UFH GBV Prevention Unit rolls out its year-long awareness campaign for 2023

Four years after the University of Fort Hare adopted its Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based-Violence (GBV) policy, which is currently subject to review, efforts to make the institution a GBV-free zone are ongoing.

Through its GBV Prevention Unit, the University continues to stamp authority and remain resolute in its stance against GBV, this after the Unit rolled out its nine-month-long yearly awareness campaign for the 2023 academic year.

Dubbed: “Colour the World,” the campaign initiated last year is an educational awareness programme that starts in March and ends during the 16 days of activism against GBV in November. Each month, the focus is on various colors representing various vulnerable groups.

For the month of March, the Unit coloured the world Orange against GBV and the first awareness event was held earlier this week at Freedom Square on the Alice Campus.

The function saw the audience lively interacting with the policy.

The Unit’s Interim Director at Professor Rianna Oelofsen emphasized that such campaigns cannot be limited to Women’s Month in August and the 16 Days of Activism in November because GBV happens on a daily basis and “in order to create a GBV free society such awareness campaigns should be kept rolling”.

Prof Oelofsen explained why colour the world (orange): “We want to stand out, we want to be seen in the world of darkness. We will bring light and solutions out of that darkness and we want everybody to see what we stand for”.

 “We are still not the rainbow nation as depicted but should, by all means possible, strive to be as there are inequalities we need to confront together.”

The event also allowed the audience to make recommendations to be considered and escalate to the formal review processes.