At the first sitting of Universities South Africa’s Transformation Managers’ Forum (TMF) in March, officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training presented plans of the Directorate: Social Inclusion. They also updated TMF members on progress made on two recent research projects.

The Director: Social Inclusion & Equity, Ms Sesi Mahlobogoane, said that DHET, in collaboration with the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) and Higher Health (HH), had launched an outreach campaign in February this year, focused on promoting safer campuses — free from sexual harassment and Gender Based Violence (GBV) while addressing other critical issues such as mental health and civic education.

This partnership, said Mahlobogoane, was necessitated by the findings and recommendations of the CGE’s investigation into sexual harassment noted at universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, and the CGE Chairperson, Advocate Nthabiseng Sepanya-Mogale, also attended the launch.

She said as part of the collaboration, a series of outreach activities aimed at furthering awareness and accountability would be held during the year to ensure the implementation of the CGE’s recommendations to advance gender equality. 

Mahlobogoane reiterated the importance of public universities reporting, and the input and participation of all stakeholders: “We need report-backs every quarter, even if they are informal, so that we have updated information readily available and don’t have to approach institutions every time we get a Portfolio Committee or a Parliamentary question.”

“Due to the CGE findings on the slow pace of gender transformation and rampant sexual harassment in our institutions, the Deputy Minister believes that all stakeholders have to work together. It is not something that DHET can tackle alone.”

She said the Deputy Minister had pledged her support for the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector. “G20 side events will be hosted by some institutions, including one at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in July, focusing on Gender Equality and GBV. The DHET is also planning a workshop with TMF members around social inclusion.”

Mahlobogoane advised institutions wishing to conduct social inclusion workshops, whether for staff or students, to approach DHET: “It will be on a first-come, first-served basis, from the beginning of April,” she said, citing a limited budget. She also urged all the universities and TVET colleges to take part in the End Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) 100-Day Challenge.

Next in line on the TMF agenda was Ms Noko Mailula, Deputy Director:  Social Inclusion & Equity at DHET, who updated the members on progress made on two research studies: a)The state of Gender Transformation and b) Sexual Harassment in the Higher Education Institutions, undertaken by the CGE.

Source: DHET update on two university research studies: Gender Transformation and Sexual Harassment in Higher Education Institutions - Universities South Africa