This Women’s Month, the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation will host a dialogue entitled, “Where are the Women? – Harnessing the Educational Dividend of Women”. Despite more women graduating from tertiary institutions in South Africa, statistics show that men are more likely to have paid employment. This dialogue seeks to explore where then do the women go?
The discussion, facilitated by life coach and speaker Ms Obenewa Amponsah, will include:
· Prof Anita Bosch, Associate Professor, University of Stellenbosch Business School
· Dr Aisha Pandor, Co-founder and CEO, SweepSouth
· Dr Sisa Ngabaza, Senior Lecturer, UWC Department of Women and Gender Studies
· Ms Catherine Constantinides, International Climate and Social Cohesion Activist
· Ms Bonita Bennett, Director, District Six Museum
UWC Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Vivienne Lawack, said this event raises the critical issue of women and their representation in the workplace. “It is trite that women represent the largest percentage of graduates of undergraduate programmes, including professional programmes. However, the picture changes for postgraduate studies as well as in the world of work. This event explores some of the factors that may impede the growth and/ or upward mobility of women, with the aim of making constructive input and recommendations. Hence, the question: ‘Where are the women?’,” she said.
CEO of the Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation, Ms Zengeziwe Msimang, said: “Charged with the protection, preservation and promotion of the legacies of Oliver and Adelaide Tambo, the Tambo Foundation has chosen August, now known as Women’s Month, as the date for this important event. It will pay homage to the legacy of Adelaide Tambo – and all female freedom fighters – by espousing her passion for education and the multi-faceted roles she played as a woman – such as nurse, mother, caregiver, wife, and freedom fighter.”
The event is sponsored by Absa. Absa’s Group Head of Communications, Songezo Zibi, explained: “The purpose of South Africa’s transformative journey is to build a nation with shared values, where equality and equity are paramount. We identify fully with that journey and support its purpose. This dialogue is but one step of many towards building the country of our dreams, for which all of us have to work hard and collaborate.”
“At Absa, we are passionate about playing a shaping role in society by being an active force for good. One of the ways in which we do this is by enabling dialogue on issues of national importance through partnerships with like-minded institutions such as the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation and the University of the Western Cape. This is aligned with our ambition to become a leading, purpose-orientated, African bank that is firmly rooted in the communities we serve. We also recognise that our own sustainability is directly linked to the development and sustainability of the communities in which we operate.”
The event takes place in the Main Hall at the University of the Western Cape’s campus in Bellville from 6pm to 8pm on 15 August 2019.
RSVP by 12 August 2019 to dvcacademic@uwc.ac.za
