This week on

Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Linda

Ronnie, the Dean for the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Cape Town. We

discuss the role of tertiary institutions to produce appropriately skilled

graduates for the world of work, whether they be based locally or

internationally. Our conversation on women advancing in the workforce, unpacks

the “sticky floor” concept, where some organisational practices tend to keep

women in follower roles. We look towards interventions to address barriers that

women experience including: policy reforms, dismantling unconscious bias,

creating support structures, and encouraging women to be more assertive. Tune

in for more…

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Ingrid Woolard, the Dean for the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at Stellenbosch University. We discuss the threat facing traditional residential universities from new entrants into the education space particularly private providers. In view of this we consider a few of the intangible takeouts students gain from their university experience, which have short and long-term benefits, for example developing their peer network of future private and public sector leaders. Prof. Woolard shares some of the progress of her research on measurement of poverty, inequality and unemployment in South Africa, noting that there has been improved access to some amenities but the inequality gap has expanded partly as a result of a weak labour market. We remark on factors that contribute to gender pay disparity, as well as the marked differences in the low representation of female leaders in South Africa’s private sector compared to almost 50% representation the public sector. Tune in for more…

This week on Womanity –

Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Alison Lewis, the Dean for the Faculty of

Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Cape Town. We discuss some of the responsibilities that are associated with

this position, including transformation and decolonisation at the University of

Cape Town. Prof. Lewis highlights a few aspects of her research initiatives oriented around contaminated water, using methods

to both purifying the water and contaminants into useful products. We also

discuss the mutual benefits of fostering closer relationships between industry

and academia.  We also consider elements that

may improve the attractiveness of the engineering discipline to encourage more

students to take up this field which has the potential to solve current 21st

century problems. Tune in for more…

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr.

Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof.

Cathi Albertyn, who is a Professor of Law and holds the South African Research

Chair in Equality, Law and Social Justice at the School of Law - University of

the Witwatersrand. Prof. Albertyn’s early work addressed aspects of South

Africa’s oppressive past and inequalities, where law served as a tool of oppression.

In her later work she focussed on using law for social justice, for instance by

participating in the development of South Africa’s new constitution - ensuring

that women would be entitled to equality across all spheres of society, she

also worked on women’s reproductive rights. In 2018 she was awarded a National

Research Foundation South African Research Chair Initiative

(SARChI) for: Equality, Law and Social Justice, which she plans to use

to develop a postgraduate community and to co-ordinate an initiative on constitutions

bringing in the “Voices of the South”. Tune in for more…

This week on

Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Ariane Janse

van Rensburg, Director of Architecture Programme at the School of Architecture

and Planning at WITS University. We discuss how the School’s transformative

approach to education, with the implementation of a decolonised curriculum,

results in students embracing their own learning philosophies that has broad

applicability to other aspects of their lives.  Our conversation considers

the role of architecture in society, from its core to solution for people

problems to reflecting culture and utilising design and materials economically

with a view to sustainability. Prof. Janse van Rensburg reminds us that there

is no Planet B. We reflect on some of the underlying issues that contribute to

the relatively low proportion of female architects in practice in comparison to

their male counterparts, despite gender balance at graduation. Gender pay and

opportunity disparity is evident in the field of architecture, as well as other

disciplines and we identify ways to overcome these points of discrimination.

Tune in for more…

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Blanche Cupido, a cardiologist with a special interest in congenital heart disease. She heads up the echocardiography division at the Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town. Dr. Cupido shares a few details about her work, covering clinical aspects, building capacity, teaching undergraduate medical students and treating adults with congenital heart disease. We discuss the scarcity of cardiologists in South Africa and Africa, noting that there are approximately 160-170 cardiologists serving a population of 57million people, furthermore there are less than 30 cardiologists working in the public sector. We also highlight the role of mentors and colleagues to support women as they advance through their careers. Tune in for more…

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks

to Prof. Philna Coetzee, Executive Deputy Dean – College of Accounting Sciences

at UNISA. This college is responsible for enrolling 40% of all accounting

students in South Africa, and over 50% of its graduates are women. Prof. Coetzee

aims to change the scholarly notion of educators from teaching to learning

facilitators, noting that different people learn in different ways. We highlight

the need for ongoing collaboration between industry and academia to ensure curricula

remain relevant. Prof.Coetzee remarks on the positive trend of women pulling up

other women, which is aiding the recruitment of women into higher positions

across the labour market; their current absence in corporate South Africa is notable.

Tune in for more…

In commemoration of the 43rd anniversary of youth day (16

June, 1976), this week we talk to reigning Miss SA Tamaryn Green about the 2018 Miss SA

pageant, which celebrated its Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary)

this year, and the responsibilities and privileges associated with being Miss

SA. We discuss some of the women’s empowerment work Tamaryn is involved with,

through her sponsors, like Cell C’s Take A Girl Child to Work programme, which

has evolved from one day to a more enduring platform that offers information

and guidance to young women to transition into capable empowered adults, and

her own forthcoming initiative where she plans to combine health and education

into a campaign. We talk about some of the factors that have contributed to her

success, from support structures, to having a dream, to hard work and being

personable. We consider some of the qualities that women bring to leadership

including empathy and compassion. We remark on the gains that women have

achieved - a win for one of us is a win for all of us. Tune in for more…

This week on Womanity –

Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Ingrid Marais, who Chairs

the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at UNISA, one of the largest

open distance learning universities in Africa. We

discuss the evolving nature of human culture and society in response to

environmental changes and how human behaviour simultaneously shapes the

environment. Dr. Marais remarks on some of the unique methodologies used in

distance learning for distributed teaching to students across the world. We

consider the lack of women in academic leadership at the level of vice

chancellor, despite relatively strong representation of women in less senior

posts. Tune in for more…

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr.

Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Sehaam Khan the Executive Dean of

Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Johannesburg. Professor Khan

relays her journey, from humble beginnings living in a single room dwelling to

becoming an international expert in microbiology.  She attributes a strong

work ethic, self awareness, directness, and building good character as positive

traits for success. She shares some of the responsibilities associated with her

position as well as the faculty’s role at the university and broader engagement

with the surrounding community. We discuss her passion for teaching,

incorporating the five senses and taking a holistic perspective of students,

which considers their mental, as well as social and physical needs. For

example, at the Namibia University of Science and Technology she initiated a

sustainable feeding programme for students. Professor Khan encourages people to

seek opportunities and embrace them as stepping stones for the future. Tune in

for more…