The International Education and Partnerships Directorate at the Durban University of Technology recently hosted a webinar titled: Celebrating Impactful Women within a Global context, aimed at highlighting the impact of women in all fields from a global perspective.
Professor Sibusiso Moyo, DUT’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, gave opening remarks and emphasized the need for every girl child to thrive and consider exploring fields where a lot of women are still marginalised, due to these fields being previously male dominated.
Prof Moyo said at DUT there are very few women at the Engineering field, therefore the University must mobilise more women into this field.
The keynote address was given by Professor Goski Alabi, President in Laweh Open University, in Ghana. She spoke greatly on the topic of Women’s Contributions to Higher Education Institutions in the Leadership Roles, where she alluded to women’s issues, for decades, having been centred around equity and equal rights, specifically in education, political rights, and marital status. She further touched on the need to acknowledge the fact that men and women are indeed not biologically the same, thus contributing to different roles, however, women are and should be equal in dignity.
In addition, Prof Alabi encouraged women to liberate themselves and ensure that their voices are heard, by looking and evaluating the current strategies and approaches which may need to change. Instead of women marching the streets and shouting on top of their voices just to be heard, she advised women to not fight but aim at collaborating with the existing systems. Prof Alabi, concluded by saying: “I want to encourage you today if you are a lady, a woman in a position to influence. To encourage all the girls to go to school and be educated. Advocate for education, be it formal or informal education, please do not hesitate. What is important is that we do not look down on other forms of knowledge.”
Associate Professor, Dr Delphine Colin from the Reunion Island presented on body art, her focus was on advocating for the “image” of women in society, where she discussed in detail the vast imaginations that constitutes to what makes a woman. Her artistic approach to the issues surrounding women showed a side of women activism approaches those other women in the art industry have navigated as means of winning the fight against the marginalisation of women in all known media platforms.
The second segment of the webinar focused on the Youth’s Perspectives where DUT International students shared their views on Feminism by separating the pros and cons, following the new vague labels which are associated with Feminism.
DUT’s Dr Rene Smith and Ms Phiwe Mncwabe, spoke on the role of media as a tool to advocate for women empowerment. Dr Smith’s perspective on gender mainstreaming and integration touched on several thought-provoking topics like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Equal pay for equal work, Gender and Global pandemic (COVID-19) and Women and Media.
In her conclusion, Dr Smith said: “We can all play our part, wherever we are, whatever the sector. For a start, be informed, then ‘be the change’. If you have Gender departments, Gender desks, Gender offices –understand that these are not a given, they were lobbied and advocated for, and we need to support them. Choose to be an ally, know your own privilege, your own prejudices and then do your bit, and when doing your bit, ensure that you mainstream gender in all that you do!”
The now retired Ms Lucille Webster, former Director of the DUT’s Library Services, closed the webinar, echoing and sharing similar sentiments as aforementioned speakers and presenters. She further gave amazing words of encouragement and heartfelt dedications as she bid her farewell. Webster, remains as one of the greatest examples of women in leadership positions, with her role in the Higher Education Sector. She also has, through the institution, employed several women in her department.
Pictured: Women attendees at the event
Nikiwe Sukazi
