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August 15, 2024

Prof Rachel Jafta – Stellenbosch University – Director at Naspers – People Economics

This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Rachel Jafta, a Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University and Director at Naspers / Prosus. Professor Jafta believes econo...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Katharine Savage of the Western Cape High Court, Judge of the Labour Appeal Court and Acting Deputy Judge President of the Labour Courts and the Labour Appeal Court. Judge Savage’s family motivated her to pursue a career in law, in part, to be able to change society. For example, she went ton to participate in the negotiations and writing of the final draft of the South African Constitution. Legislation has a powerful impact on driving reform and changing national ecosystems, whether it be social, economic or political constructs. Judge Savage participates in several societies organisations in the legal field, such as the  Southern African Legal Information Institute (SAFLII) 2004 and South African Society for Labour Law. She has also been elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve as a Judge of the United Nations Appeal Tribunal. Judge Savage shares some of the responsibilities of being a judge, emphasising the importance of being independently minded, being brave in your judgements, standing by your views and at times shifting your perspectives. One of the secrets to Judge Savage’s ability to manage multiple roles is structuring her life to enable her to participate in different forums. Furthermore, she approaches her work with an efficiency mindset and has learnt not be a perfectionist. Judge Savage emphasises the importance of human values, knowing who we are as individuals, appreciating people from different backgrounds and encouraging people to get to their best selves. We all have our own journey and challenges, which we should consider as opportunities for growth. Tune in for more…

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July 26, 2024

Judge Katharine Savage – Western Cape Division of the High Court & Labour Appeal Court – Human Values

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Katharine Savage of the Western Cape High Court, Judge of the Labour Appeal Court and Acting Deputy ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Thokozani  Chilenga-Butao from the Department of Political Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. 2024 is an election year for more than 60 countries around the world, representing almost 50% of the global population. Political policies shape the narrative of societies and underscores importance of citizen’s having a say in the way that their country is governed. Dr Chilenga-Butao shares her perspectives on three benefits afforded to citizens voting in democratic elections. The first is representation, the possibility of electing officials that not only hear their needs, but deliver them too. The second is the protection of basic freedoms and human rights, so that people are able to express themselves in and live life in a way that they choose to. Thirdly, people should be able to live peacefully, and not find themselves in a dictatorship. Recent elections in South Africa, have shown that people were dissatisfied with the status quo and used their votes to effect political change. We note that the global representation of female parliament members is 26.9%, and consider that education, access to funding and countering personal attacks, such as insults and negative commentary, adhering to party rhetoric are some of the barriers that impede women’s access and progress in politics. Dr Chilenga-Butao notes that women politicians, irrespective of political party affiliation, tend to speak the same language when it comes to injustice, and this consistent collective common voice drives change. For example, in South Africa, female politicians banded together to abolish period tax and tackle gender-based violence. Dr Chilenga-Butao reminds us that time is finite and encourages us to take action today and keep pushing the edge of our boundaries open to more opportunities. The gains we make for ourselves and families also serve to inspire others to action their own dreams. Tune in for more…

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June 7, 2024

Dr Thokozani Chilenga-Butao – Department of Political Studies, University of Witwatersrand – Opening Spaces

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Thokozani  Chilenga-Butao from the Department of Political Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. 2024 is an election year for more than...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo, from the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg. She also serves as the Pan African Women Studies unit head at the Institute of Pan African Thought and Conversation. 2024 is an election year for more than 60 countries around the world, representing almost 50% of the global population. Political policies shape the narrative of societies and underscores importance of citizen’s having a say in the way that their country is governed. Prof Ojo, shares her journey into political studies, which grew out of her background in developmental studies, and focusses on issues that address women’s economic empowerment. We reflect on the political representation of women in various countries, such as Rwanda with the highest representation of women in parliament in comparison to Nigeria, which has one of the lowest. We discuss how women’s political representation impacts on gender sensitive policies, for example, health, education, financial inclusion, gender equality, gender-based violence etc…which contribute to better lives for women. Aspiring female politicians are change makers for women; and they need support to function optimally through personal and collective collaborative networks.  Prof Ojo, reminds to be tenacious and fight for our dreams, to believe in ourselves, to use challenges as opportunities to grow and to surround ourselves with positive supporters. Tune in for more…

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June 1, 2024

Professor Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo – Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg – Lead Your Life

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo, from the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg. She also serves as th...

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...

his week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tharina Guse, who heads up the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria and is a counselling psychologist. Professor Gusa shares some of her motivations for becoming a psychologist from initial plans to pursue journalism, which stemmed from her interest in people, their experiences and stories. Studying psychology was a natural fit to really understand people through human behaviour, human thoughts and human feelings. Her research and teaching focusses on positive psychology and well-being. Positive psychology distinguishing itself from traditional psychology by focusing on strengths, well-being, and resilience, to harness internal and external resources for personal growth as well as overcoming challenges. Positive psychology can help people become the best version of themselves. Considering satisfaction and well-being in the workplace, research has shown that in workplaces where there are attempts or policies in place to promote gender equality, women are happier. They perform better and their well-being is higher. She is one of the lead researchers of the International Hope Barometer Research Programme, which is an annual survey covering 13 countries that measures people's hopes and expectations for the coming year, but also how much their hopes were fulfilled in the prior year. Interestingly, African countries have high levels of hope, which seems to stem from a trust in resources in the community and the people around us as well as faith-based trust. Reflecting on her leadership role, Professor Gusa highlights the significance of creating supportive and collaborative environments, echoing her belief in the power of compassion and understanding. She acknowledges the challenges of balancing work and personal life, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries, seeking support, and embracing imperfection. Professor Gusa remarks on some of her strong female role models, including her academic mentor and her grandmother, who’s ABBA inspired words instilled in her the belief that "There is something good in everything." In closing, Professor Gusa shares a message of hope, emphasizing its transformative power in navigating life's complexities. Her story serves as a testament to the resilience and strength of women Tune in for  more…

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March 21, 2024

Prof Tarina Gusa – Head of Psychology Department – University of Pretoria: Hope has power

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tharina Guse, who heads up the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria and is a counselling psychologist. Professor Gusa...

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 ...

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