Dear Staff and Student Colleagues

'Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokotho!'

This month we celebrate the strength, courage and resilience of the women in our country. National Women’s Day, 9 August, recalls the day in 1956 when thousands of women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to reject in voice and action the proposed legal amendments which extended the pass laws to include women. The ‘dompas’ was an instrument of movement restriction and of maintaining population segregation. The 1956 demonstration was a powerful display of allyship: women across racial classifications, religions and ages gathered in consensus that apartheid legislation was gravely unjust. When the prime minister refused to accept their petition, they broke out in song, 'Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokotho' (You strike a woman, you strike a rock) — a song that is indelibly inscribed in the women's struggle for justice in South Africa.

I reflect on how it is our collective responsibility in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) to welcome practices and policies that speak to realising this justice for the many contexts women find themselves in. We have worked intentionally to a build a more compassionate, supportive and inclusive environment for all in our Faculty, particularly for those who have been marginalised in the past, including women. Central to this must become the dialogue that highlights the prevalence of sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV) amongst us and across many environments.

The dedication of August to celebrating women has become a time for highlighting the significant contribution of women to our Faculty, in the diverse spaces they work. Importantly, women in leadership are making their marks in our workspaces. Women comprise more than 50% of our staff and student cohort and we are making strides in women appointments to leadership positions: 50% of deanery staff; 55% of academic heads of department and heads of division; and 52% of senior Professional, Administrative Support and Service (PASS) staff are women. Recently, we appointed the first woman head of the Department of Medicine, Professor Mashiko Setshedi.

Much work remains to be done. While Women’s Month spotlights the contributions of women, it also draws attention to the hardships that women continue to endure. These include SGBV, sexual harassment, bullying in the workplace and unequal renumeration. The University of Cape Town's (UCT) vigorous attempts to combat SGBV got a boost in November 2023 with the launch of Kwanele, a powerful mobile application designed to track and help counter sexual misconduct on UCT campuses. I urge members of our Faculty community to use this tool if they need the support.

During August, we will share some stories of colleagues from a range of contexts, which mirror those of many women beyond our campus. Let us see their stories: their diverse backgrounds, their dedication in the face of adversity and their achievements. Let us value their stories.

Let me conclude by honouring the contribution of women leaders who head substantial portfolios in the Faculty:

• Dr Kerrin Begg, Deputy Dean: Undergraduate Education
• Professor Lydia Cairncross, HOD: Surgery
• Professor Susan Cleary, HOD: Public Health and Family Medicine
• Professor Roshaan Galvaan, HOD: Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Dr Yolande Harley, Director: FHS Research
• Professor Virna Leaner, HOD: Integrative Biomedical Sciences
• Associate Professor Tracey Naledi, Deputy Dean: Social Accountability and Health Systems
• Mrs Denise O'Reilly, FHS Office Manager
• Professor Komala Pillay, HOD: Pathology
• Professor Sharon Prince, Deputy Dean: Research
• Ms Linda Rhoda, Manager: Communications and Marketing
• Professor Mashiko Setshedi, HOD: Medicine
• Professor Delva Shamley, HOD: Human Biology
• Ms Zaida Sherry, Finance Manager:
• FHS Mrs Heidi Starr, Manager: HR Business Partnering
• Professor Jacky van Wyk, HOD: Health Sciences Education.

'You strike a woman, you strike a rock!'

Kaise ke gangans
Associate Professor Lionel Green-Thompson
Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences