GBV Sexual Harassment breakfast with the Vice Chancellor

This year Women's Month was concluded and celebrated with a breakfast with the Vice Chancellor, Gender-Based Violence Prevention Unit (GBVPU) and the Employee Wellness Office hosted the breakfast to address sexual harassment issues within the workplace.

The theme for the event was Celebrating Women’s Month and addressing sexual harassment

In her opening address, the Director of the GBVPU, Ms Nohlahla Moyo said, "As the GBVPU and Wellness Office we are here to celebrate women and to try and make a change for women of UFH by initiating a dialogue and discussion, she elaborated “at UFH there are continued issues of GBV, and we are here to change that behavior.  We all as staff must participate in creating a safe environment collectively by talking together.

Mr. Joe Japhta from the Employee Wellness office presented the support system that their office offers by saying, “It was important for the two offices to work together to make a difference in the institution. The Wellness office is here to create a safe and supporting environment.

The event was facilitated by a trauma expert a clinical psychologist Ms Nomfundo Mogapi. She provided a space for open dialogue, reflection, and action, focusing on making University of Fort Hare (UFH) a safer and more inclusive environment. Staff had an opportunity to contribute by providing ideas on improving a safer environment. These included the university providing a platform for women to share their concerns around the institution, such as reliable safe spaces, better lighting around the campus and Self-defense training

In addressing these issues of GBV the Vice Chancellor, Prof Sakhela Buhlungu shared his vision for a safer. sexual harassment-free campus by saying, ‘’ We should have more dialogue, specifically dealing with power relations and deepen those dialogues. Prof Buhlungu continued saying the relationships between staff members can also be problematic, because of power relations that are not equal, and the change of mindset must start with Management.

The Vice chancellor, however, did indicate some recent positive achievements saying that “every year the institution hosts the Men’s Indaba and Women’s Indaba’s where everyone is informed/ educated about changed positive behavior to foster a safer campus life. And that we also have the GBV Prevention Unit office and safe house at the Alice campus, the Unit is also working on an office and safe house in that will be allocated in East London. He was however cautious saying “Do not turn a blind eye, each one of us has respond to report a case of sexual harassment’’ and this dialogue re-affirmed the University’s stance of zero-tolerance of GBV on campus.