Vice-Chancellor’s office intensifies fight against GBV

In their quest to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) and start conversations on educating CPUT men to be able to have a gender-equal campus, the Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and  Social Change in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor recently hosted a workshop at the Bellville Campus.

The workshop followed the inauguration of the Vice-Chancellor’s Think Tank for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Task Team in March this year.  The Centre for Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Change in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor saw a need to have ambassadors who will be directly involved in GBV campaigns and interventions across all CPUT campuses to promote a campus free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination,  is diverse, equitable, inclusive and where difference is valued and celebrated.

The Centre’s Diversity and Inclusivity Assistant, Tumiso Mfisa, coordinated the workshop. This included the training for the first cohort, which targeted students and facilitated the orientation of the ambassadors. The CSRC president, Nanga Codana, shared a message of support with the ambassadors, highlighting the significance of men’s immediate response to GBV. The three sessions addressed issues such as how the ambassadors can conceptualise GBV in South Africa and how men can play their role in eradicating GBV on and off campus.

The participants also went in-depth on the practicality of GBV interventions on and off-campus, where the facilitator spoke on community engagement and interventions, which work primarily on awareness-raising on and off-campus, and how important it is to mobilise men in such programmes and educated the ambassadors on how to win over society in partaking in any intervention. 

There were also team-building exercises and discussions on various qualities the ambassadors need to ensure success in implementing the GBV programmes and men’s development interventions. 

Mfisa highlighted the overall picture of what the ambassadors should be like, which included them being transformed to transform others and that “together we can forge gender equality the second cohort will follow and will involve CPUT Staff members”.  “A follow-up session will involve more students and staff in GBV interventions and campaigns. Collectively, we can all #BreakTheBias and end GBV if we work together and not in isolation, ‘gender equality is everyone’s responsibility to enhance oneness and smartness,’” he said.

Ambassador Kwena Etmond Mapumo, a Diploma in Analytical Chemistry student, said:  “It was a very thought-provoking session we had, and I’d like to see more engagements and for us to be the change we wish to see in making a safe space for all.”

Another ambassador, Lance Sibuyi, a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering student, said: “Indeed, it was an awesome session. [I] learned a lot, which upscaled my perspective and knowledge on various issues about gender-based violence.  Thank you, team, for the awesome workshop!”

For more information, contact: mfisat@cput.ac.za

Meet our ambassadors by opening the link below: https://ieyegallery.pic-time.com/avm046TH

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: BoyceAp@cput.ac.za