Tag: gender equality

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Austria to South Africa, Romana Königsbrun, who is also accredited to nine other countries in the region: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Ambassador Königsbrun shares some of the landmarks in her career, remarking on the positive impact of good bosses. Mentors nurture development and encourage mentees to stretch beyond their comfort zones and embrace opportunities for growth. Sometimes women are reluctant to apply for positions where they do not yet possess all the capabilities of a role, which is a disservice to themselves, rather see this as a chance to acquire new skills and advance yourself. Austria is involved in several projects in Africa, which include the renewable energy sector (SOLTRAIN), support for the interparliamentary forum for SADC and advocacy for women’s rights. Part of the Austrian Development Co-operation’s focus is on gender equality, for example, in relation to gender-based violence (GBV) it has programs to improve victim protection, where public prosecutors, judges and police receive training to sensitise them to various facets of GBV. Additionally, Austria has collaborated with SADC to create model law on GBV. This provides scalable benefits, where countries do not have to derive their own laws and can instead use systems that have already been created. Ambassador Königsbrun remarks on the importance of sisterhood and building relationships throughout your life. Networks are valuable constructs that you need to invest into; they are reciprocal. Women of today should look out for the next generation, offer them guidance so they can rise to their full potential. Tune in for more…

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November 15, 2023

Ambassador of Austria to South Africa, Romana Königsbrun

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Austria to South Africa, Romana Königsbrun, who is also accredited to nine other countries in the region: Angola, Botswana, Eswa...

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...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss South Africa 2023, Natasha Joubert. We discuss her Miss SA journey, from childhood aspirations to be a woman that inspires others, to competing in 2020 and entering the Miss Universe stage, experiencing disappointment and overcoming depression to go on to win the Miss SA crown in 2023. A person’s encounters have an impact on their life, but Natasha emphasises that people should never allow themselves to be a product of their circumstances, but to be a product of their choices. This was the philosophy behind conceptualising her fashion brand Natalia Jeffreys, which was the product of her father losing his job and her mum’s determination for Natasha to continue competing in pageants and having the outfits to do so. Financial exclusion challenges people’s access to opportunity, but through Natasha’s determination she entered pageants and won bursaries that accumulated into her BCom Marketing Management qualification. Based on her lived experience part of her Miss SA endeavours is an education-based project that partners with institutions to award full bursaries to people that cannot afford to study. Tune in for more to hear this resilient, inspiring, young woman that embodies the four pillars of Miss South Africa – duty, championship, empowerment, and beauty. #SecondChances #Empowerment #Resilience #Dream

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October 26, 2023

Miss South Africa 2023 – Natasha Joubert – Resilient, Enterprising, Go-getter

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss South Africa 2023, Natasha Joubert. We discuss her Miss SA journey, from childhood aspirations to be a woman that inspires others, to competin...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Adele Da Veiga from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who has a special interest in information security culture as well as data privacy. Her research raises important questions for consumers and businesses about what information can be disclosed; what measures are in place to protect information; where information is stored; how information is used; and who information is shared with. She notes that 74% of data breaches in organisations are a result of human error (social engineering). Data privacy at an organisational level is one concern but as citizens we have a responsibility to know our rights and protect our own information. The technology sector offers a wide range of opportunities for women, however women tend to be underrepresented in various fields. For example, women make up 25% of the global cybersecurity workforce, and when we consider the continent, women comprise just 9% of Africa’s cybersecurity personnel. Incorporating women into the labour market introduces skills diversity and increases capacity which improves productivity of organisations and simultaneously benefits economies. To inspire more women to take up technology based roles, these topics need to be included in school curricula to give girls exposure to alternative options. Technology development is accelerating, and people need to keep abreast of using innovative resources like artificial intelligence. Lifelong learning and pushing your boundaries contribute to personal growth. Prof Da Veiga encourages women to set goals and drive them forward, and reminds us that every day might not be a good day, but there is some good in every day.  Tune in for more….

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October 11, 2023

Prof Adele Da Veiga from the School of Computing – University of South Africa (UNISA)

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Adele Da Veiga from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who...

The 10th of October marks World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme is “Mental health is a universal human right”. This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Alicia Porter, who is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Charlotte Maxete Academic Hospital and lectures in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of the Witwatersrand. Some of her areas of interest include child and adolescent mental health, woman’s mental health, mental health in the workplace and burnout. Dr Porter also volunteers for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), which is at the forefront of patient advocacy, education and addressing misconceptions of mental illness. Dr Porter is a mental health advocate and believes in mental health promotion and primary prevention, she remarks that anxiety and depression are some of the more common mental health issues that patients experience, and often mental health conditions manifest in the body. She considers a child’s first 1000 days of life, so nine months in utero and the first two years as the most important period in anyone’s life because it sets the trajectory for their future. Her practice applies a multi-disciplinary holistic approach to treating children that includes family. Some of her tips for women to optimise their mental health include making self-care a lifestyle, knowing who you are through self-awareness and connecting with each other. Dr Porter exercises a pay it forward philosophy with the intention that her ceiling becomes the next generation’s floor. She reminds us that we are the sum total of who we surround ourselves with; so we should be conscious about who we choose to connect to and the effect that this has on helping us progress in our lives.   Tune in for more….

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October 5, 2023

Dr. Alicia Porter – Psychiatrist – Charlotte Maxete Academic Hospital (WITS)

The 10th of October marks World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme is “Mental health is a universal human right”. This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Alicia Porter, ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Justice from the Republic of Namibia, Yvonne Dausab. Prior to this appointment she served as the Chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission, and previously occupied the role of  Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Namibia. Minister Dausab shares some of the factors that contributed to her pursuit of a career in law, including historical context, particularly living through Apartheid as a tool of oppression that used laws to implement its systems, experiencing the trauma of a family member being murdered and residing in an environment threatened by criminal activity. Under Minister Dausab’s leadership the Ministry of Justice drives a significant legislature agenda, both informed by other ministries and its own activities, additionally it aims to fulfil to key strategic objectives namely the provision of legal services and access to justice. In terms of access to justice, initiatives include improving access to legal aid for people who need representation, developing the small claims court system and establishing  community. Some of Minister Dausab’s leadership strategies encompass supporting other women, focussing on key areas of your mandate and avoiding distractions, building relationships across party and gender lines to understand different points of view, reading widely, participating in activities that bring out your strengths and showing up. Namibia has made significant strides in promoting gender equality and women's rights. For example, both Namibia’s prime minister and deputy prime minister are women. A few of the reasons for Namibia strength in the gender equality stakes follow. Firstly, the ruling party took a decision to have a policy entrenched in their constitution that said there must be 50/50 representation in any activity that the SWAPO party undertakes. Secondly, Namibia actively participates in international and regional levels in promoting gender equality. Thirdly, Namibia has very good policies and recently reviewed its national gender policy to assess how has the country has progressed and is presently developing a new gender policy for the next ten years. Tune in for more...

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September 20, 2023

The Minister of Justice from the Republic of Namibia – Yvonne Dausab

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Justice from the Republic of Namibia, Yvonne Dausab. Prior to this appointment she served as the Chairperson of the Law Reform and ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Soma Naidoo from the Free State Division of the High Court, who shares part of her journey to the bench. In early childhood Judge Naidoo came face-to-face with injustices of apartheid and was aware that the “law” was the instrument of discrimination, these experiences motivated her to change the “law”. Her path was not easy, but she stayed the course pursuing excellence in all her endeavours and proving her worth. Judge Naidoo shares some of the impactful cases she has worked on from criminal, to political, to industrial and domestic matters. Arriving at a judgement and suitable sentence is no easy task, and sometimes judges are faced with the worst aspects of humanity, but justice must still be metered out impartially. She mentions some of the strategies she uses to debrief and look out for her well-being as well as colleagues. Judge Naidoo offers several pieces of advice to aspirant lawyers and judges, which include networking, pursuing their academic studies and seeking mentorship to guide and support them throughout their careers. She also mentions a poem, called the “Desiderata” by Max Ehrmann, which is an inspirational prose that offers sound philosophies for living a good life, regardless of age.   Tune in for more…

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September 6, 2023

Judge Soma Naidoo from the Free State Division of the High Court

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Soma Naidoo from the Free State Division of the High Court, who shares part of her journey to the bench. In early childhood Judge Naidoo cam...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Sunet Eybers from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who lectures on Human-Computer Interaction as well as Principle Concepts of IT Service Management. We note that diverse professional opportunities are open to technology graduates in different industries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic of the day. We talk about AI adoption, the role of ethics and engaging AI, that society has already reached a stage where we cannot separate AI from what we do on a day-to-day basis and the importance of values. This field is growing in both academic and industry environments and these communities should collaborate more effectively to benefit students. One of the initiatives that UNISA has taken, in living its motto of Reclaiming Africa’s Intellectual Futures, is to Africanise examples of theoretical concepts which aids comprehension. We acknowledge that some women contend with fulfilling multiple roles (simultaneously), such as caregiving, educating, economic provision and community contribution. These responsibilities can feel overwhelming and point the need to challenge traditional gender stereotypes for women to attain balance in their lives and fulfil their aspirations. Prof Eybers reminds people to never give up on their dreams – rest but don’t quit. Tune in for more….

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August 3, 2023

Prof Sunet Eybers from the School of Computing – University of South Africa (UNISA)

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Sunet Eybers from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who l...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Judy Van Biljon from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who also holds the National Research Foundation’s Chair in Information and Communication for Development (ICT4D). She highlights some of her research areas, such as human-computer-interaction (HCI) and knowledge mobilisation and visualisation; focussing on the importance of developing intuitive designs and catering for the different needs of various groups. In the context of websites her work aims to make them effective and efficient and for users to have satisfactory experiences. We discuss how culture evolves and must continue to transform. E.g. for decades, work environments were designed around the needs of men; organisations need to be reconstructed to accommodate men and women. Stereotypical gender roles in the home should fall away to create win-win scenarios so that both partners feel they are fulfilling their purpose. “If you keep quiet to keep the peace you start a war within yourself” Prof. Van Biljon uses the metaphor of a tree to describe the relationships we have in our personal ecosystems. She emphasises the importance of creating structures to support future goals, where healthy habits pave the way for success. Tune in for more.

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July 27, 2023

Prof. Judy Van Biljon – School of Computing – UNISA

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Judy Van Biljon from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), w...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nomcebo Mthombeni, who heads up the Department of Chemical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment at the Durban University of Technology. She highlights the broad applicability of chemical engineering across sectors and the need for collaborative research between industry and academia, that addresses societal and industrial challenges. For example Dr Mthombeni highlights some of the water projects she has been involved with that dealt with disinfection to target pathogens in water; sensors to detect modern water contaminants; recycling waste water to generate energy; and utilising solar power to pump water in rural communities. Dr Mthombeni notes that engineers are problem solvers and asserts that chemical engineering students – no matter how far along they are in their studies – should be confident and if they think they can solve a problem to tackle it now, not wait until they have earned their qualification. Although the engineering discipline is traditionally male dominated, there is a strong cohort of female graduates however they seem to drop out of the pipeline. Some of the reasons for this include environments that are less accommodating for women, the need for men to open opportunities for women to enter the space, the family responsibilities that women tend to carry, negative socialisation that may inhibit women from believing in their capabilities, and a lack of development programmes with intentional career paths. Lastly, Dr Mthombeni emphasises the importance of knowing your “why” and pursuing your purpose. Tune in for more

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July 14, 2023

Dr. Nomcebo Mthombeni head of Chemical Engineering at the Durban University of Technology

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nomcebo Mthombeni, who heads up the Department of Chemical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment at the Durban ...

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