On the eve of Women’s Day in South Africa, we remember the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of pass laws to women. We also take this moment to reflect on the steps we are currently taking and those that lie ahead, in order to ensure that we cultivate an environment that is a safe space for everyone in our community, especially women. 

To this end, I am proud of the work initiated by the Faculty’s Transformation and Equity Committee (F-TEC) who have named bullying, harassment, discrimination, and gender-based violence amongst their key focus areas. 
 
Working in partnership with the Deputy Dean for Social Accountability and Health Systems, the GBV Advisory to the Deanery, the Transformation Coordinator, the Gender and Sexual Diversity Advocate, the Gender Liaison, and student NGOs, the F-TEC has launched an anti-GBV Campaign, #Power2Protect. 

The campaign coincides with the amended Domestic Violence Act (2023), which introduces increased levels of protection for victims of GBV, and new responsibilities for healthcare professionals. As such, the campaign focuses on “knowing our rights and knowing our responsibilities”, so that we have the #Power2Protect ourselves and others.  

The inaugural campaign event on Saturday the 5th of August was conceptualised and hosted by the student led Pan-African NGO, 16 Ways for 16 Days. The convention entitled, "All hands on deck: Action against gender-based violence in tertiary institutions", facilitated a stimulating expert panel discussion regarding policies, systems, processes, and education relating to GBV in the tertiary space. A key message on the day was the gaining of knowledge of systems to ensure the safety of women, especially the ease of first reporting when there has been an incident.  

The next event will be a Women’s Month webinar on 23 August 2023 covering a range of topics including: gender equality and LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace; gender-based violence; and gender inclusive resources and services. Posters about the key topics to be included in the webinar are being shared on a weekly basis, and have been designed as awareness and advocacy resources, that can be printed and displayed in departments.  

Future campaign events will include awareness-raising and advocacy activities, knowledge-sharing, reflective discussion spaces, and training opportunities. These events will be shared in the Faculty’s Infomailer and distributed through other FHS communication platforms. 

The Faculty and the University are committed to strengthening our policies and supporting efforts to address sexual and gender-based violence in our community. We are cognisant of the profound challenge this poses both on our campus, and in our broader society. We also acknowledge our shared responsibility to support one another, to not err on the side of silence and to call out the perpetrators who exist among us. #Power2Protect 
 
Kaise ke gangans
Associate Professor Lionel Green-Thompson
Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences