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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Linda du Plessis, Vice Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at North-West University. She reflects on the enormous responsibility of preparing students not simply to earn degrees, but to become the people who will shape society. Her portfolio spans academic and curriculum development, student support, learning technologies, quality assurance and ensuring that university programmes remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

At the heart of her work is a deceptively simple question: How do we give every student the best possible chance of success?

From Systems Analyst to University Leader

Her own career journey is an intriguing example of how seemingly different disciplines can ultimately connect. Professor du Plessis began in information systems, working as a computer programmer and systems analyst, before moving into academia and eventually university leadership.

Rather than leaving her systems-thinking background behind, she brought it with her. The focus simply shifted from technical systems to human systems encompassing students, academics, institutions and communities.

Her journey also demonstrates that careers do not necessarily follow a predetermined plan. Curiosity, learning and a willingness to embrace new challenges can create unexpected pathways.

Education as a Force for Personal Transformation

With multiple degrees and two doctorates spanning different disciplines, Professor du Plessis speaks powerfully about education as much more than the acquisition of qualifications.

For her, education provided opportunity, confidence, resilience and the ability to think critically. It gave her the confidence to enter spaces where she might once have questioned whether she belonged and enabled her to move across disciplines and into leadership.

Her message to girls and women is particularly powerful: education gives you a voice, a voice to say, “I belong here, I have something to offer, and I can keep growing and learning.”

Rebuilding Education for South Africa’s Future

The conversation takes a broader look at the state and future of education in South Africa. If Professor du Plessis had five minutes with the President, she identifies three priorities: rebuilding the foundations of basic education, creating a sustainable and accountable funding model for higher education, and preparing young people for a digital future.

Literacy, numeracy, mathematics and science are fundamental building blocks. At the same time, education needs to develop digital capability, critical thinking, ethical judgement, employability and innovation.

Her central argument is that education is a pipeline, and that pipeline must ultimately lead somewhere. Education needs to connect learners with opportunities, skills and the world of work rather than simply moving people through institutions.

What Happens When the World Changes Faster Than Education?

Professor du Plessis challenges us to rethink what education should look like in a world of information overload, digital learning and artificial intelligence.

The emphasis, she suggests, can no longer simply be on delivering content. Students need the disciplinary foundations and critical-thinking capabilities to evaluate information, make sense of it and integrate it meaningfully.

With the world of work changing rapidly, young people also need agility, adaptability, lifelong learning and the ability to continually upskill. The university of the future therefore needs to focus not only on what students know, but what they are capable of doing with what they know.

Being the First — and Making Sure You Are Not the Last

Part of the interview explores Professor du Plessis’s experience as the first female Vice-Rector of North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus. Being the first, she explains, is not simply a personal achievement. It carries a responsibility to make the pathway wider for those who follow.

Some of the less visible barriers women encounter include family-care expectations, assumptions about how women should behave, unequal access to networks and the pressure to continually prove competence.

One practical example came early in her leadership career, when meetings routinely ran into the late afternoon while she had a young child waiting to be collected from school. Rather than accepting the arrangement as inevitable, she eventually questioned why meetings could not start earlier. The result was a simple but significant institutional change: university meetings were moved to a more practical time. It’s an important reminder about challenging the logic behind existing norms and changing the status quo. Sometimes breaking barriers begins by having the courage to question practices that everyone has simply accepted.

Leadership Is About Opening the Door Wider

For Professor du Plessis, leadership is not about occupying a position or accumulating personal achievements. It is about stewardship, ethical judgement and humility, and creating the conditions for others to succeed.

She believes that when you are the first, you must not be the last.

Her leadership philosophy was also forged during periods of intense institutional disruption, including the Fees Must Fall movement, COVID-19 and the rapid emergence of generative AI. These experiences taught her that leadership requires both compassion and realism; caring deeply about people while still making difficult and responsible decisions.

Her approach is refreshingly human: a leader does not need to have every answer. Instead, effective leadership involves bringing the right people together, asking difficult questions, listening to criticism and making decisions based on ethics, impact, trust and the long-term future.

A Message to Women Who Are Waiting to Feel Ready

Professor du Plessis has an especially strong message for young women aspiring to leadership: do not wait until you feel completely ready.

She argues that too many capable women hold themselves back because they believe they need to be perfect or acquire one more qualification before stepping forward. Confidence, she says, is built through action; taking responsibility, preparing properly, asking questions, learning continuously and being willing to make mistakes.

And perhaps most importantly, she challenges women not to confuse humility with silence. A woman can be humble and still speak with authority; she can be kind and still be firm; she can be collaborative and still be decisive.

The People Who Help Us Become Who We Are

Mentorship has played an important role throughout Professor du Plessis’s journey. Teachers, colleagues, leaders and students have each contributed to her development, sometimes by offering encouragement and sometimes by asking difficult questions that exposed her blind spots.

She reminds us that the people who shape us are not necessarily those who always praise us. Sometimes it is those who challenge us, expect more from us and push us beyond what we thought we could achieve.

Building a Life, Not Just a Career

Life moves through different seasons, and the balance between career, family and personal needs has to be continually renegotiated.

Professor du Plessis’s “secret sauce” is purpose, discipline, support and perspective.

And her final message to women is one that encapsulates the spirit of the entire interview: build a life, not only a career. Ambition matters, but it needs to be connected to meaning. Success should not come at the expense of health or relationships. Sometimes we need the courage to say yes and the wisdom to say no.

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This episode of Womanity celebrates Africa’s Women’s Day, which is commemorated annually on 31 July.

This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Olivia Matshabane is a Neuroethicist and the Principal Investigator of the Africa Neuroethics Research Group in the SAMRC/SU Genomics of Brain Disorders Unit within the Department of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Her groundbreaking work is helping to shape the ethical future of neuroscience, neuropsychiatric genomics and artificial intelligence across Africa.

Turning Exclusion into Purpose

Dr Matshabane shares the moment that transformed her career. While researching neuroethics, she realised there were virtually no African voices represented in the field. Rather than accepting this absence, she chose to become one of Africa’s first neuroethicists, creating opportunities for future generations of African researchers and ensuring that the continent has a voice in shaping global scientific debates. Her journey demonstrates how representation can inspire innovation, resilience and lasting change.

What Exactly is Neuroethics?

Although unfamiliar to many, neuroethics is becoming increasingly important in an AI-driven world. Dr Matshabane explains how the discipline explores questions such as:

• How should brain technologies be developed and used responsibly?
• Who owns our brain data?
• How do we protect mental privacy?
• Can technology influence our decisions without us realising it?
• What ethical safeguards should exist as neuroscience and AI become more intertwined?

As technologies evolve rapidly, neuroethics is becoming essential for protecting human dignity, autonomy and privacy.

Why African Perspectives Matter

A key theme throughout our discussion is the importance of ensuring that Africa contributes to global conversations about science and technology.

Dr Matshabane explains that concepts such as privacy, consent and decision-making are often understood differently across cultures. Some cultures may place greater emphasis on families and communities rather than purely individual rights, meaning ethical frameworks developed for a different context cannot simply be applied without adaptation. Accessibility is another key issue to consider when trying to create technologies that genuinely serve diverse populations.

Building Ethical AI for Everyone

Artificial intelligence offers enormous potential for improving healthcare, diagnosis and treatment. However, it also raises significant ethical concerns, like

• protecting sensitive mental health and neurological data;
• preventing commercial misuse of brain information;
• safeguarding cognitive liberty and freedom of thought;
• ensuring responsible innovation; and
• designing technologies that benefit society without reinforcing inequality.

Arguably ethics must develop alongside technological innovation, not afterwards

Research That is Changing Africa

Dr Matshabane has several research projects underway, and she highlights one in particular, a multi-million rand, multi-country neuroethics research programme spanning South Africa and Kenya. The project brings together researchers, communities and individuals living with neurological conditions to help shape ethical guidelines that reflect African realities. Beyond the research itself, the project is building a new generation of African neuroethicists through mentorship, collaboration and capacity development across more than twelve African countries.

The Power of Mentorship

Throughout her career, women mentors opened doors, challenged Dr Matshabane to believe in herself and encouraged her to pursue opportunities she may never have imagined. Today, she is committed to paying that support forward by mentoring students, nurturing future researchers and creating opportunities for emerging scholars. Mentorship is bi-directional; both mentees and mentors benefit from the relationship. You are never too young to mentor someone else.

Advice for Young Women Entering Science

For young women considering careers in psychology, neuroscience, AI or ethics, Dr Matshabane offers practical advice:

• Build strong AI and digital literacy skills alongside ethics training.
• Learn to work across disciplines and collaborate with people from different fields.
• Understand Africa’s development priorities and align your work with solving real societal challenges.
• Know your strengths, values, purpose, and what gives you a sense of meaning.
• Protect your time by learning when to say “no.”

Be bold enough to reach out to leaders, you may be surprised who responds

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Pumla Dineo Gqola, an award-winning author, literary and cultural scholar, and the NRF SARChI Chair in African Feminist Imaginations at Nelson Mandela University. This conversation explores the power of imagination, the evolution of African feminism, and the importance of creating communities that enable women to thrive professionally.

A Childhood Built on Books and Curiosity

Professor Gqola reflects on growing up in a family where reading was simply part of everyday life. Weekly visits to the library, parents who nurtured curiosity, and a home where questions were encouraged cultivated a lifelong passion for literature and critical thinking. She explains how books opened worlds beyond day-to-day realities – new ideas, different perspectives – and laid the foundation for her academic journey.

Finding Feminism Before Knowing Its Name

Long before she understood the language of feminism, Professor Gqola was surrounded by remarkable women who challenged convention. From family members and community activists to influential writers she discovered later in life, these women shaped her understanding of courage, leadership and possibility. By the age of fifteen, she recognised that feminism simply gave a name to values she had already embraced.

The Power of African Feminist Imagination

Professor Gqola holds the SARChi Chair in African Feminist Imaginations. What does this mean? Rather than viewing literature, music, art, film and activism as separate disciplines, she explains how imagination flows across them all, creating new ways of thinking about freedom, identity and justice.

She argues that imagination does far more than reflect society, it actively helps co-create it. Stories, music and artistic expression influence how we see ourselves, what we believe is possible, and how societies evolve.

Why African Feminism Matters

Professor Gqola offers a nuanced perspective on African feminism, describing it as deeply connected to Africa’s histories, cultures and diversity while remaining part of a broader global feminist movement.

She highlights that African feminism values difference as a source of collective strength rather than division. It embraces complexity, intersectionality and Pan-African solidarity while continually adapting to new social and political realities rather than relying on past solutions.

Breaking Barriers in Academia

Drawing on her own career, Professor Gqola shares the realities of often being the first, or only, Black woman in senior academic spaces. While many celebrate these milestones, she reminds listeners that being “the first” often reveals the systemic barriers that have excluded others.

Her goal, she says, has never been to remain exceptional but to ensure many more women follow, making the “first” eventually unremarkable, be the 300th instead.

Building Communities That Help Women Thrive

One of Professor Gqola’s pieces of advice emphasies community. She encourages women to intentionally create supportive networks where ideas can be challenged honestly, growth is encouraged, and isolation is replaced with belonging. These trusted communities become spaces for rigorous thinking, mutual encouragement and collective advancement.

Importantly, she believes that once these spaces are created, women have a responsibility to sustain them for future generations.

Protecting Your Dreams

As the interview draws to a close, Professor Gqola encourages young women and girls to protect their dreams before sharing them too widely, recognising that even well-meaning people can unintentionally diminish aspirations. She urges young women to nurture belief in themselves, remain true to their ambitions, and trust that somewhere in the world there are many others who share similar dreams and aspirations.

No one is truly alone, and communities of like-minded women can, and will, be found. Look for your tribe.

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, one of the world’s foremost infectious disease epidemiologists, whose pioneering work has transformed HIV prevention for women and shaped global public health. She is the Co-founder and Associate Scientific Director of CAPRISA, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Columbia University in New York, and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She also serves as President of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and is the UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV.

From growing up during apartheid to becoming a globally respected scientist, Professor Abdool Karim shares part of her journey that led her to dedicate more than four decades to tackling one of the world’s greatest health challenges – HIV. Along the way, she reflects on the role of curiosity, social justice, perseverance and collaboration in driving scientific breakthroughs that have saved countless lives.

Changing the Global Understanding of HIV

One of the defining moments of her career came when her early research uncovered a striking reality: young women in Southern Africa were becoming infected with HIV years earlier and at significantly higher rates than men. At a time when the global HIV conversation focused largely on men-to-men infection, blood transfusion and injectable drug users, her findings challenged conventional thinking and placed women’s vulnerability firmly on the international agenda.

Professor Abdool Karim explains how gender inequality, biological factors and social circumstances combine to create unique risks for women, highlighting why addressing HIV requires far more than medical interventions alone. For example, non-consensual sex, unprotected intercourse and although a woman may be monogamous, if her partner has multiple partners, this negatively impacts on her safety and prevention of sexually transmitted disease.

Creating Prevention Tools Women Could Control

Recognising that existing HIV prevention methods relied heavily on male cooperation, Professor Abdool Karim and her colleagues embarked on an 18-year scientific journey to develop prevention methods women could use independently.

That persistence ultimately led to a landmark breakthrough: proving that antiretroviral medication could prevent HIV infection before exposure, paving the way for today’s pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). She also discusses the exciting promise of long-acting HIV prevention injections that could dramatically improve protection for women and other high-risk groups around the world.

Science Alone Isn’t Enough

While celebrating remarkable scientific advances, Professor Abdool Karim emphasises that discoveries only matter if they reach the people who need them most. She reflects on the importance of activism, global partnerships and sustained investment to ensure that innovation translates into real-world impact at scale.

With ambitious global HIV targets still within reach, she warns that declining funding and complacency threaten decades of progress.

Building Africa’s Next Generation of Scientists

Beyond her own research achievements, Professor Abdool Karim considers her greatest legacy to be the thousands of researchers she has mentored throughout Africa. She shares why creating opportunities for women in science has a multiplier effect, which not only strengthens research capacity but also positively transforms families, communities and future generations.

Her advice to young women is both practical and inspiring: believe that you belong, pursue your passion fearlessly, and never allow others to define your potential.

Authentic Leadership with Integrity

Drawing on decades of leadership across international scientific organisations, Professor Abdool Karim offers her insights into authentic leadership. She argues that leadership is less about authority and more about stewardship, of being guided by integrity, humility, listening deeply, and creating opportunities for others to thrive.

For her, great leaders amplify the voices of those who are often unheard while building environments where collaboration and ethical decision-making flourish.

The Power of Curiosity and Community

Professor Abdool Karim reflects warmly on the family, teachers and mentors who nurtured her natural curiosity from childhood. She recalls a family memory of discovering electricity by putting her fingers into a wall socket and the excitement this sparked, which led her to attend school a year earlier. She credits these early influences, together with the unwavering partnership of her husband and the support of family and colleagues, for enabling her to balance an extraordinary career with a rich personal life.

She also highlights the importance of resilience and finding lessons even in criticism, determining that some people exhibit behaviours that are examples not to follow, remaining patient through setbacks, and always staying focused on the larger purpose.

A Vision for Humanity’s Future

Looking ahead, Professor Abdool Karim shares her optimism about the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence, scientific innovation and global collaboration. At the same time, she cautions that these advances must serve all of humanity, reducing inequalities rather than widening them.

Her vision extends far beyond today’s challenges, calling for a future where science contributes not only to better health, but also to sustainable development, economic opportunity and planetary wellbeing.

Professor Abdool Karim closes the show with memorable words of wisdom: “Never underestimate the power of being underestimated.”

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Nontobeko Ntombela, curator, scholar, educator, champion of African Art and Co-Deputy Head of the Wits School of Arts at Wits University.

A Journey Shaped by Curiosity

Dr Ntombela reflects on her unexpected path into the art world, describing how a love for creativity, inspired by her father’s sketches and her aunt’s basket weaving, eventually led her to become one of South Africa’s leading curators. She shares how working with community artists challenged everything she had learnt through formal education and taught her to value lived experience alongside academic knowledge.

Recovering the Stories of Black Women Artists

One of Dr Ntombela’s landmark exhibitions, When Rain Clouds Gather: South African Black Women Artists 1940–2000, gave long-overdue recognition to generations of remarkable women artists. Her research showed that the first recognised black woman artist in South Africa was Gladys Mgudlandlu, through her work in the 1960s. Part of the challenge in artistic recognition is how art is defined, how women’s contributions are defined, and understanding the types of conditions women had to navigate.

The Art and Purpose of Curating

The world of curating may be a mystery for some. Dr Ntombela shares insights into the role of a curator that goes beyond simply organising exhibitions to storyteller, researcher and custodian of cultural memory who asks important questions through carefully assembled collections.

She also explains the evolving role of independent curators in post-apartheid South Africa and bringing together artists, institutions and communities to create meaningful public conversations.

Motherhood, Leadership and Living with Purpose

Real life is messy. Dr Ntombela reflects on juggling academic leadership, public service and motherhood. Rather than presenting the illusion of perfect balance, she speaks honestly about the complexity of navigating multiple responsibilities while striving to lead by example for her children and students alike. Her reflections on the quiet strength of her mother and grandmother provide a moving reminder that leadership exists in many forms and can expressed through resilience, humility and service.

Following the Voice Within

Closing the interview, Dr Ntombela shares wise advice for girls and women considering their own futures. Encouraging listeners to trust their intuition, embrace hard work, and pursue paths that may not yet be clearly defined, she reminds us that many of today’s careers and tomorrow’s opportunities did not exist a generation ago.

Success often comes not from following well-worn roads, but from having the courage to create your own.

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Refiloe Lepere, an award-winning gender scholar, storyteller, performer, community-accountable theatre maker, and lecturer at the Wits School of Education. Dr. Lepere uses storytelling and performance to explore Black feminist aesthetics, racial justice, identity, and joy.

Growing Up in a Community that Created Artists

Dr Lepere reflects on her childhood in Soweto, where neighbours, teachers, artists and family members collectively nurtured creativity. She shares how dance, storytelling, music and books became the foundation of her career, demonstrating the role that communities played in shaping her development.

Black Feminist Aesthetics and the Importance of Black Joy

We explore Dr Lepere’s pioneering work on Black feminist aesthetics and why she believes the everyday creativity of Black women deserves greater recognition. Rather than defining Black experiences solely through struggle and lamentation, she advocates celebrating joy, imagination, beauty, and the richness of everyday life as equally powerful forms of expression and truths.

Breaking Out of Society’s Boxes

One of the topics raised in this interview is how education and institutions often encourage conformity instead of individuality. Dr Lepere challenges conventional ideas of success and specialisation, arguing that people are naturally multi-dimensional and should not have to sacrifice parts of themselves to fit into predetermined categories.

Creating Theatre that Heals Communities

Drawing on more than forty original performance works staged across Africa, Europe and North America, Dr Lepere explains how storytelling can become an act of healing. She discusses creating theatre with communities rather than simply for audiences, giving voice to women, domestic workers and young people while using performance to explore gender, justice, memory and collective healing.

Redefining Leadership Through Collective Care

Moving beyond traditional models of leadership, Dr Lepere introduces the concept of collective leadership; one rooted in collaboration, consultation and humanity rather than hierarchy. She also shares her powerful philosophy of “livability”, arguing that successful organisations should create space for people’s lives, families and wellbeing alongside professional achievement.

Education as a Tool for Building New Worlds

For Dr Lepere, education extends far beyond qualifications. She describes reading and learning as acts of world-building that expose us to new possibilities, broaden our perspectives and remind us that our experiences are shared by others. Education, she believes, empowers us not only with knowledge but with entirely new ways of seeing ourselves and the world.

Choosing Yourself

The interview concludes with a memorable message for girls and women everywhere: stop waiting to be chosen. Dr Lepere encourages women to volunteer, ask questions, take up space, speak confidently and make themselves visible. Her closing challenge is to choose yourself and not wait for others to choose you.

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Felicia Msiza, CEO of the Raubex Group, a JSE-listed company, to explore aspects of her leadership journey, the impact of infrastructure development on communities, and her passion for empowering future generations.

From Governance Expert to CEO

Ms Msiza reflects on her journey from serving as a non-executive director on the Raubex board in 2011 to becoming CEO in 2022. She shares how years of experience in governance, risk management, auditing, and executive leadership equipped her to transition from oversight into operational leadership.

For Ms Msiza, leadership is about more than strategy and performance; it is about setting direction, inspiring confidence, and bringing people along on the journey. She discusses how experiences across both the public and private sectors taught her the importance of accountability, adaptability, and making decisions under pressure.

Integrity: The Foundation of Leadership

A recurring theme throughout the conversation is integrity. Ms Msiza explains that true leadership requires doing the right thing, even when no one is watching; the truth always holds.

Drawing from her experience in both government and corporate environments, she argues that integrity is essential to rebuilding trust, strengthening institutions, and driving sustainable progress. She also highlights the importance of servant leadership, emphasising that leaders exist to serve employees, stakeholders, communities, and society.

Staying True to Yourself as a Leader

Ms Msiza shares her personal leadership philosophy: remain authentic and grounded in your values.

She speaks candidly about the pressures of entering environments, where you may feel compelled to conform to existing cultures and expectations. Her message is clear, women do not need to sacrifice who they are to succeed. Instead, they should lead with confidence, create clarity, empower teams, and remain true to their own identities.

The Power of Infrastructure

Ms Msiza paints a compelling picture of infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth and social transformation.

She discusses opportunities in roads, rail, water, logistics, energy, and public-private partnerships across Southern Africa. She also highlights landmark projects that Raubex has developed, including the Senqu Bridge in Lesotho and the Beitbridge Border Post development on the Zimbabwe side, illustrating how infrastructure improves trade, reduces inefficiencies, creates jobs, and strengthens economies. For example, the Beitbridge Border Post has reduced processing trucks from days to within four hours.

Her vision for Raubex is to continue building a resilient, diversified, and high-performing infrastructure group that delivers lasting value across the continent.

Creating Opportunities for Young People

Youth development is a subject close to Ms Msiza’s heart.

She explains how the infrastructure sector serves as a powerful job creator and economic multiplier. Through initiatives such as the Raubex Academy, bursary programmes, mentorship opportunities, and subcontractor development, the company is actively creating pathways for young people to enter the workforce and build sustainable careers. In a country where youth unemployment sits at 60.9% for 15-24 year olds and 40.6% for 25-34 year olds, these initiatives are critical to South Africa’s economy and its people’s livelihoods.

Ms Msiza’s believes that addressing youth unemployment requires collaboration between industry, government, and educational institutions, with infrastructure investment playing a central role.

Encouraging More Women into Construction

As a female CEO in a traditionally male-dominated sector, Ms Msizais passionate about attracting more women into engineering, construction, and infrastructure careers.

She challenges young women to pursue mathematics, science, engineering, and technical disciplines, stressing that construction is no longer a space reserved for men. With evolving workplace policies and increasing opportunities, she believes women can thrive, lead, and make a meaningful impact in the sector.

Her message is simple: “We need more women in these spaces.”

Education as a Pathway to Empowerment

Ms Msiza credits education as one of the most important foundations of her success.

From her undergraduate studies to postgraduate qualifications and a master’s degree, education provided her with knowledge, confidence, and a platform to build her career. She encourages young people to invest in learning, pursue excellence, and combine academic achievement with practical experience. She remarks that education opens doors and gives individuals a voice and the ability to shape their futures.

The Women Who Shaped Her

When reflecting on the women who influenced her life, Ms Msiza pays tribute to her late grandmother and her mother. She describes her grandmother as a community leader who demonstrated that leadership is about service rather than titles. Her mother modelled hard work, resilience, and the ability to balance career, family, and community responsibilities.

Together, these women instilled in her a commitment to purpose, dignity, service, and leaving a positive legacy wherever she goes.

Your Opportunity Opens the Door Wide for Others

In her closing message, Ms Msiza encourages girls and young women to reject limitations placed upon them by others.

She reminds listeners that being the first woman in a space does not mean they do not belong; it means they have an opportunity to create pathways for those who follow. Through courage, preparation, continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence, women can transform industries, communities, and nations.

“Africa needs women’s voices, leadership, courage, and excellence. Lead with purpose, hold on to your values, and never underestimate the power of a woman who knows who she is and is willing to work for the future she believes in.” Felicia Msiza

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Prof. Sharlene Khan, an acclaimed South African visual artist, writer, researcher and Associate Professor from the Wits School of the Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand. Through a deeply personal and inspiring conversation, Prof. Khan shares how creativity, storytelling and critical thinking have shaped her journey from a childhood marked by hardship to becoming a respected artist, academic and advocate for African feminisms.

Finding Freedom Through Creativity

Prof. Khan reflects on growing up in Durban in a money-scarce home marked by violence, where art, books and imagination became powerful tools for survival and self-expression. She recounts how drawing, storytelling and literature offered an escape from difficult circumstances, giving her a vehicle to express retribution against perpetrators. What emerged was not only a passion for creativity, but a lifelong commitment to understanding the world through art and using that understanding to challenge inequality, gender-based violence and injustice.

Art That Tells the Stories We Often Overlook

Much of Prof. Khan’s artistic work focuses on identity, race, gender, class and belonging in post-apartheid South Africa. Rather than creating decorative art, she uses her practice to explore complex social realities and amplify stories that are often overlooked.

Drawing from her own family history, she discusses how themes of poverty, informal trade, migration, resilience and gender-based violence have informed her work. Her art shines a light on the dignity, courage and humanity of ordinary people whose experiences are rarely represented in mainstream narratives.

Honouring Women’s Voices Across Generations

One of the most moving aspects of the conversation centres on the stories of Prof. Khan’s mother (Devi Khan) and grandmother. Through artworks inspired by family memories, letters and archival materials, she has created powerful tributes to women whose lives were shaped by hardship, cruelty, resilience and determination (Watch “When the Moon Waxes…”)

These authentic, deeply personal narratives become universal stories, revealing how the intersections of gender, race, class and history continue to shape the lives of women today. In sharing these experiences, Prof. Khan demonstrates the transformative power of storytelling as both remembrance and resistance.

When Art Creates Human Connection

Prof. Khan shares remarkable experiences of exhibiting her work internationally, describing how audiences from vastly different cultural backgrounds have connected emotionally with her stories. Whether in galleries, museums, conferences or biennales, her work has inspired people to reflect on their own experiences and engage in conversations about identity, trauma, healing and belonging.

In her opinion, the value of art lies not in commercial success, but in its ability to create empathy, foster dialogue and remind us of our shared humanity.

Why the Humanities Matter More Than Ever

In an era increasingly dominated by technology, artificial intelligence and STEM disciplines, Prof. Khan makes a compelling case for the continued importance of the humanities.

She argues that the humanities cultivate critical thinking, imagination and empathy; skills that are essential for understanding ourselves and others. Through literature, art, history and cultural studies, we learn to question assumptions, appreciate diverse perspectives and imagine alternative futures. She spotlights how the humanities challenge the status quo and help societies grapple with complex ethical, social and political issues.

Opportunities and Challenges in the Arts

The discussion also explores the realities of pursuing a career in the arts. Prof. Khan speaks candidly about the challenges artists face in South Africa, including limited funding, a contracting arts market and the difficulties of sustaining a creative career.

At the same time, she highlights the diverse opportunities available to arts graduates. The skills developed through artistic training, such as creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and empathy, are valuable across a wide range of professions, from education and research to media, culture, business and beyond.

A Message of Hope for Women and Girls

As the interview draws to a close, Prof. Khan offers a heartfelt message to women and girls across Africa. Acknowledging the difficulties many face, she encourages listeners to trust their journeys, embrace uncertainty and remain open to life’s unexpected possibilities.

Her powerful reminder is that while life can be challenging, it is also filled with opportunities for growth, connection and transformation. By believing in their abilities and continuing to move forward, women can create meaningful lives and contribute to positive change in their communities and beyond.

“Life is hard, but life is also unbearably kind.”

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Sophie Von Der Heyden from the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University and the Von Der Heyden Laboratory. She is a leading marine molecular ecologist, renowned for her pioneering work in aquatic biodiversity, conservation genomics, and climate change research.

From East Berlin to the Oceans of Africa

Professor von der Heyden’s story begins far from the shores and aquatic ecosystems that would eventually define her career. Growing up in East Berlin, she credits her early fascination with nature to family influences, particularly her brother, who introduced her to exploring and observing wildlife. She reflects on the freedom she experienced as a child; freedom to explore, question, and discover, which she believes laid the foundations for her curiosity-driven approach to science.

Why Aquatic Ecosystems Matter

Professor von der Heyden explains why aquatic ecosystems continue to captivate her. Oceans, rivers, estuaries, and wetlands remain among the least understood environments on Earth, despite their immense importance to biodiversity, climate regulation, and human livelihoods.

She describes Africa as a continent rich with scientific opportunity because so much remains undiscovered. While limited funding and research capacity present challenges, they also create extraordinary opportunities for innovation and discovery. Her work is driven by a desire to contribute pieces to the larger scientific puzzle that ultimately supports better conservation, management, and restoration of vulnerable ecosystems.

Building Knowledge Through the Von der Heyden Lab

As founder and leader of the Von der Heyden Lab, Professor von der Heyden is passionate about developing the next generation of scientists. While groundbreaking discoveries are important, she emphasises that one of her most significant contributions has been building scientific capacity in Africa.

Her laboratory has helped introduce and advance molecular ecology and genomic techniques across the continent, enabling African researchers to address environmental challenges using cutting-edge scientific tools. Through mentorship, teaching, and collaboration, she seeks to create opportunities for emerging scientists while strengthening Africa’s ability to conduct world-class biodiversity research.

Climate Change Beneath the Surface

While climate change is often discussed in terms of weather events, agriculture, and rising temperatures on land, Professor von der Heyden highlights the profound effects occurring beneath the water’s surface. She explains how rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, sea-level rise, and changing environmental conditions are affecting marine and freshwater species. Many organisms are being forced to shift their geographical ranges in search of suitable habitats, while others, particularly species restricted to estuaries or isolated ecosystems, have nowhere to go.

The conversation also explores concepts such as “coastal squeeze,” where natural habitats like salt marshes and seagrass meadows become trapped between rising seas and human development. These combined pressures illustrate the complex and interconnected nature of environmental challenges.

Finding Hope Through Action

Despite the seriousness of climate change, Professor von der Heyden stresses the importance of focusing on solutions rather than despair. She encourages individuals to consider practical actions that reduce their environmental footprint, including:

• Reducing unnecessary travel
• Walking and using sustainable transport where possible
• Supporting locally produced food (food has travel miles too)
• Being conscious of consumption habits
• Reducing waste and packaging
• Understanding personal carbon footprints

She shares a memorable teaching exercise where students compared their carbon footprints with those of their grandparents, often discovering that previous generations lived significantly more sustainable lifestyles despite having fewer resources.

Her message is clear: meaningful change begins with informed, conscious choices

Women in Science: Progress and Remaining Challenges

Professor von der Heyden reflects positively on the growing participation of women in marine sciences and STEM fields. Over the course of her career, she has witnessed significant increases in female representation and leadership within scientific disciplines.

However, she notes that important challenges remain, particularly around retaining talented women in research careers. Balancing professional ambitions with family responsibilities, caregiving, and personal wellbeing continues to be a reality for many women.

She advocates for supportive environments, mentorship, and institutional cultures that enable women to flourish at different stages of their careers.

Preparing Young People for an Uncertain Future

The discussion also turns to education and the future of work. Professor von der Heyden argues that today’s careers are far less linear than in previous generations. In a world increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence, she believes the most valuable skills are:

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Numerical literacy
• Adaptability
• Communication and interpersonal skills

While technical knowledge remains important, she suggests that the ability to evaluate information, think independently, and build meaningful human connections will become even more critical in the future.

Balancing Science, Family and Life

As a mother of three and a successful academic leader, Professor von der Heyden speaks candidly about the realities of balancing family life with a demanding career.

She acknowledges the guilt and uncertainty she experienced as a young researcher and parent, but emphasises that balance evolves over time rather than being perfectly achieved. One of her pieces of advice is to accept help when it is offered.

She credits much of her success and well-being to the community she has built around her; family, friends, colleagues, and mentors who have provided support throughout different stages of her life.

Her perspective challenges the notion that success is achieved alone, highlighting the importance of relationships, collaboration, and mutual support.

A Message to Women and Girls

Closing the interview, Professor von der Heyden offers heartfelt advice to women and girls pursuing their ambitions:

• Be comfortable with who you are.
• Trust yourself and your abilities.
• Build meaningful relationships.
• Accept support when it is offered.
• Stay open to learning from others.
• Be adaptable when circumstances change.
• Work hard, but also be kind—to yourself and to others.

Her final message beautifully captures the spirit of the conversation:

“Be kind, work hard, and believe in who you are.”

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Mashiko Setshedi, Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, she is a leading gastroenterologist, educator, and researcher shaping the future of healthcare in South Africa and developing the next generation of healthcare professionals.

From Aspiring Lawyer to Medical Leader

Prof. Setshedi shares the unexpected path that led her into medicine. Initially intending to pursue a career in law, a medical school acceptance changed the course of her life. What followed was a deep passion for medicine and a career-defining moment when two influential female professors recognised her potential and encouraged her to pursue internal medicine.

Exploring the “Second Brain”: The Fascinating World of Gastroenterology

Prof. Setshedi explains why the gastrointestinal system is often referred to as the body’s “second brain,” emphasising its critical role in immunity, nutrition, disease prevention and overall wellbeing.

She discusses groundbreaking advances in the field, including:

• Precision medicine tailored to individual patients.
• New treatments for inflammatory bowel disease.
• Minimally invasive procedures replacing traditional surgery.
• AI-assisted diagnostic technologies that improve accuracy and patient outcomes.

Choosing Leadership Over Comfort

Prof. Setshedi’s reflects on the difficult decision to step away from some of her direct clinical and research ambitions to lead an entire department. While the move required sacrifice, it ultimately aligned with a deeper sense of purpose: creating lasting impact through education, staff development, culture-building and institutional transformation. Her experience illustrates that leadership often requires embracing opportunities before we feel fully ready for them.

Rebuilding Culture Through Compassion and Collaboration

Having inherited a high-performing department, Prof. Setshedi chose not to focus solely on technical excellence. Instead, she identified a deeper need: healing and reconnecting a community affected by years of disruption, including student protests, leadership losses, the COVID-19 pandemic and resource constraints. Her leadership philosophy centres on:

• Collaboration over hierarchy.
• Listening before directing.
• Creating environments where people feel valued and heard.
• Building cultures of belonging, trust and inclusion.

She argues that when people feel supported and connected, excellence naturally follows.

Transforming Medical Education for a New Generation

Teaching remains one of Prof. Setshedi’s greatest passions. She speaks candidly about the need to rethink how doctors are trained, moving away from outdated teaching methods based on intimidation and hierarchy.

Her vision for medical education includes:

• Human-centred learning.
• Greater empathy and cultural competence.
• Stronger partnerships between doctors and patients.
• Curriculum reform that reflects African realities.
• Using AI to streamline learning and reduce information overload.

She believes future healthcare professionals must not only be clinically competent but also deeply compassionate, understanding that medicine is fundamentally a profession of service.

Women in Leadership: Progress and Persistent Challenges

In our discussion on gender representation in medicine, Prof. Setshedi notes that women often equal or outnumber men at undergraduate level, yet remain underrepresented in senior leadership positions. She explores several contributing factors:

• Limited succession planning.
• Lack of sponsorship and advocacy.
• Structural barriers.
• Women’s tendency to underestimate their own readiness for leadership roles.

Importantly, she calls for intentional efforts to identify, support and develop future women leaders, emphasising that talent alone is not enough without opportunity and encouragement.

Defining Success on Your Own Terms

When asked about the keys to her success, Prof. Setshedi offers a powerful perspective: success must be personally defined. Rather than measuring achievement through external markers, she encourages individuals to ask:

“Am I a better person today than I was yesterday?”

For her, true success lies in continuous growth, meaningful contribution and service to others. She cautions against comparing oneself to others and instead advocates “running your own race” while remaining true to your values and purpose.

A Message to Young Women Across Africa

Closing the conversation, Prof. Setshedi delivers an uplifting message to girls and young women:

• Believe in your abilities.
• Do not allow self-doubt to define your future.
• Learn from the experiences of others.
• Embrace your individuality.
• Focus on becoming the best version of yourself.
• Seek support when needed and remain open to growth.

Every woman possesses unique gifts and perspectives that the world needs. Success begins when we stop comparing ourselves to others and start believing in our own potential.

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Stephanie Cawood, an interdisciplinary scholar and former Director of the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State. This conversation journeys into the intersections of African identity, feminism, education, leadership, memory, and social transformation

Drawing from her experiences as a founding member and former director of the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State, Professor Cawood shares the personal and academic experiences that shaped her lifelong commitment to Africa-centred scholarship and gender justice.

Originally founded in 2007 as the Centre for Africa Studies, the institution focused on postgraduate research and social justice scholarship relating to Africa’s politics, cultures, histories, and global relationships. Over time, gender studies became increasingly integrated into its work, leading to a formal repositioning of the centre to foreground both African and gender scholarship.

A Childhood Spark that Grew into a Scholarly Mission

Professor Cawood reflects on how her awareness of gender inequality began in childhood, long before she had the language to explain it. Growing up with a strong pride in being African, she recalls feeling uncomfortable when witnessing women being treated differently and recognising early on that inequality was deeply embedded in society.

These formative experiences later evolved into a scholarly journey focused on both Africa Studies and Gender Studies. Two fields she describes as “cognate allies” because both challenge historical prejudices, inequalities, and inherited systems of exclusion.

Breaking Academic Silos Through Interdisciplinary Thinking

Professor Cawood describes herself as an “interdisciplinarian” and “epistemic traveller”; someone who crosses disciplines, methodologies, and intellectual boundaries in pursuit of deeper understanding. She shares how innovation often emerges when scholars move beyond traditional silos and embrace cross-disciplinary thinking. Professor Cawood explains that understanding how people create meaning in their lives requires insights from multiple fields including culture, memory, heritage, gender, geography, ecology, and politics.

This openness to intellectual exploration has shaped her work on sacred sites, ecological memory, and spatial identity, all connected through what she describes as “pragmatic constructivism”, the idea of placing the body back into the environment and understanding human experiences within specific spatial and social contexts

Leadership Rooted in Consensus and Humanity

Reflecting on her years as director, Professor Cawood discusses her philosophy of leadership, inspired in part by her doctoral research on Nelson Mandela.

She speaks about Mandela’s concept of leadership as “a shepherd leading from behind”; a style grounded in consensus-building, collaboration, and bringing people along rather than dominating them.

The discussion explores the challenges of leading within academic environments that often remain highly masculine in structure and culture. Rather than adopting authoritarian approaches, Professor Cawood explains how she learned to strategically position ideas, build academic and business cases, and cultivate support for transformative institutional change.

Under this leadership approach, the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies became one of the university’s most successful and productive research centres.

Reframing Feminism in African Contexts

In this conversation, we discuss African feminism and the complexities surrounding the term “feminist.” Defining feminism fundamentally as a belief in equality. However, Professor Cawood also explains why many younger African women remain hesitant to identify as feminists due to perceptions that feminism is Western, anti-men, or disconnected from African traditions and family structures. African feminist thought is diverse. It includes concepts such as womanism, motherism, and stiwanism; African-centred frameworks that emphasise complementarity, social transformation, culture, motherhood, and communal wellbeing.

Rather than presenting feminism as a singular ideology, we highlight the richness and plurality of African feminisms, each shaped by different cultural and social realities across the continent.

Importantly, Professor Cawood notes that many women already live deeply feminist lives through their actions, resilience, leadership, and agency, even if they do not use the term itself.

Education as the Key to Gender Equality

Turning toward global gender equality, the discussion references findings from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, which estimates that economic and political gender parity remain generations away.

Professor Cawood identifies education as the single most important intervention for accelerating gender equality, particularly ensuring equal educational access for girls across Africa. At the same time, she acknowledges the immense structural challenges facing the continent, including instability, insecurity, poverty, food insecurity, and conflict in regions such as the Sahel and the DRC. While education has transformative potential, sustainable change requires peace, stability, dignity, and coordinated continental responses.

A Message of Integrity, Kindness and Hope

Closing the conversation, Professor Cawood offers an inspiring message to girls and women across Africa. In a world often marked by division and uncertainty, she encourages listeners to remain grounded in integrity, kindness, tolerance, and respect; even when confronted by disagreement or adversity. Meaningful change begins when ordinary individuals consistently choose to do the right thing.

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Tracy-Lynn Field, who is a leading environmental law scholar and the Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Earth Justice and Stewardship held by the University of the Witwatersrand, with over two decades of experience in climate, water, and environmental justice. She serves on several advisory boards, including the Presidential Climate Change Commission. Her work bridges research, policy, and advocacy, shaping more equitable and sustainable responses to the climate and biodiversity crises.

Professor Field reflects on how her journey into environmental justice began in childhood, driven by a profound empathy for animals and a deep awareness of humanity’s interconnectedness with nature. From secretly writing letters to magazines as an 11-year-old about animal welfare to becoming one of South Africa’s foremost environmental legal scholars, she explains how activism, compassion, and a sense of responsibility shaped her life’s work.

Understanding Earth Justice and Stewardship

Professor Field unpacks the work of the Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Earth Justice and Stewardship, a multidisciplinary initiative focused on climate law, water justice, energy transitions, mining, and environmental governance. She discusses how collaboration across disciplines, particularly between law, geography, engineering, and policy is essential in responding to today’s environmental crises.

A major focus of the discussion centres on a groundbreaking five-year research project conducted in partnership with the South African Human Rights Commission, examining the progressive realisation of the constitutional right to water across South Africa.

Water Justice, Accountability and the Hidden Reality of Water Access

Professor Field highlights one of the realities behind water access in South Africa. While statistics often show that households have taps within close proximity, Professor Field explains that the real issue is whether water actually flows consistently from those taps.

She highlights the lack of reliable data on water stoppages and interruptions, arguing that communities, especially women, continue to bear the burden when water systems fail. The discussion reveals how women are disproportionately affected by unreliable water access through increased caregiving responsibilities, physical labour, safety concerns, and emotional stress.

The conversation also draws attention to smaller towns and municipalities that are frequently overlooked in national water debates, despite facing severe infrastructure and service delivery challenges.

Climate Change Is Already Reshaping Law and Society

Professor Field introduces the concept of “climate risk litigation,” arguing that climate litigation in Africa is already happening, but often in forms that global legal databases fail to recognise.

Rather than focusing only on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, African climate litigation is increasingly emerging through cases linked to floods, droughts, wildfires, insurance disputes, and climate-related disasters.

She shares fascinating insights into her research on wildfire litigation in South Africa, explaining how courts are already adapting legal principles to account for worsening climate risks and environmental instability. The interview highlights how climate change is no longer a future threat but a present reality already influencing governance, infrastructure, insurance systems, ecosystems, and community survival.

The Interconnected Nature of Environmental Crises

Throughout the discussion, Professor Field repeatedly emphasises the interconnectedness of environmental, economic, and social systems. She uses the example of rising global copper prices following climate-related disruptions at a mine in Indonesia to illustrate how climate events can trigger global economic ripple effects that impact infrastructure, development, energy transitions, and even theft and criminal activity.

She illustrates a systems-thinking perspective on climate change, demonstrating how water, mining, energy, law, economics, biodiversity, and social justice cannot be addressed in isolation.

Women, Leadership and Challenging Patriarchal Systems

In a deeply honest and reflective segment, Professor Field speaks candidly about navigating patriarchal environments both personally and professionally. She discusses the importance of women trusting their instincts, supporting one another, and refusing to normalise aggressive or dismissive behaviour in professional spaces.

She shares a particularly difficult experience involving gendered hostility within a professional project environment, explaining how she confronted the unacceptable behaviour and continued leading with integrity. Her example demonstrates reflection on mentorship, emotional intelligence, resilience, and the importance of women creating supportive ecosystems for future generations of female leaders.

Opportunities for Women in Climate Justice and Green Innovation

Professor Field expresses great optimism about the opportunities emerging for women and young people in climate adaptation, environmental entrepreneurship, and sustainability innovation.

One especially inspiring story features a group of women from Sebokeng who designed machinery to recycle waste polystyrene into energy-saving “Wonder Bags” used for cooking. Their innovation not only reduces waste pollution but also dramatically lowers household gas usage, demonstrating how grassroots women-led innovation can drive both environmental and economic transformation.

The discussion highlights how many climate adaptation roles already exist informally within communities and why recognising these as legitimate economic opportunities could transform livelihoods across Africa.

South Africa’s Climate Change Act and the Future of Environmental Governance

The interview also examines South Africa’s new Climate Change Act and its significance for policy, accountability, and long-term institutional change. Professor Field explains how the legislation establishes important planning obligations for adaptation and mitigation, while also embedding environmental dependency principles into law — recognising that economic systems ultimately depend on healthy ecosystems.

She argues that the law represents a critical shift away from development models that prioritize economic growth at the expense of environmental sustainability.

Lessons in Leadership, Purpose and Tenacity

Towards the close of the conversation, Professor Field reflects on the personal experiences that shaped her success, including her decision to move beyond traditional academic work into environmental activism and advocacy. She emphasises the importance of relationships, mentorship, focused thinking, service, and purpose-driven leadership. She also shares how personal challenges, including her child’s severe health struggles, taught her resilience, tenacity, belief, not letting go and never walking away.

“Women of Africa, You Are Divine”

Ending on a deeply uplifting note, Professor Field shares inspiration drawn from Miriam Makeba and her song Amaliya, reminding women across Africa to recognize your divinity and to see yourself not just as an intellectual being, but as a spiritual being, an emotional being, an intellectual being.

Her final message is both poetic and empowering:

“Women of Africa, you are divine.”

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Associate Professor Jane Battersby from the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at the University of Cape Town, whose pioneering work bridges geography, food security, urban development, and social justice. Drawing from decades of academic research, policy engagement, and grassroots collaboration, Associate Professor Battersby offers a cross-cutting perspective on how food systems shape and are shaped by cities, infrastructure, climate change, governance, and gender dynamics.

Why Urban Food Systems Matter

Food insecurity is an urban issue. Associate Professor Battersby explains that while global conversations often focus on food production, many people experiencing hunger today live in urban and peri-urban spaces. She highlights how access to housing, transport, infrastructure, and services directly affects people’s ability to obtain, prepare, and consume nutritious food. Even when food is physically available, urban conditions can make healthy eating inaccessible.

Community Projects Driving Real Change

Associate Professor Battersby is involved in several impactful projects that explore how infrastructure, governance, and social systems intersect with food access in low-income communities. For example, Living Off-Grid Food and Infrastructure, AFRI Food Links, Urban Food Futures, Food Systems Countdown Initiative, and Nourished Child Project. The Nourished Child Project is an initiative where community-driven research led to the creation of nutrition ambassador programmes, breastfeeding support initiatives, and partnerships with early childhood development centres.

Women, Food Security and Household Survival

Associate Professor Battersby explains that women often bear the invisible burden of household food management. In many homes, women sacrifice their own nutrition to ensure children and other family members are fed. Female-headed households are also statistically more vulnerable to food insecurity. However, she emphasises that although women may be victims of systemic inequality in some circumstances, they are also leaders, innovators, and community organisers capable of driving meaningful transformation. She highlights women’s economic participation in informal food systems; the role of mothers and grandmothers in nutrition education; the impact of gender-based violence on household food insecurity; and how women leverage social networks to help families survive

Challenging Perceptions About Informal Food Systems

Associate Professor Battersby draws attention to the informal food sector, including spaza shops, roadside traders, fresh produce vendors, and informal meat markets. She challenges assumptions that informal food systems are inherently unsafe or inferior. She explains that many informal traders source fresh produce through the same formal supply chains as supermarkets, often delivering food that is fresher, cheaper, and more accessible to communities.

Women in Academia and Leadership

Associate Professor Battersby shares positive personal experiences of working in a discipline with strong female leadership, but acknowledges that as a young academic in male-dominated meetings, there were occasions that called for confronting assumptions about women’s roles. She highlights balancing professional leadership with caregiving responsibilities, especially for the sandwich generation who attend to the well-being of ageing parents on the one hand and children on the other. She offers valuable advice to women entering leadership spaces:

• Ensure your voice is heard early in meetings
• Amplify the contributions of other women
• Turn underestimated roles into opportunities for influence and leadership. E.g., if you are appointed as the note taker, turn that into power, and take ownership of writing the report

Success, Identity and Living Fully

As the interview draws to a close, Associate Professor Battersby reflects on the influences that shaped her journey — from attending an all-girls school that normalised women’s leadership to working with vulnerable youth during her gap year, which allowed her to see the world from very different perspectives. She speaks frankly about balancing multiple identities: academic, mother, partner, daughter, activist, and researcher. Rather than seeing these roles as conflicting, she describes them as enriching her understanding of the world and strengthening her work.

Her closing message to girls and young women is empowering and affirming: women do not need to reduce themselves to one identity in order to succeed. Their full humanity, lived experiences, and emotional intelligence are powerful assets that enhance your work, allowing you to be innovative and lead a new direction in your space.

“So if you’re going to be the note taker, make sure you turn that into power.”

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Prof Lee-Ann Sadè Modley, from the Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies at the University of Johannesburg. With a background spanning zoology, environmental management, sustainability, and community engagement, Prof. Modley shares her journey, shaped by perseverance, purpose, faith, her father’s soft persistence, and an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for others.

A major driving force throughout her journey was her father, who strongly believed in the transformative power of education. From her very first graduation, he continually encouraged her to pursue a doctorate, instilling in her the belief that education was not only a personal achievement but also a responsibility to uplift others in her community.

Effective Solutions Require Stakeholder Buy-In

One of the most pivotal moments in Prof. Modley’s career came while conducting water monitoring research in the Kaalspruit River in Tembisa. While scientists were focused on measuring pollution levels, she witnessed a resident casually throwing rubbish into the river. She realised that environmental science alone could never solve environmental problems without engaging the people living within those environments. The experience moved her from being purely laboratory and field-science focused into a more community-centred approach, where understanding human behaviour became just as important as understanding ecosystems.

Prof. Modley explains how difficult this transition was for her as a “thoroughbred scientist,” but it ultimately taught her that sustainability depends on trust, participation, and community ownership.

Building Trust in Communities

Throughout the discussion, Prof. Modley shares insights from her work in communities such as Tembisa, Soweto, Eldorado Park, and rural Limpopo. Her projects focus heavily on water quality, water security, and environmental stewardship, but always through a collaborative lens.

She highlights that, contrary to popular assumptions, communities often want to participate in environmental solutions. The challenge lies in building trust and ensuring people feel heard, respected, and included in decision-making processes. Rather than imposing solutions, her approach centres on co-creation, which includes asking communities what they believe will work best in their own environments. Communities are different. For example, in rural Limpopo, communities tend to see themselves as custodians of their water resources, protecting and preserving them collectively. In urban spaces, however, people frequently view environmental management as solely the government’s responsibility. Prof. Modley explains that one of the key challenges is helping communities reclaim a sense of ownership over their local environment.

Climate Change Is Personal

The conversation reinforces that climate change and environmental degradation are not distant abstract issues, they directly affect people’s homes, health, safety, and futures. Prof. Modley discusses how improper waste disposal and poor environmental practices contribute to flooding, water contamination, and worsening infrastructure problems.

She advocates strongly for integrated water resource management, where everyone, from government and scientists to ordinary residents, plays a role in protecting water systems. Even small behavioural shifts, such as proper waste disposal, can collectively create meaningful environmental change.

Empowering Girls Through Education and Mentorship

Prof. Modley engages in several community initiatives, including the I Am Girls Programme and Eco Scouts. These initiatives aim to empower girls and young children through mentorship, environmental education, and personal development.

Driven by her father’s vision of “lifting another girl up,” she invests her time in helping young women from underserved communities believe in broader possibilities for their lives. Her programmes seek to challenge cycles of poverty, substance abuse, and limited opportunities by changing mindsets and exposing girls to education, science, and leadership pathways.

Making Science Accessible and Exciting

Prof. Modley speaks passionately about changing perceptions around science careers, especially for girls from underrepresented communities. She notes that many learners are discouraged from pursuing science because it is viewed as difficult, inaccessible, or reserved for a select few.

She actively works to make science feel exciting, relatable, and achievable by exposing learners to the university environment and demonstrating the diverse possibilities within scientific fields. Her mission is to show girls that science extends far beyond laboratories and microscopes; it can be creative, impactful, and transformative.

Women Leading Sustainability Conversations

As the discussion turns to gender, Prof. Modley reflects on her career experience. Interestingly, she describes how working in zoology often meant being treated equally to her male peers, which ultimately strengthened her confidence and resilience. Prof. Modley also opens up about balancing an intensive academic career with motherhood, marriage, and community engagement. She credits her strong support system, including her husband, extended family, and faith, for enabling her to pursue her ambitions while maintaining family stability.

She believes women are increasingly leading sustainability conversations because of qualities such as empathy, collaboration, community-mindedness, and holistic thinking. Sustainability, she explains, is not only about ecosystems and data; it is also about people, relationships, and care.

Her message to women entering the field is to be true to yourself. Women do not need to imitate men to succeed. Instead, their authentic perspectives and leadership styles are essential to building more sustainable futures.

A Message of Limitless Possibility

Drawing from her own experiences of being underestimated, Prof Modley encourages young women to view barriers and doubt as opportunities to prove what is possible: never allow other people’s limitations or labels to define your future.

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This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Thea Schoeman, Head of Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies at the University of Johannesburg. Dr Schoeman shares a powerful origin story rooted in intention. As a young student, she made a conscious decision that her work would always have real societal and environmental impact. This guiding principle led her from early research in ecotourism to pioneering work in waste management, a field that was largely under-researched in South Africa at the time, especially by women.

Uncovering the Hidden Heroes: The Informal Waste Sector

Waste is a major contributor to climate change, ranking third in methane emissions globally. Part of Dr Schoeman’s research delves into waste reclaimers, individuals who play a vital role in South Africa’s recycling ecosystem. She highlights:

• The economic and social challenges faced by waste pickers
• Their role as the “true recyclers” in society and the contribution they make to waste management
• The urgent need for recognition, fair compensation, and integration into formal waste systems

Breaking Barriers: A Woman in Science

Reflecting on her early career, Dr Schoeman candidly shares experiences of gender bias, including being told that waste research was “not suitable for women.”

However, the landscape has shifted:

• Women now play a leading role in waste and environmental research
• Strong networks of female professionals provide mentorship and collaboration
• Representation is helping to reshape perceptions and open doors for future generations

Her journey underscores the importance of resilience, recognition, and community support in building confidence and leadership. The episode shines a light on the rapidly growing green economy, presenting vast opportunities for women across disciplines.

Leadership with Purpose: Building Inclusive Academic Spaces

As a leader, Dr Schoeman embraces a transformational leadership style, focused on:

• Inspiring and motivating her team
• Creating a supportive and inclusive environment
• Prioritising mentorship for young academics

She also highlights the complex realities students face in South Africa, encompassing financial, social, and emotional challenges, and the importance of holistic support systems. From mentoring programmes to psychological services, her department actively works to ensure that no student is left behind.

Dr Schoeman doesn’t personally subscribe to conventional ideas of work-life balance, describing herself as deeply passionate and fully immersed in her work. She has a genuine love for what she does, a strong sense of purpose and curiosity and is committed to continuous learning and growth.

Dr Schoeman’s closing words remind us that there is space for women in every field, especially in shaping a sustainable future.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Niké Wesch, Senior Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning at North-West University. She shares her journey, research, and vision for building more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban environments. Her work sits at the intersection of climate science, urban planning, and social transformation, bringing a uniquely integrated perspective to the challenges facing modern cities.

A Career Path that Blends Creativity and Logic

Dr. Wesch initially considered a path in graphic design, however, she discovered planning through a suggestion that aligned with both her creative instincts and analytical strengths. Part of her appeal for the field is driven by the ability to combine creativity and logic, a duality that continues to inspire her work today.

A defining feature of Dr. Wesch’s work is the integration of multiple disciplines. Urban planning, as she describes it, draws from economics, sociology, geography, and environmental science, allowing for a holistic understanding of cities as complex, living systems. This interdisciplinary lens enables more effective and innovative solutions to urban challenges.

Research Focus: Climate Change, Air Quality, and Urban Resilience

As Chair of the Climate Change and Air Quality Impacts sub-programme, Dr. Wesch is deeply engaged in understanding how environmental factors affect urban life. Her research explores:

• The impact of climate change on cities
• Air quality and public health
• Sustainable urban mobility
• Data-driven urban analytics

Her work contributes to designing cities that are not only environmentally sustainable but also equitable and liveable. Transformative urbanism reimagines cities to improve quality of life for all residents. Dr Wesch emphasises the importance of evidence-based planning and the role of data in shaping policies that address inequality, mobility challenges, and environmental risks.

Inspiration and Advice for the Next Generation

Optimal urban planning takes context into account and addresses the needs of the community it is designed to serve. Dr Wesch remarks that transport is one of our biggest contributors to urban emissions, which affects air quality, and contributes to climate change. Women specifically are more likely to rely on public transport and non-motorized transport and to make complex trip chains as part of their care responsibilities and also experience safety concerns. So inclusive mobility planning is critical for both climate justice, but also for women in particular.

Dr. Wesch highlights the role of women in shaping urban futures and shares a range of upcoming opportunities for young women considering careers in urban planning or environmental science. The world is full of opportunties, and her closing message is “You should just go ahead and take up every opportunity that you can”

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with South African Ambassador Robina (Ruby) Marks, who has served as Ambassador to Thailand, Sri Lanka (with accreditation to Nepal, Maldives, and Bangladesh) and Benin. Her story is multifaceted. She shows how circumstances (political and social constructs), history, identity, and values intersect to forge a life of impact. She also reflects on the ability to reframe even the direst situations as learning experiences, “Things don’t happen to you; they happen for you.”

A Childhood Shaped by Inequality

Born during apartheid South Africa, Ambassador Marks grew up on the margins of privilege as the daughter of a domestic worker in Cape Town. Her early experiences, playing in the backspaces of homes where opportunity was reserved for whites, sparked a deep awareness of inequality and ignited a belief that a different future was possible.

By the age of 13, her activism had begun, influenced not only by personal circumstances but by the broader socio-political landscape of the 1970s and 1980s. Key historical moments, from student uprisings to the rise of liberation movements, became the backdrop against which her political consciousness developed.

Activism Reimagined in a Democratic South Africa

With the advent of democracy in 1994, Ambassador Marks describes a profound shift, from resistance to responsibility. Activism was no longer about protest alone, but about translating ideals into policy and tangible change.

She played a pioneering role as the first Chief Director for Gender at South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, ensuring that the fight for gender equality continued within institutional frameworks. Her journey highlights the importance of adapting activism to new contexts while staying rooted in core values.

Values as a Compass for Leadership

Ambassador Marks shares how, in the absence of positive role models in her community, she identified values in people that stood out for her and made her own composite. She attributes her resilience and direction to deeply ingrained values shaped by influential figures such as Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, alongside strong women leaders and her mother.

These values, integrity, humility, and justice, became her guiding force, enabling her to navigate transitions and redefine her role across different phases of her life. Even in diplomacy, she emphasises that representing a country begins with representing its moral fabric

An Unexpected Path into Diplomacy

Becoming an ambassador was never part of Ambassador Marks’ original plan. Growing up in apartheid South Africa, such a career seemed unimaginable. Yet her work in gender advocacy opened doors, eventually leading her to represent South Africa across Asia and Africa.

She describes diplomacy as an extension of activism, one that requires balancing national interests with ethical responsibility. The role demanded not only technical expertise but a strong sense of identity, as “when people meet you, they meet your country.”

Diplomatic Impact Across Continents

Ambassador Marks shares powerful examples of her impact:

• Thailand: Successfully negotiated the lifting of a citrus import ban, unlocking millions in trade and improving livelihoods for South African farm workers.
• Sri Lanka: Contributed to reconciliation and peacebuilding efforts in a post-conflict society, while navigating the realities of diplomatic risk during periods of unrest.
• Benin: Facilitated an academic partnership with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, resulting in hundreds of graduates in agricultural sciences; strengthening both education and food security.

These milestones reflect a consistent theme: diplomacy as a tool for economic empowerment, social cohesion, and long-term development.

The Power of Soft Diplomacy and Storytelling

Beyond formal diplomacy, Ambassador Marks has used storytelling as a transformative tool. She authored children’s books in local languages, both in Sri Lanka and Benin, to promote cultural identity, pride, historical awareness, and gender empowerment.

Her book Girls We Can, inspired by the historic women warriors of Benin, aims to inspire young girls while challenging societal norms. Through language and narrative, she champions dignity, inclusion, and pride in one’s heritage.

Lessons for the Next Generation

Ambassador Marks offers deeply practical and philosophical advice for young women:

• Build self-belief: Confidence is foundational to pursuing any path.
• Say no strategically: Discipline and focus require rejecting distractions.
• Embrace fear: Opportunities for growth often lie in uncomfortable spaces.
• Define your own success: Success is personal and multifaceted.
• Be self-reliant: No one is coming to “rescue” you. Ownership of your journey is essential.

She also highlights the importance of “falling forward”, transforming failures and hardships into lessons that propel growth.

Turning Adversity into Strength

One of the most profound reflections comes from her experience of detention during apartheid. Rather than allowing it to define her negatively, she reframed it as a source of resilience and self-discovery.

Her philosophy is clear: nothing in life is wasted if you are willing to learn from it. Even the most difficult experiences can become catalysts for strength and purpose

A Message of Possibility

Closing the conversation, Ambassador Marks leaves us with a powerful reminder: you belong in spaces that may have historically excluded you. And once there, your responsibility is to open the door for others.

Her journey, from the Cape Flats to global diplomacy and more, stands as living proof that transformation is possible, not only for individuals, but for societies.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Professor Bernadine Benson about her professional journey, spanning nearly two decades in policing and a transformative transition into academia. Her story is one of resilience, identity, and continuous evolution, shaped by hardship, purpose and faith.

A Childhood of Instability and the Drive to Excel

Born into a working-class family with an English mother and Afrikaans father, Prof Benson’s early life was marked by constant movement and instability, attending seven different primary schools. This environment fostered both loneliness and a fierce internal drive, pushing her toward academic and athletic excellence as a means of coping and self-definition. Her entry into the South African Police Service at just 17 years old was a calling rooted in a desire to succeed.

A Career in Policing: Discipline, Identity, and Power

Prof Benson’s policing career was defined by discipline, structure, and achievement. Rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, she thrived in a system built on hierarchy and command. Yet, this environment also shaped a rigid worldview, one that prioritised performance over empathy and authority over reflection. Her identity became deeply intertwined with her rank and role, which symbolised both power and belonging.

The Turning Point: Letting Go of Identity

A pivotal moment came when Prof Benson realised that her sense of self was rooted in her professional identity rather than internal values. This realisation catalysed her transition from policing into academia at UNISA, a move marked by uncertainty, fear, and profound personal growth.

In leaving behind authority, she began developing emotional and spiritual intelligence, learning to lead with compassion rather than command.

Learning to Listen: Emotional Intelligence and Transformation

Prof Benson describes her evolution as one shaped by “hard knocks” and critical self-reflection. Exposure to new ideas, particularly through transformation and decoloniality dialogues, challenged her deeply ingrained beliefs and cultural “default settings.”

These experiences forced her to confront uncomfortable truths about bias, identity, and how her actions impacted others, ultimately reshaping her leadership style into one centred in empathy, listening, and openness.

Navigating Male-Dominated Spaces

Throughout her career, Prof Benson faced significant challenges as a woman in male-dominated environments. She speaks candidly about patriarchal dynamics, tokenism, and the pressure placed on women to perform in roles they may not yet be supported to succeed in. Her strategy for survival and influence evolved: learning to “read the room,” adapt communication styles, and reframe ideas to gain traction without compromising integrity.

Uncovering Hidden Crimes: Art Theft and Heritage Protection

One of the most fascinating aspects of her career is her work in art and heritage crime investigations. Prof Benson highlights the often-overlooked scale of these crimes, noting that high-profile heists are just the “tip of the iceberg.”

She exposes systemic weaknesses—poor inventory systems, undertrained staff, and lack of funding—that make cultural institutions vulnerable. Importantly, she reframes these crimes as societal losses, not victimless acts, as they erode collective heritage and identity.

The Future of Policing: Technology Meets Theory

Turning to the future, Prof Benson explores the role of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in law enforcement. While acknowledging the potential of tools like voice analysis and AI, she cautions against uncritical adoption, highlighting the dangers of pseudoscience and poorly implemented systems.

She advocates strongly for intelligence-driven policing grounded in criminological theory—arguing that without foundational knowledge, even the most advanced technologies will fail to deliver meaningful impact.

A Crisis of Values: Society, Policing, and Ubuntu

A recurring theme in the conversation is the erosion of moral values in society. Prof Benson connects systemic issues in policing to broader societal challenges, including corruption, lack of accountability, and weakened ethical foundations.

She calls for a return to fundamental principles, starting with early education, and emphasises the importance of Ubuntu not just as a concept, but as a lived practice.

The Personal Foundations of Success

Beyond her professional achievements, Prof Benson attributes her success to deeply personal influences: her faith, a resilient mother, a supportive marriage, and mentors who guided her growth.

These relationships provided stability and grounding, enabling her to navigate uncertainty and remain committed to lifelong learning.

A Philosophy for Life and Leadership

Prof Benson leaves us with a philosophy that inspires self confidence:

• Never stop learning
• Embrace discomfort and challenge your beliefs
• Receive criticism with reflection, not defensiveness
• Measure success not by titles, but by humanity

She describes herself as a “potter,” shaping the lives of those she encounters. A metaphor that underscores the responsibility of leadership and the impact of everyday interactions.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Rosalind Skelton, who is the Managing Director of the South African Astronomical Observatory, and closes out our series on This is the final episode in our series on women in Astronomy.

Dr. Skelton’s story begins with a deep-rooted curiosity about the natural world. As a young student, her interests spanned biology, archaeology, and physics. Physics ultimately became her gateway to understanding the universe. Her academic journey, began at the University of Cape Town and extended to globally renowned institutions such as Yale and the Max Planck Institute, and what began as an interest in physics evolved into a passion for astronomy once she encountered it at university.

Understanding the Universe: Galaxies, Time, and Our Place Within It

Dr. Skelton brings the vastness of the universe into perspective. A single galaxy contains billions of stars, and our own solar system is just a tiny fragment within the Milky Way. Her research in galaxy evolution explores how galaxies form, grow, and change over time. By observing distant galaxies, astronomers are effectively looking back in time, sometimes billions of years, and uncovering the history of the universe itself.

Dr. Skelton’s work is deeply embedded in large-scale international research efforts that rely on cutting-edge technology and collaboration. Projects such as the 4MOST Hemisphere Survey aim to map vast regions of the southern sky, capturing data from thousands of galaxies at once. Others, like the LADUMA project using the MeerKAT radio telescope, focus intensely on a single patch of sky, observing it for hundreds of hours to detect faint signals from hydrogen gas.

Astronomy is inherently collaborative. Massive projects like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) require international cooperation, shared funding, and collective expertise

Leading to Build the Future

In her role as Managing Director of SAAO, Dr. Skelton sits at the intersection of global science and national responsibility. Astronomy may be collaborative and international, but there is also a need to ensure that South African scientists are equipped to lead and compete on the world stage.

Leading an organisation as complex as the observatory requires not only scientific insight, but the ability to align diverse teams, from researchers and engineers to educators and outreach specialists. It is about creating coherence across a system where every part plays a role.

Looking ahead, Dr. Skelton’s vision for the Observatory includes:

• Keeping key infrastructure like SALT globally competitive
• Training the next generation of scientists and engineers
• Driving innovation in instrumentation and technology
• Extending the impact of astronomy beyond science into broader societal benefits

Her leadership style reflects her personality: thoughtful, measured, and grounded. She values listening over imposing, steady progress over rapid change, and collaboration over control. It is a leadership approach that prioritises sustainability and alignment rather than urgency for its own sake

Ingredients of Success: Perseverance and Values

Two of Dr. Skelton’s key drivers include perseverance and strong personal values. Perseverance keeps you committed to your cause, even when progress is slow and challenges arise. Anchoring yourself to strong values allows you to be grounded in your identity and by knowing who you are, you know what you will and will not accept.

In closing, Dr. Skelton shares that change is typically gradual, and progress is built over time through consistent effort. When you look back, you’ll realise how far you’ve come.

She sums this up with a colourful metaphor: “How do you eat an elephant? Bit by bit.”

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Catherine Cress who is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Her work spans the vast, invisible structures of the universe.

Understanding how things work

From the outset, Prof Cress reframes astronomy not as distant stargazing, but as a powerful laboratory for understanding the fundamental laws of reality. Her journey begins with a simple but profound curiosity: how does everything work? This curiosity led her from theoretical physics into astronomy, where the universe itself becomes the ultimate testing ground for ideas that cannot be replicated on Earth.

Education in all forms

Prof Cress has studied at institutions in South Africa, USA, and Germany, and reflects candidly on the role of education, not just formal institutions, but the importance of structured learning, discipline, and intellectual community. While acknowledging that today’s digital world offers unprecedented access to knowledge, she highlights a critical truth: learning in isolation is possible, but rarely optimal. Prof Cress makes a compelling case for the transferable skills gained from studying astronomy, positioning it as the “original data science.” She highlights how skills developed in astronomy, such as big data analysis, AI, computational modelling, translate directly into industries from retail to healthcare.

Women’s roles in astronomy

A particularly compelling thread in the interview is the role of inspiration and representation. Drawing on figures like Marie Curie and Vera Rubin, Prof Cress reveals how reading and understanding “imaginary mentors” shaped her resilience. She also uncovers the often-overlooked contributions of early female astronomers, women who, despite being sidelined as “computers,” made foundational discoveries that still underpin modern science.

Prof Cress notes significant progress has been made for female representation in astronomy, while acknowledging that adjacent fields like physics and supercomputing still lag behind. She also addresses the need for scientists in Africa to believe in their own unique contributions to scientific discovery and pursue their research streams.

She shares some of her research into dark matter. Using vivid analogies, she explains how astronomers “look back in time” using light that has travelled billions of years, compressing cosmic history into a scale that reveals just how fleeting human existence is. For example, if the age of the universe was compressed into one year, then all of human history would sit in the last 21 seconds of the year.

We explore South Africa’s growing role in global astronomy through projects like MeerKAT and the Square Kilometre Array. Prof Cress frames these not just as scientific achievements, but as catalysts for African collaboration, talent development, and intellectual sovereignty.

Success enablers

On a personal level, Prof Cress speaks about the support structures that enabled her career, particularly the role of her husband as a primary caregiver, challenging traditional gender norms and offering practical advice to young women navigating similar paths.

The interview closes on a note of empowerment. Prof Cress shares a powerful message: don’t underestimate yourself. Whether in science or beyond, she encourages women to claim space, seek support, and pursue their curiosity with confidence.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with astrophysicist Dr. Kenda Knowles, Senior Research Fellow at Rhodes University and researcher at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. She shares the story of how curiosity, resilience, and collaboration can open pathways to understanding the universe.

Stargazing the future

Dr. Knowles’ fascination with the cosmos began long before she imagined becoming a scientist. Growing up on the outskirts of Johannesburg and later KwaZulu-Natal, she had access to the kind of dark night skies that spark wonder.

Navigating choices through elimination

Her academic path was anything but predetermined. In high school, she knew mostly what she didn’t want to do. Instead of following the traditional routes expected of strong students, she gravitated toward physics because of its ability to explain how the world works. A computational physics programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal ultimately gave her the perfect combination of scientific exploration and practical skills in computing. It was during these studies that she first encountered the groundbreaking Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, an introduction that would steer her toward radio astronomy and shape the course of her career.

Funding mechanisms make education accessible

Funding opportunities played a decisive role in enabling her journey. Through the Human Capital Development programme linked to South Africa’s radio astronomy initiatives, Dr. Knowles gained the financial support needed to pursue postgraduate research and expand her academic networks. She emphasises that such programmes are not merely financial assistance, they are essential mechanisms that unlock opportunities for talented students who otherwise might never access scientific careers.

Networks unlock opportunities

Equally important were the relationships she built along the way. Mentorship and collaboration proved pivotal, especially early in her research career. One supervisor encouraged her to explore different research directions and connected her with experts around the world, enabling her to learn specialised skills and build an international network. These collaborations, she notes, are at the heart of modern astronomy, where discoveries depend on global teams working together rather than competing in isolation.

Democratising scientific findings for global progress

A defining milestone in Dr. Knowles’ career came in 2021 when she led an international team releasing a vast dataset from the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey. The MeerKAT telescope, situated in South Africa’s Karoo desert, is one of the world’s most sensitive radio telescopes. By observing more than a hundred galaxy clusters, the survey created an unprecedented window into some of the universe’s largest gravitationally bound structures.

Galaxy clusters serve as cosmic laboratories. Studying them reveals how galaxies evolve in dense environments, how enormous magnetic fields behave across intergalactic space, and how extreme events—such as massive cluster mergers—shape the large-scale structure of the universe. By making this extensive dataset publicly available, Dr. Knowles and her colleagues ensured that researchers across the world could explore it, dramatically multiplying its scientific impact and helping democratise access to cutting-edge astronomical data.

The scale of modern astronomy also means grappling with enormous volumes of information. As observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope and future surveys begin producing data on billions of galaxies, artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming essential tools. These technologies allow scientists to sift through vast datasets and identify unusual or transformative phenomena that might otherwise remain hidden. Yet Dr. Knowles cautions that while AI is powerful, researchers must remain thoughtful about when and how to use it—it is not always the right solution for every problem.

Building future scientists and unblocking systemic barriers

Beyond research, Dr. Knowles is deeply committed to building the next generation of scientists. She regularly speaks to school students, runs skills-development workshops, and encourages young researchers to explore opportunities such as internships and vacation projects that allow them to experience scientific research firsthand. Her message to aspiring astronomers is practical and empowering: study mathematics and physics, seek mentorship, and take initiative in exploring the field.

The conversation also explores the status of women in astronomy. While the field has made notable progress, sometimes reaching near gender parity among students, women remain underrepresented at the most senior academic levels. Dr. Knowles attributes this partly to systemic issues such as unequal administrative burdens and the challenges of balancing family responsibilities with the demanding “publish or perish” culture of academia. Addressing these barriers, she argues, requires conscious institutional change, mentorship structures, and supportive policies that allow talented women to progress in their careers.

As the interview concludes, Dr. Knowles offers a powerful piece of advice to young women and girls: don’t place yourself in a box. She recalls a formative moment when a teacher challenged her for limiting herself by believing she was only “a science student.” That conversation inspired her to push beyond those self-imposed boundaries, an experience that eventually led her to unexpected achievements, including a creative writing award in her final year of school.

Her takeaway message is: curiosity, creativity, and courage often matter more than predefined paths. By remaining open to possibilities and willing to explore beyond perceived limits, the next generation of scientists may not only discover new truths about the universe, but also new dimensions of their own potential.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Prof Thenjiwe Meyiwa – Vice Chancellor and Principal at the University of Mpumalanga. A distinguished feminist scholar, academic leader, and advocate for social justice, Professor Meyiwa shares insights into her remarkable career journey, her vision for transforming higher education, and her unwavering commitment to advancing women’s rights.

Leading a Young University with a Bold Vision

Taking the helm of the relatively young University of Mpumalanga, established in 2013 and now serving over 13,000 students, Professor Meyiwa describes the institution as being in a stage of growth, ambition, and discovery. Her vision is to build an innovative African university that not only operates on African soil but actively contributes to solving the continent’s challenges.

She emphasises the importance of raising the bar, creating a technologically advanced, paperless institution that nurtures independent thinkers and thought leaders. More importantly, she wants every student, staff member, and partner who engages with the university to leave with a sense that the institution made a meaningful difference in their lives and communities.

Impact Beyond the Ivory Tower

Professor Meyiwa challenges the traditional perception of universities as isolated “ivory towers.” Instead, she envisions institutions that collaborate widely and actively engage with society. For her, the purpose of higher education must extend beyond awarding qualifications: it must inspire passion, integrity, innovation, and impact.

In her view, every action within a university should ultimately answer one important question: What change will this make?

Feminist Scholarship and the Fight for Women’s Rights

Beyond academia, Professor Meyiwa’s work as a feminist scholar has involved confronting some of society’s most difficult realities. She speaks candidly about research she helped lead into the forced sterilisation of HIV-positive women, uncovering systemic practices where women were sterilised or subjected to medical procedures without informed consent.

The findings were deeply disturbing, revealing patterns across multiple provinces and prompting efforts to pursue legal action against the state. For Professor Meyiwa, addressing such injustices (even when it may carry professional risks) is a moral responsibility.

Education as a Pathway to Empowerment

Throughout the conversation, Professor Meyiwa reinforces the transformative power of education, particularly for women. She highlights the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, and supportive networks that enable women to develop their voices and leadership potential.

Her message is clear: education is not simply about academic achievement, it is about creating opportunities, fostering independence of thought, and empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully to society.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Sarah Pedretti, Principal Scientific Officer at the University of Cape Town Lung Institute. Dr Pedretti traces her academic path from France and Switzerland to South Africa, highlighting how international collaboration, mentorship, and intellectual curiosity led her to Cape Town. What began as a one-year postdoctoral opportunity evolved into a long-term commitment to African health research.

Collaboration Over Competition: How Science Truly Advances

Dr Pedretti challenges the myth of the lone scientist, explaining that modern research depends on collaboration across borders, disciplines, and institutions. She reflects on the importance of global conferences, shared data, and collective problem-solving—especially in a world where funding is scarce and duplication of research wastes precious resources.

Inside the UCT Lung Institute: Research from Patient to Cell

At the UCT Lung Institute, research is deeply integrated with patient care. Dr Pedretti explains how clinical consultations, paediatric allergy services, and clinical trials feed directly into laboratory science. Her work spans the entire value chain—from real patients and clinical symptoms to cellular mechanisms—ensuring that research outcomes remain grounded in lived health realities.

Why Allergies Are on the Rise

With nearly one-third of South Africans expected to experience an allergic condition in their lifetime, Dr Pedretti unpacks why allergies are increasing. Environmental factors such as pollution and urbanisation intersect with improved awareness and diagnosis. Alarmingly, up to 40% of allergy sufferers are children, making this a growing public health concern.

The Hidden Danger: Allergic Reactions to Medication

A major focus of Dr Pedretti’s research is drug-induced allergic reactions—particularly to hypertension, HIV, and TB medications. These reactions are often overlooked because patients assume prescribed medicine cannot be the source of harm.
Her work aims to identify genetic and biological markers that could one day predict adverse reactions before treatment begins, potentially saving lives.

Women, Hormones, and Immunity

The conversation explores why women are more prone to allergic and immune-mediated conditions after puberty. Hormonal changes linked to menstruation and menopause can intensify symptoms, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive research and treatment approaches in immunology and allergy care.

A Critical Skills Shortage: Where Are the Allergists?

Despite rising allergy prevalence, South Africa has only 14 trained allergists—most of them based in Cape Town. Dr Pedretti highlights this severe shortage and reflects on why allergy remains an under-recognised medical specialty, despite its growing burden on public health systems.

Funding, Gender, and the Real Barriers in Science

Contrary to common assumptions, Dr Pedretti notes that gender itself has not been her primary barrier. Instead, funding constraints remain the biggest challenge in scientific careers. She discusses navigating local and international funding bodies, philanthropic foundations, and industry partnerships—emphasising adaptability and openness as survival skills in research.

Science with Purpose: From Rooibos to Genomics

Among her most fascinating projects is research into rooibos tea, inspired by a local remedy. Early laboratory findings suggest rooibos may reduce allergic responses, leading to clinical trials that could validate indigenous knowledge through scientific evidence.
Her broader vision is clear: science must lead to real-world solutions, whether through diagnostics, prevention, or personalised medicine.

Education as Empowerment

Dr Pedretti reflects deeply on the role of education in shaping her career and worldview. She credits accessible education systems, lifelong learning, and critical thinking as foundations for innovation—and stresses how unequal access to education continues to limit potential, particularly for women in Africa.

Success, Integrity, and Passion

For Dr Pedretti, success is built on work ethic, honesty, and resilience. She speaks candidly about long hours, failed experiments, and the importance of publishing negative results. Above all, she believes passion—for science, for patients, for impact—is non-negotiable in a demanding field.

Standing on the Shoulders of Strong Women

The episode wraps up with moving reflections on the women who shaped her journey—her mother, a pharmacist; her postdoctoral supervisor; and the many women leaders she has encountered at UCT. Their example proves that excellence in science and leadership can coexist with family, humanity, and mentorship. Dr Pedretti closes with a powerful call to action:
Trust your curiosity. Build your skills. Seek mentors. Don’t wait for permission to lead. The world needs your voice, your ideas, and your vision.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Sebastiana Kalula, emeritus associate professor, specialist physician in geriatric medicine, Director of the Albertina and Walter Sisulu Institute of Ageing in Africa, and Co-Director of the International Longevity Centre South Africa at the University of Cape Town.

As global life expectancy rises, Dr Kalula unpacks one of the most pressing issues of our time: how to ensure that longer lives are also healthier, dignified, and equitable — especially for women.

From Rural Zambia to Global Leadership in Ageing

Dr Kalula reflects on her journey from growing up in rural eastern Zambia, supported by parents who valued education despite not having had the opportunity themselves, to qualifying in medicine and eventually discovering geriatric medicine in the UK. What began as a practical career pathway became a calling. She describes geriatrics as a specialty that blends science and humanity — one that looks beyond a single disease to consider the whole person: physical health, mental well-being, social context, and functional ability.

Her career has since positioned her at the forefront of ageing research and advocacy across Africa, where the demographic shift toward older populations is accelerating rapidly.

Health Span vs. Lifespan: A Critical Distinction

One of the most powerful insights from the conversation is Dr Kalula’s emphasis on extending health span rather than simply lifespan. Living longer, she cautions, is not the goal if those additional years are marked by disability and poor quality of life.

She explains that while genetics contribute approximately 25% to longevity, the majority of our health outcomes are shaped by social determinants: education, income, access to healthcare, safe environments, and lifestyle choices. The conditions in which we are born, grow, work and age profoundly shape how long, and how well, we live.

Her practical advice is clear:

• Prioritise whole foods over processed diets
• Stay physically active at every age
• Protect sleep and manage stress
• Remain socially connected
• Invest in preventive healthcare early in life

Healthy ageing, she reminds us, is a life-course process, not a switch we flip at 60.

The Gendered Reality of Ageing in Africa

Dr Kalula explains that women live longer than men, which means they carry a disproportionate burden of age-related conditions such as dementia. But biology tells only part of the story.

Lifetime inequalities, such as limited access to education, unpaid caregiving roles, economic insecurity, and widowhood, compound women’s vulnerability in later life. Chronic stress, she explains, elevates cortisol levels, weakens immunity, increases inflammation, and raises the risk of conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease, all of which can contribute to cognitive decline.

In the African context, the challenges can be even more severe. Widowed older women often face social exclusion, loneliness, poverty, and in some communities, even harmful stigma. The emotional and psychological toll of these realities can itself increase dementia risk.

Dr Kalula calls for stronger legal protections, income security through pensions, age-friendly healthcare systems, and, critically, better age- and gender-disaggregated data to inform policy.

Dementia, Vascular Health and Prevention

The conversation also tackles dementia — a growing global health concern. Dr Kalula highlights that in Africa, vascular disease (including strokes and poor circulation to the brain) is a major contributor to dementia. This underscores the importance of managing blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors early in life.

She also emphasises the importance of brain stimulation. Education, meaningful work, continuous learning, and challenging routines all help maintain cognitive reserve. The brain, like the body, needs exercise.

Leadership, Mentorship and Building Sustainable Success

Beyond medicine, Dr Kalula shares powerful reflections on leadership. She speaks about the importance of mentorship at every stage of life, humility in leadership, and building respectful teams where others can flourish. She is also a member of the African Research on Ageing Network (AFRAN), the Global Aging Research Network (GARN), the South African Geriatrics Society (SAGS) and the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG

Balancing an academic medical career with family life required resilience, clarity of priorities, reliable childcare, and strong support systems at home and work. “No one succeeds alone,” she reflects, emphasising the value of quality friendships and supportive networks.

Her philosophy of success moves beyond achievement to sustainability, well-being, and community impact.

A Call to Action for Women

In her closing message to girls and women, Dr Kalula encourages continuous self-development:

• Be the best version of yourself wherever you are
• Seek mentors
• Keep learning
• Challenge your mind
• Compete against yourself, not others
• Define where you want to be — and work toward it deliberately

Ageing, she reminds us, is universal: “We are all getting there, if we are lucky.” The question is whether we will build societies that allow women to age with dignity, inclusion, and vitality.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Kaylin du Plessis, a veterinarian at the Pretoria Zoo whose work combines exotic animal medicine, complex surgery, conservation, and compassion.

From the outset, Dr du Plessis reveals that her journey into veterinary science was driven by a childhood love of animals and a deeper calling to advocate for beings who cannot speak for themselves. This sense of purpose has shaped a career defined by resilience, precision, and an unwavering commitment to animal welfare, particularly within the highly specialised and demanding world of exotic veterinary medicine.

Inside the World of Exotic Animals

Dr du Plessis unpacks what “exotic” truly means, clarifying the distinction between domestic animals, wildlife, and non-native species. From primates, wild cats, antelope and birds to reptiles, crocodilians, fish, and even venomous snakes, her work spans an extraordinary diversity of species, each with its own anatomy, physiology, behavioural traits, and medical risks.

She explains why surgery on exotic animals is vastly different from domestic practice: tiny, fragile patients; highly sensitive responses to anaesthesia; slow healing processes; specialised equipment; and the ever-present risk of stress-induced complications. In this world, there is no formula—every case is handled individually, with meticulous attention to detail.

Memorable Cases and Life-Saving Decisions

The interview brings listeners into the operating theatre through unforgettable cases:

• A red kangaroo saved after the removal of a massive cancerous tumour once deemed inoperable
• A lioness brought back from the brink after emergency surgery for a life-threatening uterine infection
• A Cape vulture revived through swift tele-guided intervention
• Surgeries on a gorilla, gibbon, capuchin, and even a forest cobra with facial cancer

These moments underscore a powerful philosophy that defines Dr du Plessis’s work: every life deserves a chance, regardless of species, size, or public perception.

The Hidden Realities of Veterinary Medicine

Beyond the remarkable cases, Dr du Plessis speaks candidly about the less glamorous realities of the profession, such as its emotional toll, physical demands, financial pressures, and exposure to zoonotic diseases such as tuberculosis. She highlights the importance of emotional resilience and support in a field where burnout is common.

She also addresses widespread misconceptions about owning exotic pets, warning that they are neither low-maintenance nor inexpensive, and that many animals suffer due to inadequate knowledge, improper care, and delayed medical attention.

Women, Science, and Breaking Stereotypes

As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated and physically demanding field, Dr du Plessis reflects on gender bias, recounting moments where her expertise was questioned simply because she is female. Rather than deterring her, these experiences strengthened her resolve—fuelling a career built on competence, discipline, and consistency.

She speaks passionately about the growing opportunities for women in exotic medicine, conservation, research, academia, and zoo practice, and emphasises that empathy, communication, and attention to detail are strengths—not weaknesses—in veterinary science.

Balancing Career, Motherhood, and Identity

One of the most resonant parts of the conversation is Dr du Plessis’s honest reflection on motherhood and work. Rejecting the myth of perfect balance, she reframes success as finding fulfilment in both career and family, supported by boundaries, self-care, and strong support systems. “Recharge is not a luxury,” she reminds listeners; it is a necessity.

Perseverance, Mentorship, and Purpose

Dr du Plessis shares her own story of perseverance, initially failing to gain entry into veterinary school, persisting through years of study, and succeeding against steep odds in one of South Africa’s most competitive academic fields. She highlights the importance of mentors, community, and choosing the right tribe, as well as contributing to the global knowledge base through research and publishing.

A Message to Women and Girls

Closing the conversation, Dr du Plessis delivers a powerful message to women across the continent:
You belong in science. You belong in medicine. You belong in specialised fields.
Success may not follow a straight line, but with discipline, curiosity, and belief in yourself, it is achievable.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Dr Claudia Cardoso from the University of Pretoria. Dr Claudia Cardoso’s interest in veterinary science was ignited when she was 10 years old, watching a local veterinarian diagnose and treat her sick dog, an ordinary consultation that, for a young girl, revealed something extraordinary. In that moment, she witnessed “knowledge in action”— a spark that would shape her life’s path.

Dr Cardoso shares what it meant to rebuild her career after immigrating to South Africa without speaking English, navigating professional scepticism in a male-dominated production environment, and persevering

Veterinary Science Beyond the Clinic

With nearly two decades of experience, Dr Cardoso offers a window into the diverse realities of veterinary work beyond companion animals. Her expertise spans animal health, reproduction, and production systems — areas critical to food security and rural livelihoods.

Through university-led outreach programmes, she worked directly with underserved rural communities, providing veterinary care where access is limited or non-existent. She recounts memorable cases where timely intervention, education on nutrition, and preventive health measures helped farmers preserve entire herds, safeguarding both animals and household livelihoods. These stories underscore the vital role veterinarians play in development, sustainability, and social impact.

Gender, Expertise, and Earning Trust

Veterinary production systems are still widely perceived as male-dominated spaces, particularly at farm management level. Dr Cardoso speaks about moments when her expertise was questioned or her advice challenged, not because of its scientific merit, but because of who she was.

Rather than internalising these experiences, she explains how she learned to navigate them with technical rigour, clarity, and evidence-based outcomes. By presenting facts, outlining consequences, and allowing results to speak for themselves, she asserts a powerful lesson: credibility is built through consistency, confidence, and measurable impact.

Animal Production, Ethics, and Feeding the World

Dr Cardoso demystifies animal production for listeners, explaining why it is central to global food systems. With a growing global population, the challenge is not simply producing more food, but doing so ethically, sustainably, and with respect for animal welfare and environmental limits.

She explores how genetics, nutrition, disease prevention, and welfare standards must work together for animals to reach their full potential, and why productivity without care is neither viable nor ethical. Her insights reveal the delicate balance between profitability, responsibility, and long-term sustainability in modern livestock systems.

One Welfare: An Interconnected World

Central to Dr Cardoso’s philosophy is the One Welfare framework, the understanding that animal welfare, human wellbeing, environmental health, and food security are inseparable. She explains how farmers’ livelihoods are directly tied to the health of their animals, and how crises affecting livestock often place people at personal risk as they attempt to protect what sustains them.

Lessons in Resilience, Curiosity, and Purpose

Dr Cardoso closes the show with a message to girls and women to remain curious, pursue the education or career that calls to you, and trust that your contribution matters — not only to yourself, but to society at large.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Dr Rosemary Dallas, a veterinarian in private practice who owns Alphen Veterinary Hospital in Constantia. She shares her journey into a career that embraces her multifaceted interests. Dr Rosemary Dallas traces her path into veterinary science back to her childhood in Botswana, where the absence of veterinary services shaped her sensitivity to animal welfare and planted the early seeds of a career dedicated to care, responsibility, and service. What began as an affinity for animals evolved into a calling that perfectly blended her analytical strengths with deep empathy.

Choosing the Path — and Letting Doors Open

Not initially a lifelong dream, veterinary science emerged as Rosemary’s chosen profession through persistence, opportunity, and intuition. Standing at the crossroads between engineering, accounting, and veterinary medicine, she reflects on how resilience and openness to unexpected opportunities ultimately defined her career trajectory.

Science, Skill and a Curious Mind

With interests spanning surgery, diagnostic imaging, and small-animal cardiology, Dr Dallas speaks to the importance of lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity. Her fascination with cardiology reflects her love for precision, mechanics, and problem-solving — where engineering principles meet living systems.

Owning a Practice, Serving a Community

As the owner of Alphen Veterinary Hospital in Constantia, Dr Dallas shares how practice ownership was not a planned ambition but a gradual, values-driven journey. For her, leadership is about stewardship — supporting staff livelihoods, nurturing long-term client relationships, and becoming a trusted anchor within the community.

Trust as the Cornerstone of Care

In a profession often marked by emotional stress and financial pressure, trust is everything. Dr Dallas explains how long-standing relationships with clients — sometimes spanning generations — create safe spaces for decision-making, compassion, and shared responsibility in moments of vulnerability.

Women, Work and a Culture of Care

While not a deliberate strategy, Dr Dallas leads a largely female team, reflecting broader shifts within the profession. She reflects on how empathy, collaboration, and mutual support shape a workplace culture that prioritises both excellence and humanity — while acknowledging the need for balance and diversity.

Prevention, Innovation and the Cost of Progress

From vaccinations to advanced diagnostics and cardiology care, the conversation highlights the critical role of preventative medicine and technological advancement. Dr Dallas candidly discusses the ethical tension between cutting-edge care and affordability, and her wish to practise in a world where money did not complicate compassion.

Stories That Stay With You

Memorable cases — from a rescued puppy needing multidisciplinary care to a dramatic tennis-ball surgery — illustrate the humility, teamwork, and courage required in veterinary practice. These stories reveal a profession that constantly tests limits, builds resilience, and delivers profound reward.

Opportunities for Women in Veterinary Science

Dr Dallas outlines the expanding landscape of opportunities for women, from clinical practice and specialisation to online consulting, industry roles, and academia. Flexibility, she notes, is becoming increasingly possible — but staff retention and burnout remain global challenges requiring intentional change.

Faith, Values and Staying the Course

Reflecting on her personal philosophy, Dr Dallas shares how faith, integrity, and perseverance have shaped her definition of success. Caring deeply for people, never giving up on better solutions, and walking humbly have guided both her leadership and her life.

Words to the Next Generation

Closing with a message to girls across the continent, Dr Dallas encourages young women to show up fully, bring value in every space, and strive to be the best version of themselves — reminding listeners that kindness, intellect, and commitment are powerful forces for change.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Dr Asive Luningo, a veterinarian and lecturer in veterinary toxicology at the University of Pretoria, whose journey into animal health is rooted in rural life, cultural tradition, and an unwavering commitment to community wellbeing.

Growing up in a royal rural household where animal care was considered “men’s work” and veterinary professionals were virtually unknown, Dr Luningo’s path into veterinary science was neither obvious nor easy. With limited exposure, strong cultural gender roles, and financial barriers, her entry into the profession was shaped by resilience, chance encounters with inspiring teachers, and a determination to prevent the unnecessary suffering of animals she witnessed as a child. What began as a detour into agricultural science became a life-defining calling into veterinary medicine.

Dr Luningo reflects on her diverse professional journey,from welfare clinics and state veterinary services in remote, mountainous regions, to academia, research, and public health. These experiences reveal the stark inequalities in animal health services, particularly in rural and communal farming areas where distance, poverty, poor infrastructure, and environmental factors limit access to care. She offers rare insight into how geography, climate change, and toxic plant outbreaks intersect with food security, livelihoods, and public health.

Dr Luningo specialises in veterinary toxicology, an often overlooked but critically important field. She unpacks how poisonings, ranging from toxic plants, mycotoxins, snake envenomation, chemical exposure, and malicious poisoning, affect both small and large animals, with devastating consequences for farmers, pet owners, and ecosystems. Her work highlights the growing impact of climate change on toxic plant proliferation and the urgent need for awareness, prevention, and research.

The interview also confronts gender and cultural dynamics within veterinary science. Dr Luningo speaks candidly about moments where her presence as a woman was restricted or questioned, particularly in traditional farming contexts, and how professionalism, confidence, and competence became her tools for navigating bias. She reflects on leadership, caregiving responsibilities, and why women’s career trajectories often look different—not lesser—than men’s.

As a lecturer and mentor, Dr Luningo raises important concerns about how young veterinarians, especially women, are prepared for real-world practice. She describes the safety risks, emotional demands, and resource constraints faced during community service, calling for support, mentorship, and training for work in under-resourced settings.

The conversation culminates in a powerful reflection on why women in veterinary science are vital to South Africa’s food security, animal welfare, and public health, not only as clinicians, but as researchers, inspectors, educators, policymakers, and advocates. Dr Luningo shares the wide range of career paths available in veterinary science, from wildlife and pharmaceutical research to diagnostic laboratories and animal nutrition.

With humility and honesty, she shares what she would do differently, the importance of early specialization and knowledge transfer, and the personal values, such as discipline, responsibility, and perseverance have shaped her success. Dr Luningo emphasises perseverance, continuous learning, mentorship, and community as key drivers of success, reminding listeners that their dreams are valid and their contributions essential to building healthier, more equitable societies.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, for our special compilation of select programs to inspire the new year. In this episode, we hear from successful women in engineering, wine research and diplomacy.

First, Professor Sara Grobbelaar from the Department of Industrial Engineering, in the Faculty of Engineering, at Stellenbosch University has an unmistakable sense of purpose and multi-faceted journey in the world of engineering, charting an inspiring path that blends technical expertise with human-centered innovation. She discusses opportunities for women in STEM and emphasises that we should never be deterred from studying further.

Next, Professor Mathabatha Evodia Setati, who is with the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute at the University of Stellenbosch emphasises the role of education in her career and her motivation to study, driven in part by her parents. She shares insights into the invisible world of micro-organisms which are present everywhere.

Lastly, the Swedish Ambassador to South Africa, Anna Karin Eneström, offers powerful insights into the importance of empowering women to make decisions over their own bodies, the role of economic independence in gender equality, and Sweden’s progressive policies, from free childcare since the 1970s to shared parental leave, that have propelled the country to the forefront of global gender-equality rankings. Additionally, revising legislation to tax individuals rather than combined spousal income resulted in individuals taking home more money. It makes economic sense for women, who make up 50% of the population, to contribute to any country’s workforce.

Here’s to a new year of courage, connection, and collective progress. Womanity rises because women rise, together.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, for our special compilation of select programs to open the new year. We hope to inspire you through the words of three remarkable women who have succeeded in their respective fields.

Our first guest in this feature is Dr Sarah Babb, who is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science. She discusses embracing change by unlearning and learning, and she also sheds light on the underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of neurodivergent traits in women. She reminds us to Keep stepping into the new version of your shiniest, noblest self; because there’s always more. Our Next guest, Dr Colinda Linde, is a clinical psychologist and chairperson of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, who talks about modern women navigating today’s world and the importance of keeping your options open. Our final guest in today’s feature is Judge Nobulawo Martha Mbhele, the Deputy Judge President of the Free State division of the High Court, who emphasises the transformative role of education in her life and how nothing is impossible

We hope that this episode encourages you to pursue your best.

Warm wishes for the New Year from Womanity

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, for our special compilation of select programs over the last year. We hope to inspire you through the words of three pioneering female leaders who have succeeded in their respective fields.

Our first guest in this feature is Professor Darelle van Gruenen, who leads a research engagement and innovation group at the Centre for Community Technologies at the Nelson Mandela University, and discusses building ICT solutions for Africa, by Africans, in Africa and the importance of women entering the ICT sector. Our next guest, Judge Colleen Collis from the Gauteng Division of the High Court reveals how personal experiences of injustice ignited her pursuit of law and her passion for creating a more equal society. She highlights how legislative changes have improved the lives of women through protective laws. Our final guest in today’s feature is Professor Nomali Ngobese from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at Northwest University, who addresses some of the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated agricultural field. She shares how education has been pivotal to transforming her life and how she empowers others.

We hope that this episode encourages you to pursue your best.

Warm wishes for the festive season from Womanity

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Dr Nonhlanhla Vilakazi who specialises in palaeo-herpetology and heritage management in the Zoology Department at the University of Johannesburg. Her work uncovers stories from fossils that contribute to new ways of seeing ourselves and our future.

Dr Vilakazi takes us beneath the Earth’s surface to explore forgotten ecosystems, rare fossil snakes, and the secrets embedded in rock formations that stretch back millions of years. Through her African-centred lens, she explains how ancient species help us understand climate change, biodiversity loss, and the alarming possibility that humanity may be in the midst of a mass extinction event.

Beyond the science, Dr Vilakazi is a powerful advocate for reshaping human relationships with misunderstood creatures like snakes, blending scientific insight with Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural narratives. Her storytelling transforms fear into understanding, reminding listeners how deeply interconnected life truly is both past and present.

The conversation also highlights her commitment to transforming STEM education. Dr Vilakazi discusses the importance of integrating indigenous worldviews with scientific methods to make STEM relevant and inclusive, especially for young women and learners from under-resourced communities. She speaks candidly about breaking stereotypes in paleontology, the challenges of being one of the few women in fieldwork, and the vital need for family-friendly policies in academia.

From groundbreaking discoveries in South Africa, Namibia, and Uganda to cutting-edge AI collaborations that are modernising fossil analysis, Dr Vilakazi’s work pushes scientific boundaries while inspiring the next generation of African scientists.

Despite her trailblazing contributions, Dr Vilakazi reminds us that paleontology remains a male-dominated field. One still shaped by the lingering stereotype of the “Indiana Jones” adventurer. She speaks openly about the subtle and overt barriers women face, from doubts about their physical capability to the practical challenges of fieldwork environments that have never been designed with women in mind. Often the only woman on excavation teams, she has had to carve out space. Yet her presence is transformative: her visibility has inspired many of her former undergraduate students, particularly young women, to pursue postgraduate studies in paleontology. Her journey powerfully demonstrates that representation is not symbolic, it’s catalytic. When women see someone who looks like them thriving in STEM, entire career pathways become imaginable.

The episode culminates in a relatable message to young women across the continent: science is not distant or exclusive; it is present in everyday life, fueled by curiosity, resilience, and the stories we choose to tell about ourselves.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Dr Azwifaneli Nemushungwa, an economist from the Department of Economics at the University of Venda. We delve into her personal and professional journey, her passion for education, and her commitment to empowering generations of women.

A Career in the Male-Dominated Field of Economics

Dr. Nemushungwa was drawn to economics by an innate curiosity about “how the world works” and complex concepts like buying, selling, and inflation, even though subjects like economics were rare in her disadvantaged background. Her path into the field was not straightforward. She felt a passion for the subject and was drawn to a BCom degree by a feeling that led her to ask, “What is BCom?”. Her first lecturer, Prof. Rachel Jafta, taught economics with such passion that Dr. Nemushungwa “fell in love with economics” and was inspired to become a lecturer herself.

Overcoming Adversity and the Power of Self-Belief

Dr. Nemushungwa faced significant challenges, including coming from a very poor family in a rural area. She found that discouragement only fuelled her determination. For example, while she was teaching, she faced doubts from those around her but held onto a “burning dream” to further her education. She felt she was made of a “rare species” that used criticism as motivation.

Education as the Key to Women’s Empowerment

Dr. Nemushungwa strongly advocates for education as the most powerful tool for empowering young women.

• Challenging Stigma: She confronts the proverb that a woman’s place is in the kitchen and the cultural stigma that educated women are to be feared by men, particularly in rural areas.
• Financial Independence: The most important benefit of education is financial independence, which she believes is the “best thing in life” for a woman.
• Fighting Gender-Based Violence: She identifies the “spirit of dependency” on a husband as an underlying factor in gender-based violence, stressing that education gives women the power to demand respect.
• The Banana Tree Analogy: She shares an inspiring analogy about two trees: a banana tree that bows down when carrying fruit (representing a well-educated, humble woman) and a tall, arrogant pawpaw tree that is easily blown down (representing arrogance).

Economic Participation and the Entrepreneurial Mindset

Addressing the high unemployment rate among young women in South Africa (nearly 50% in 2024 ) and the global gender gap in economic participation, Dr. Nemushungwa emphasizes a necessary shift from a “job seeker” to a “job creator” mentality.

• Entrepreneurship is Key: She states that women are “unlikely to be absorbed” in the formal sectors (government, private sector) and that the best way for them to participate is by becoming entrepreneurs.
• University Initiatives: The University of Venda has an Entrepreneurship Centre and focuses on entrepreneurship as one of its four pillars (alongside community engagement, teaching and learning, and research). The goal is to teach students to create jobs for themselves.
• Real-World Success: She shares inspiring examples of women in Limpopo, which has fertile soil, who have established successful farming businesses.

Dr. Nemushungwa concludes with a powerful message for young women. The world is your oyster; you can create whatever you want. Reject the stigma that women are unequal to men. Embrace an emancipation in your mind and ask, “If a man can do it, why can’t I do it? Why not me?”.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to the Ambassador of Sweden to South Africa, Anna Karin Eneström. With a distinguished diplomatic career spanning three decades, Ambassador Eneström has served in some of the world’s most influential global governance spaces, including the United Nations, the European Union, and senior leadership positions within the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her journey, from aspiring courtroom lawyer to global diplomat, reveals how purpose, courage, and principled leadership can transform a personal career and influence international affairs.

A Diplomatic Journey Shaped by Global Experience

Ambassador Eneström reflects on formative milestones, such as her ambassadorship in Pakistan (covering Afghanistan), her tenure as Sweden’s Permanent Representative to the UN, and her posting in Kenya, which deepened her love for Africa and her commitment to multilateral cooperation. She shares invaluable leadership lessons from the UN system, emphasising listening, relationship-building, and international law as anchors for navigating diverse geopolitical positions. For progress in multicultural settings, it’s important to find points of commonality.

Strengthening South Africa–Sweden Relations

The conversation explores Ambassador Eneström’s priorities in South Africa: strengthening bilateral relations, supporting Swedish companies, championing multilateralism, and advancing Sweden’s substantial collaborations in education, research, and sexual and reproductive health and rights across the African continent. She offers powerful insights into the importance of empowering women to make decisions over their own bodies, the role of economic independence in gender equality, and Sweden’s progressive policies, from free childcare since the 1970s to shared parental leave, that have propelled the country to the forefront of global gender-equality rankings. Additionally, revising legislation to tax individuals rather than combined spousal income resulted in individuals taking home more money. It makes economic sense for women, who make up 50% of the population, to contribute to any country’s workforce.

Addressing Gender-Based Violence in a Digital Age

In recognition of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the ambassador addresses the alarming rise in digital violence against women, highlighting the responsibility of governments, tech companies, law-enforcement systems, and communities to ensure women’s safety online and offline. She speaks candidly about the necessity of legislative action, accountability for perpetrators, and cross-gender solidarity in combating violence.

Women as Architects of Peace

Drawing on her extensive experience in conflict and post-conflict regions, Ambassador Eneström explores the vital role women play in peacebuilding, providing examples from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Liberia. She illustrates how women’s participation in peace negotiations and democratic processes significantly increases the sustainability and inclusivity of peace.

Balancing Diplomacy and Family Life

The interview also delves into the realities of combining a high-pressure diplomatic career with family life. Ambassador Eneström shares personal stories about raising her children across continents, navigating cultures, and achieving a balanced partnership within her family, offering honest and encouraging guidance to young women aspiring to careers in diplomacy and global leadership.

Courage and Possibility

We close with an uplifting message to women and girls: embrace who you are, dare to pursue your dreams, even when the path is uncertain, and remember that it is always possible to change direction and redefine your future.

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This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Crista Cullen, Olympic gold-medal field hockey player, businesswoman, conservation innovator, and proud daughter of both Kenya and the United Kingdom. Crista’s story is one of dual identities, grit, reinvention, and a deep commitment to contributing to the world beyond sport.

Crista shares insights from her sixteen-year Olympic journey that began with failure, missing qualification for Athens, evolved through the ups and downs of Beijing and London, before culminating triumphantly in Rio 2016, where Great Britain’s women’s team seized gold against all odds. Crista unpacks the power of shared culture, athlete-driven ownership, and unity of purpose, revealing how the squad built a high-performance environment anchored in trust, human connection, honest challenge, and collective responsibility.

She draws striking parallels between elite sport, corporate leadership, and conservation, discussing how principles like accountability, inclusivity, and pressure simulation translate across sectors. She stresses the importance of creating cultures people genuinely buy into, not top-down mandates plastered on office walls, but values co-created by every voice in the room.

Crista also shares the rarely discussed emotional terrain of athlete retirement. After leaving the sport once at her peak in 2012 and again post-Rio, she speaks candidly about identity loss, purpose rediscovery, and the courage to start again. Her return for Rio, after three years away from competitive hockey, is a compelling story of humility, determination, passion, teamwork, and how genuinely wanting to do something for yourself rather than fulfilling other people’s expectations drives your excellence.

Now firmly rooted back in Kenya, Crista leads transformative work in conservation finance and community-led environmental solutions. Through the Tofauti Foundation, she merges her worlds of sport and conservation to drive innovative, sustainable models that challenge old dependency-based NGO approaches. She shares a powerful gender-centred success story from coastal Kenya, where repurposed aquaculture infrastructure and a partnership with “Crabs Alive” has enabled more than 200 women to develop sustainable livelihoods through mangrove crab farming, reducing overharvesting and generating stable income for families. This model demonstrates what becomes possible when women are trusted as partners and leaders.

Crista closes the conversation with a message of grounded optimism: everyone faces bumps in the road, including those who appear successful. What matters is perseverance, curiosity, courage to challenge norms, and the belief that every detour still keeps you moving forward.

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Darelle Van Greunen Director of the Centre for Community Technologies (CCT) at Nelson Mandela University, this year’s recipient of the Science Diplomacy for Africa Award. We explore how the CCT drives social development through smart, needs-driven technology in low-income communities.

A Personal Journey to Purpose

Professor van Greunen’s journey began in 1990, when she introduced one of South Africa’s first school computer literacy classes amid scarce resources. Her path — from teaching to leading global user experience at SAP Research — revealed the deep divide between tech creators and users, shaping her belief that technology must serve people, not the other way around. This conviction led to founding the CCT in 2014.

Co-Creation and Community Impact

The CCT builds solutions with communities, not for them.

• Needs-driven design: Teams spend time in the field listening, learning, and co-developing.
• Ownership and empowerment: Communities shape the design, language, and look of tools — making them “their solutions, not ours.”

A powerful example is the School Health Assessment Tool, a mobile app that digitizes screenings for learners in rural Eastern Cape. It replaces paper forms, enables offline use, and has transformed care — even helping detect a child’s serious hearing issue early enough to change their learning journey.

For Africa, By Africans

Professor van Greunen champions the philosophy “ICT solutions for Africa, by Africans in Africa.” CCT designs tools adapted to Africa’s realities — from low connectivity to linguistic diversity. She stresses that technology designed elsewhere cannot simply be “copied and pasted” due to the continent’s unique context, including intermittent connectivity, limited infrastructure, and linguistic/cultural diversity.

• Contextual relevance: Offline-first systems, visual and voice interfaces, and multilingual support.
• Respect for Behaviour: The aim is not to make people change their behavior to use a tool, but for the tool to adapt to the behaviour of the people.(part of in Africa, for Africa by Africans – design for inclusion of real people)
• Empowerment: Building local capacity and innovation instead of importing solutions.

Opportunities for Women in Science

Professor van Greunen believes it’s an exciting time for women in ICT — diversity is now seen as a strength. Yet, barriers remain: funding gaps, limited mentorship, and a weak school-to-industry pipeline. She calls for intentional ecosystems, targeted mentorship, and early confidence-building for girls in STEM.

Legacy and Motivation

Professor van Greunen’s vision is for women to be seen not as an exception, but as an essential part of science. She hopes the next generation will lead research that transforms communities. For her, success equals impact—not titles or awards—and her desired legacy is one of hope and possibility for young women to dream and have an impact as scientists.

Her final message to women is: “Don’t wait for the moment. Create the moment. Don’t wait for opportunity to knock on the door. You create the opportunity. Use your knowledge to make the world kinder, smarter and more just. never underestimate the power of your light as a woman”

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Lauren Moss, a counselling psychologist in private practice, who closes our Mental Health Awareness series by taking us through the realities, science, and lived human story of trauma.

Dr Moss shares how her own journey into psychology began not from a linear career path, but from lived experience. As a sensitive child who grew up curious about people’s inner worlds, she initially thought she would become a journalist and tell stories. Instead, encountering personal trauma in her matric year led her to psychology, where she discovered not only the power of human stories — but the power of holding them.

Her early work in the field of sexual assault counselling revealed an uncomfortable truth; that many conventional therapeutic tools were inadequate, and the real healing comes from authentic witnessing, presence, co-creation, and reintegrating a sense of self. She reflects on the founding of Open Disclosure, an organisation built to create safe spaces for survivors to speak, be seen, and be believed.

We explore why witnessing matters: the power of having one’s trauma narrative held, validated, and countered with humanity, similar to what South Africa collectively experienced through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Dr Moss unpacks trauma-informed practice through the neurobiology of trauma, explaining freeze as our most dominant human survival response, yet also the most misunderstood. She highlights how shame flourishes in silence, and the role society, and especially other women, play in either reinforcing or releasing shame. Gender equality, she notes, is still pivotal and not yet realised in how women experience mental health, judgement, and vulnerability.

The conversation then shifts to access; what women can do when therapy is not financially possible. Dr Moss offers profoundly simple but powerful guidance: journaling to reconnect with self; and seeking or creating spaces where one feels safe and authentic — be it with people, in nature, or in solitude — to rebuild regulation and inner strength.

As a supervisor and mentor to young psychologists, she discusses the importance of knowing oneself deeply to be able to hold healing space for others. She closes by sharing her personal success factors, highlighting playfulness, choosing supportive people, and courageously removing herself from relationships that dim her light.

Finally, she leaves a message of resonance and empowerment — quoting Marianne Williamson’s famous words (from her poem called Our Deepest Fear) that Mandela echoed — reminding women that shrinking serves no one, and that our fear is not inadequacy, but the magnitude of our power.

This episode honours survivorship, honours narrative, and brings trauma into a space of compassion and possibility — reminding women everywhere: you are powerful beyond measure.

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Lori Eddy, a counselling psychologist in private practice, as part of Womanity’s commemoration of World Mental Health Day. Our discussion journeys into the heart of what it means to be human, to hurt, to heal, and to grow; offering an illuminating perspective on how the mind recovers, rebuilds, and reclaims balance.

Dr. Eddy unpacks the role of counselling psychology from its clinical counterpart. While clinical psychology often focuses on acute or severe mental disorders treated in hospital settings, counselling psychology embraces a holistic, wellness-oriented approach aimed at helping individuals move from crisis to growth, from surviving to thriving. It is about working with the full spectrum of human experience: navigating anxiety, burnout, grief, and trauma, but also encouraging self-discovery, resilience, and transformation. Dr. Eddy helps people become their best selves and live their best life.

Motivated by empathy and a lifelong curiosity about human emotion and behavior, Dr. Eddy describes how psychology offered her both a framework for understanding others and a path to facilitate positive change. She views her therapeutic relationships as sacred, safe spaces built on trust, compassion, and non-judgment — spaces where clients can confront vulnerability and reemerge stronger.

Part of the conversation explores the therapeutic modalities Dr. Eddy uses in her practice. She introduces Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). A groundbreaking, evidence-based therapy that helps individuals heal from trauma by reprocessing distressing memories. Dr. Eddy explains how EMDR mimics the brain’s natural memory integration processes that occur during REM sleep, allowing traumatic memories to be safely revisited, reframed, and neutralized.

She illustrates the power of EMDR through a remarkable real-life case. A 17-year-old girl, wheelchair-bound due to unexplained leg paralysis (conversion disorder), had exhausted every medical option before being referred to Dr. Eddy. Using EMDR, the young woman gradually unearthed long-suppressed memories of childhood sexual abuse. Through the therapy, she reprocessed her trauma, released her self-blame, and ultimately recovered full mobility. Today, she is thriving — a university graduate with a career in education and a positive outlook on life.

Dr. Eddy also shares a second case that resonates deeply with many women. It tells of a high-performing executive — a woman who appeared to have everything under control but was internally unraveling. Plagued by exhaustion, anxiety, and self-doubt, she dismissed her mental health struggles as weakness. Through therapy, she learned that mental health deserves the same legitimacy as physical health, and that strength also lies in acknowledging when you’re not okay. This journey, Dr. Eddy notes, reflects a pattern she sees often among women who shoulder unrealistic expectations, both societal and self-imposed, to “do it all.” Her message is clear: you cannot pour from an empty cup.

Reflecting on her personal journey, Dr. Eddy credits three women who shaped her strength and perseverance — her mother, grandmother, and academic supervisor. Her grandmother, who raised a disabled child in an era when disability carried heavy stigma, modeled unconditional love and resilience. Her mother, who has navigated loss and caretaking with grace, continues to embody compassion and grit. “As the conversation draws to a close, Dr. Eddy shares a message of empowerment and compassion for women everywhere:

“Self-care is not selfish. Give yourself permission to put yourself in your own equation. When you invest in your mental health, everyone around you benefits. Mental health really does matter — and there’s nothing weak about reaching out for help.”

Through her stories, insights, and gentle wisdom, Dr. Lori Eddy reminds us that healing begins with awareness, courage, and compassion — for ourselves and for others. This episode stands as a heartfelt call to destigmatize mental illness, embrace vulnerability, and honor the strength it takes to heal.

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Colinda Linde, a clinical psychologist who is celebrating 33 years in practice. This conversation commemorates World Mental Health Day, and Dr Linde shares some of the unique challenges facing women today.

Dr. Linde kicks off the discussion with shocking statistics from the South African context, revealing that only 5% of the national health budget is dedicated to mental health, despite global figures indicating that one in three people struggles with their mental well-being. South Africa’s resources are severely limited: there are only about 3,000 registered clinical psychologists and 780 psychiatrists for the approximately 20 million people who need support. Dr. Linde, who also does advocacy work through the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) , stresses that World Mental Health Day serves as a vital reminder to take mental well-being as seriously as physical health. Driven by a passion to break down stigma and improve access to support, she advocates for people to take their mental health as seriously as their physical health. Furthermore, there are insufficient numbers of mental health practitioners.

The interview delves into Dr. Linde’s journey in psychology, which allowed her to converge multiple interests into a fulfilling field and also opened a career that provided autonomy. Throughout our conversation, she emphasises creating options for yourself. She has a philosophy that ‘there is a tool for everything — you just need to match the tool to the person, problem or situation. One of her main therapeutic modalities is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), an evidence-based approach. She explains that, unlike traditional psychoanalytic work, CBT is collaborative, skills-based, and focused on the “here and now,” teaching clients how to manage the powerful link between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. This practical approach is proven to be highly effective for issues like anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout, with the ultimate goal of training people to not need therapy.

Dr. Linde tackles the complex life of the modern woman. From the physical and hormonal shifts of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, to the societal pressures of balancing a career (her “first child”) with family life, she highlights how women’s brains, which “spotlight and then floodlight” everything, lead to constant activation. She introduces her own term for the modern working mother: the “Voldemort Woman” – se who has no name – a woman with no established role model for juggling a beloved career, motherhood, marriage, and self-care.

Dr. Linde closes the conversation with two powerful mantras:

• Unlearn and Relearn: Inspired by Alvin Toffler, she urges women to continuously “learn, unlearn, and relearn” and to forge a path that truly resonates with them.
• Balanced Self-Care: Quoting Maya Angelou, she reminds women that they have “two hands, one for helping others and one for helping yourself,” stressing the importance of balancing giving out with what they receive.

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Giada Del Fabbro, a forensic and clinical psychologist whose career explores the intersection between human emotion, mental health, and the law. This conversation forms part of Womanity’s tribute to World Mental Health Day, highlighting the vital message that “there is no health without mental health

Dr. Del Fabbro begins by sharing how her fascination with human behaviour – why people do what they do – led her into the world of psychology. Initially drawn to clinical practice for its focus on healing and resilience, she later expanded into forensic psychology, where the complexities of the human mind meet the formal structures of the courtroom. She describes her work in the legal sphere as being an “interpreter between the human psyche and the legal system,”.

While the demand for forensic psychologists in South Africa is high, there remains a shortage of practitioners, particularly in public service. The work is emotionally demanding and intellectually exacting – often requiring a delicate balance between objectivity, compassion, and ethical integrity.

Dr. Del Fabbro juggles multiple professional roles — from therapy and medico-legal assessments to teaching and supervision. For Dr. Del Fabbro, this variety is not a burden but a design choice. It allows her to keep her work dynamic and intellectually stimulating. She relies on strict boundary setting and compartmentalisation, ensuring that empathy guides her therapy sessions while analytical precision defines her forensic work. Each role requires a different hat, and maintaining those distinctions helps prevent emotional fatigue and professional burnout.

On the broader topic of women’s mental health, Dr. Del Fabbro identifies three recurring challenges she encounters in her practice: the anxiety–perfectionism trap, identity loss, and relational dynamics.

To counter these pressures, she encourages women to shift their mindset from doing to being. This means embracing radical self-compassion, replacing inner criticism with kindness, setting non-negotiable boundaries to protect emotional energy, and reconnecting with the body through mindful movement. “Stress is stored physically,” she reminds us, and small acts like stretching, breath work, or dancing can release emotional tension and restore balance.

In closing, Dr. Del Fabbro offers an empowering message to all women: “Your voice is your power. Prioritise education and emotional health. Find mentors who see your potential, not your limitations. Be brave, be kind to yourself, and never hesitate to step into your full potential.”

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Prinitha Pillay, a radiation oncologist whose career bridges frontline humanitarian work and cutting-edge cancer care. From her years with Doctors Without Borders in conflict zones to pioneering patient-centred oncology in South Africa, Dr. Pillay’s journey reflects courage, compassion, and conviction.

She shares how turning 40 sparked her transition from infectious disease advocacy to oncology—driven by parallels between the global fight against HIV and the emerging challenge of cancer. Blending medicine and technology, Dr. Pillay explains how artificial intelligence is transforming diagnosis and treatment without replacing the human touch, reminding us that “AI won’t make doctors redundant—it will make doctors who don’t use AI redundant.”

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Pillay underscores the life-saving power of early detection and the importance of self-examination and community outreach. Continuing with the theme of cancer awareness we discuss cervical cancer a one of the top 5 invasive cancers affecting women in South Africa and note how important HPV vaccination for girls and boys is as a preventative measure. Her approach to care (integrative, holistic, and deeply empathetic), treats not just the disease but the person behind it.

Beyond the clinic, Dr. Pillay’s leadership as former president of Doctors Without Borders South Africa and advocate for human rights in healthcare reveals her drive to fix systemic inequities and strengthen access for all. She also reflects on the lessons of leadership: authenticity, mentorship, collaboration over competition, the courage to redefine norms in male-dominated fields, and prioritise self-care and setting boundaries to sustain yourself. Some of the key drivers to her success include being purpose driven, navigating by empathy, remaining curious and learning continuously, commitment to caring, and upholding a sense of equality and justice

Dr Pillay’s closing words of encouragement for young women are, “Your dreams – any path you choose – is valued and powerful. Embrace your unique voice, seek knowledge relentlessly, and lean on your community for strength. Challenges will come, but compassion can change lives. So keep pushing forward. You have the power to help others while you soar yourself.”

Tune in to hear how one woman’s purpose, empathy, and lifelong commitment to learning are transforming both patients’ lives and the future of medicine for the greater good.

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Ronwyn van Eeden, a leading South African oncologist whose medical journey has been defined by passion, perseverance, and purpose.

From childhood dreams of becoming a doctor to specialising in oncology, a field she believes “chooses you”, Dr. van Eeden reflects on the formative experiences that shaped her career. Her early years in South Africa’s bustling public hospitals, including Baragwanath and Potchefstroom, gave her a fearless foundation and a deep commitment to patient care.

She speaks candidly about the gendered challenges of carving out space as a woman and woman of colour in a hierarchical medical environment, sometimes feeling the need to “prove herself twice over” to be taken seriously. Her transition from public to private practice reveals stark contrasts in patient dynamics, access to treatment, and healthcare inequities; offering a rare, honest look at the South African medical landscape.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. van Eeden underscores her philosophy of patient-centred care, reframing the cancer journey from one of fear to one of shared decision-making, empowerment, and holistic support. She highlights encouraging advances in breast cancer treatment, noting that early detection and multidisciplinary care have transformed patient outcomes, with many survivors thriving long after diagnosis.

Beyond her clinical work, Dr. van Eeden plays an active role in shaping the future of oncology in South Africa. She serves on the executive committees of major professional bodies, including Breast interest group of South Africa (BIGOSA) and the Cardio-Oncology Society of Southern Africa, and contributes to global scholarship as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.

Her message to young women aspiring to careers in medicine is powerful: follow your passion, work relentlessly, and never diminish your worth. She reminds listeners that success is built through small, determined steps, and that women should celebrate their daily achievements in a world that often demands perfection.

This episode is a rich blend of personal journey, professional insight, and heartfelt encouragement, spotlighting Dr. Ronwyn van Eeden, a woman at the forefront of medical innovation and compassionate care.

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In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Chrisna Steyn, lecturer and researcher in plant sciences at the University of the Free State, South Africa. Dr Steyn’s pioneering research focuses on soil-borne pathogens such as rust and sclerotinia, with a particular emphasis on breeding disease-resistant soybean cultivars; this work plays a vital role in safeguarding South Africa’s agriculture and strengthening food security across the continent.

Dr Steyn takes us on her journey from growing up on a farm to becoming a scientist whose work directly impacts farmers, communities, and the broader agricultural sector. She explains plant pathology in simple terms, highlights the devastating effects of pathogens like sclerotinia on crops, and shares how her research contributes to breeding solutions that can sustain livelihoods.

Beyond the laboratory, Dr Steyn is passionate about community upliftment. She actively supports small-scale farmers through research on legumes and orphan crops and participates in school and community garden projects that empower people to grow their own food sustainably. Her approach blends academic excellence with grassroots impact, ensuring that knowledge translates into real-world benefits.

We also explore her experiences as a woman in STEM. From being the only woman in a male-dominated undergraduate class to now working alongside female leaders in agricultural sciences, Dr Steyn reflects on the importance of mentorship, supportive institutional policies, and the balance between career progression and family life. She shares candid insights on resilience, independence, and how setbacks can redirect us toward greater opportunities.

Dr Steyn shares her perspective on the evolving role of women in agriculture, as participants, as leaders and drivers of innovation. With stories of women running farms, leading research programs, and scaling small enterprises into thriving businesses, Dr Steyn underscores the transformative power of women’s leadership.

Closing the conversation, she offers motivational advice to young women pursuing science: believe in your power, embrace curiosity, and remember that every small step builds the foundation for a bigger tomorrow.

This conversation is both a celebration of science and a testament to women’s ability to cultivate change, whether in the lab, the classroom, the farm, or the community.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda, who lectures in culture and heritage studies at the University of Mpumalanga. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences specialising in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). Dr. Bhuda shares her journey into the field, describing it as a calling that began when she first enrolled in sociology and IKS at Northwest University in 2013. Supported by funding from the Department of Science and Innovation, as well as the Department of Arts and Culture, Dr. Bhuda was part of a pioneering cohort studying ancestral knowledge systems.

Focusing on the role of women in society, Dr. Bhuda emphasizes that women have always held significant positions in indigenous communities, even before colonial encounters. She highlights the long-standing influence of African queens, whose leadership and stabilizing roles were instrumental in shaping civilizations. Today, in democratic South Africa, we see a revival of this heritage, with opportunities for women to lead and succeed in powerful roles.

The conversation highlights how Indigenous Knowledge Systems, passed down through generations, are as fluid and adaptable as culture itself. These systems are deeply integrated into various aspects of life, including agriculture, health, and community sustainability. Dr. Bhuda elaborates on the diverse methods of knowledge transmission—ranging from oral storytelling to observation, participation, and apprenticeship. Dr. Bhuda reflects on how women’s roles have evolved over time but stresses that their contributions to society have always been vital. Education is key, she argues, in shifting mindsets and ensuring that people recognize the unique strengths women bring to leadership and community-building.

Dr. Bhuda also shares her thoughts on the importance of two significant indigenous practices in South Africa: the spirit of Ubuntu, which emphasizes compassion and interconnectedness, and the rites of passage that guide individuals through life’s stages. She sees these traditions as valuable lessons that other societies could learn from.

Closing the discussion, Dr. Bhuda speaks passionately about the power of having a vision and pursuing it relentlessly. She encourages women to dream boldly, envision the person they are meant to become, and work tirelessly toward realizing their potential.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Val Nichas, the CEO of the Spur Corporation. Part of her motivation for accepting this role was the challenge of transformation and taking on a role in corporate which has greater purpose. Under her leadership the Spur Corporation became a purpose-led organisation, whose purpose is, “Leading for the Greater Good”. Transformation is about making things better and part of that process includes equality, diversity and inclusion to positively impact the business and communities that it serves.

Ms Nichas discusses how leadership strategies go beyond business strategies, emphasizing the importance of diagnosing challenges, gathering facts, and collaborating to find creative solutions. With a visionary mindset, she has evolved Spur’s business model to adapt to changing times while focusing on long-term planning and community impact. Under her leadership, the group has grown to over 700 restaurants with headline earnings in 2024 increasing by 11% year on year. Each new franchise restaurant employs 42 people, demonstrating the multiplier effect of healthy brands on society. 53% of the corporate company and restaurant employees are female. The group has initiatives in place that consider women’s wellness, coaching development, learnership programmes and has a 3.2 work day arrangement where employees work out of the office for three days a week and from home for two.

Ms Nichas reflects on how soft skills have become more important in the business world to create sustainable meaningful change. Her success stems from hard work, faith in her team, a strong spiritual foundation and applying lessons learned from growing up in her parents Café, where customer service made all the difference.

Listeners will be inspired by Val Nichas’ insights into leading with a vision that has a plan of action, her belief in Africa’s abundant opportunities, and her advice to lead with love and intent. She reminds us that success is rooted in doing good, serving others, and believing in our own worth.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Dovile Jakniunaite from the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University and head of the Institute’s Russia and Central Eastern European Studies Centre.

There are different iterations of feminism, which are influenced by context. Prof Jakniunaite shares how when Lithuania attained independence in 1990, there was an influx of ideas from the West, including their ideas of feminism, whether that be liberal or social perspectives. In time, as societies mature, they realise that they do not necessarily have to absorb everything from other countries but can look within themselves for concepts relative to their circumstances. On the one hand there may be some common ideas, but on the other attitudes to certain issues may differ. For example, some people have a romantic notion of socialism, but women in Eastern Europe who experienced socialism first hand tend to consider the failures of this construct.

Lithuanians do not have a universal outlook towards women’s roles in society. For example, youth consider equality to be common sense and that women can occupy any role they choose. However, in segments that expect women to care for most of the household responsibility, there is an impact on the amount of time that women can devote to careers, which compromises their professional development.

We note that female trailblazers across disciples serve as role models of what activities are possible for women. The fact that Lithuania has had a female president and has a female prime minister helps normalise the presence of women in politics.

We discuss some of the impact that countries with feminist foreign policies exert on the world. For example, when a country with a feminist foreign policy donates funds to an entity or another nation it signals that the issues that it cares about need to be addressed as part of the deal. In this way the funding country influences gender equality in the region it is contributing finance to.

In closing, Prof Jakniunaite encourages women to build their confidence, and to think of confidence as a skill which with practice develops over time.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Rene Benecke from the Strategic Communication Department at the University of Johannesburg.

Communication is dynamic and multifaceted, influencing everything from activism to personal branding. Prof Benecke shares some of her views on how the concepts of network theory and community influencers intersect in practice, emphasising the interdependency between individuals and their networks to enable issues to be addressed. We consider personal branding for women through a communication lens, which Prof. Benecke distils into three elements; we need to find our own voice, we need to develop our confidence and we need to believe that we are good enough. In building ourselves we establish a space in the world that we can contribute to meaningfully.

Prof. Benecke’s work also explores the tragic reality of gender-based violence (GBV), described by President Ramaphosa as South Africa’s second pandemic. There are several theoretical arguments about why GBV occurs and possible methods to solve it. In practical terms, victims of GBV or of potential assault need to know who they can contact to help them. Reflecting on the murder of Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, sometimes the struggles that a person deals with are hidden from view, and we should all be more sensitive to the plight of other women and intervening where possible to help.

Today’s show is dedicated to the memory of Rebecca Cheptegei, may her soul rest in peace.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Patricia Lindelwa Makoni, from the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking. UNISA is Africa’s largest distance learning institution, with over 400,000 students, representing over 100 different countries. Every year more than 54,000 graduates receive qualifications from UNISA.

Prof Makoni’s research interests include international finance, financial market development, corporate finance and development finance. She supervises doctoral students from diverse regions including Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and the United States. Their research topics include infrastructure development, international finance and aid, micro small and medium enterprises, and more.

Reflecting on her work, Prof Makoni shares her insights on the challenges of financial exclusion faced by women in rural environments. She emphasises that financial inclusion is not just about access to financial products, its also about understanding the entire value chain. This includes everything from business development and market entry strategies to effective pricing and distribution channels. She believes that empowering women with this holistic knowledge is key to sustainable economic development.

Prof. Makoni mentions the philanthropic work of Tsitsi Masiyiwa and Frida Owinga who worked tirelessly to set up country chapters as President of Africa for the Organization for Women in Trade.

Beyond her academic endeavours, Prof. Makoni talks about managing the balance between the various facets of her life. She highlights the importance of making our assets and capital work for us—extending beyond just financial capital to social capital (our networks and relationships) and human capital (our skills, knowledge, and desire to learn). When these elements are combined, they create a powerful force for personal and professional growth.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss South Africa 2024, Mia Le Roux. Mia is deaf, and she knows first-hand what if feels like to be excluded from opportunities, from the big, as well as seemingly insignificant things that many able-bodied people take for granted. Mia decided to participate in Miss SA because she did not want to feel excluded anymore and wanted to step up onto a platform for herself and others to feel included. In the winning, ‘pinch-me’, moment, when she was crowned with the Miss SA Mowana cornet, she said, that she knew it was for everyone that feels different.

Part of Mia’s aspirations is to help the included make room for inclusivity. She explained some of the challenges that she experienced, such as lack of access to information, for example, watching TV for news or going to the cinema for entertainment – without captions on the screen – she has to work harder to consume this content.

Growing up, after receiving a cochlear implant, Mia’s parents were concerned for her well-being and ability to cope and be independent in the world. Mia shares a few pivotal moments in her life, from the support of her family and community, to appreciating values from her mum which built her internal strength, to having ambition to live a bigger life. For example, when she moved to Cape Town, within one week she had a new car, new apartment and new job, which are testament to her determination, resilience and independence.

Mia considers that for women to make more progress, as a collective we have to support each other and lift one another up. Helping others to shine doesn’t dim your light, it just makes the world brighter.

She closes the conversation with the following inspiring words, “Your dream has to be stronger than your fear.”

Tune in for more to hear this determined, resilient, dream-living, inspiring young woman that embodies the four pillars of Miss South Africa – duty, championship, empowerment, and beauty.

Empowerment #Resilience #Dream

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Rachel Jafta, a Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University and Director at Naspers / Prosus.

Professor Jafta believes economics is fundamentally about people. Her diverse research covers topics like International Trade, Industrial Organisation, Technological Change, R&D, Affirmative Action, and Black Economic Empowerment.

In this insightful conversation, she emphasizes how a nation’s wellbeing hinges on the participation of its entire population in the economy, highlighting the detrimental effects of excluding women. She also sheds light on the opportunities brought by digitalisation, which could unlock global markets for female entrepreneurs, and the potential of a single African market to expand opportunities for women. She notes the work that Naspers Labs does to equip youth with digital skills training to access the digital economy, not just as job seekers but as entrepreneurs.

Professor Jafta also explores the key barriers women face: access to markets, finance, networks, and knowledge. She shares an example from India, where individuals without collateral use track records in place of credit profiles, illustrating innovative ways to address financial access issues.

Reflecting on her own journey, Prof. Jafta recalls how education was a priority in her family, even though her parents didn’t attend school, they ensured that their six children were educated. Prof Jafta had supportive teachers and one of them thought she should enroll for a university degree, at a time when it was not the norm for girls to go to university. After graduating she wanted to go to Mexico but was unable to, due to Apartheid travel restrictions, and so, at the tender of age of 23, she applied to be a junior lecturer at the University of Venda but instead ended up pioneering the formation of its economics department. Reflecting on this experience she views it as a valuable opportunity for leadership and institutional legacy building.

Her parting advice? “Never underestimate your potential, be kind to yourself, and don’t hesitate to ask for help—because if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no!”

Tune in for more on this inspiring episode!

WomenInLeadership #Economics #GenderEquality #Empowerment #DigitalEconomy #WomenInTrade #Womanity

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Portia Nkutha-Nkontwana from the Labour Appeal Court.

Judge Nkutha-Nkontwana shares how family meetings, where the household were called to “The Table” to resolve challenges or mete out discipline introduced her to dispute resolution and gave a foundation to her career in labour law.

Law and legislation have been, and are, powerful tools to advance women’s rights. We discuss some of the important equality gains that women have attained. For example, access to equal education. Judge Nkutha-Nkontwana narrates a personal experience of when she started studying law, her professor complained that there were too many women in his class which caused many of them to deregister from law and pursue alternative studies. The second element we discuss is having female role models in your profession. They provide visibility of what is possible. The third aspect is policy changes and instituting deliberate legislation to change gender imbalances in institutions. For example, we now see greater representation of women on boards and in executive positions, where they occupy decision making roles.

It is important that we recognise gains can be lost, and in order to uphold women’s rights we need all stakeholders in the legal justice chain to play their part.

Happy Women’s Day.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Jacqueline Henriques of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court.

Judge Henriques comes from a family of educators and initially wanted to follow in their footsteps but was dissuaded by her father. She registered for a BProc at university with the intention of switching over to degree in education, however soon found her passion for law. For aspiring law students, she recommends focusing on your goals and acquiring as much practical experience as possible. She shares some of the qualities of being a judicial officer, such as impartiality, independence, integrity, ethics, empathy and more…

Judge Henriques highlights some of recent amendments to domestic violence legislation, such as stricter bails imposed on persons charged with domestic violence offences and harsher now prescribed for offences related to gender-based violence. The Act has expanded its definition of what constitutes domestic violence, encompassing physical abuse, spiritual abuse, economic abuse, controlling behaviour, harassment, intimidation, elder abuse, and related person abuse to name a few. The Act now also requires the community to play an active role in stopping the scourge of domestic violence it is mandatory for the public to report incidences or reasonable suspicions of domestic violence, and also criminalises the failure of a person to report such abuse.

We discuss how policy can be used to drive change to support women, however, remark that implementation and monitoring of implementation is actually what drives change.

Judge Henriques appeals to women to help each other, to support each other and advance each other, so that we all make a positive impact on the world.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Katharine Savage of the Western Cape High Court, Judge of the Labour Appeal Court and Acting Deputy Judge President of the Labour Courts and the Labour Appeal Court.

Judge Savage’s family motivated her to pursue a career in law, in part, to be able to change society. For example, she went ton to participate in the negotiations and writing of the final draft of the South African Constitution. Legislation has a powerful impact on driving reform and changing national ecosystems, whether it be social, economic or political constructs. Judge Savage participates in several societies organisations in the legal field, such as the Southern African Legal Information Institute (SAFLII) 2004 and South African Society for Labour Law. She has also been elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve as a Judge of the United Nations Appeal Tribunal. Judge Savage shares some of the responsibilities of being a judge, emphasising the importance of being independently minded, being brave in your judgements, standing by your views and at times shifting your perspectives.

One of the secrets to Judge Savage’s ability to manage multiple roles is structuring her life to enable her to participate in different forums. Furthermore, she approaches her work with an efficiency mindset and has learnt not be a perfectionist.

Judge Savage emphasises the importance of human values, knowing who we are as individuals, appreciating people from different backgrounds and encouraging people to get to their best selves. We all have our own journey and challenges, which we should consider as opportunities for growth.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Latifa Firfiray, who heads up anaesthesiology clinical services at Tygerberg Hospital and lectures at Stellenbosch University.

Dr Firfiray shares some of her motivations for pursuing her specialisation in anaesthesiology, which requires interacting with a multidisciplinary team. She highlights some of her experiences with sedating patients in theatre and helping manage patients with chronic pain through nerve blocks.

One of Dr Firfiray’s areas of interest is the wellness of doctors, especially anaesthetists, who have been shown to experience a high rate of burnout, particularly in the public sector. It is almost ironic that doctors, whose role is to care about other people, sometimes neglect their own self-care. Some of the factors that contribute to burnout include system and personal stressors. The accumulative effects of these stressors, if they are not managed correctly, result in mental health issues, like depression and anxiety. Women tend to be susceptible because they often juggle multiple roles simultaneously. In the workplace some preventative measures include a leadership that is open to listening to people on the ground and creating a supportive environment where people can thrive and feel valued.

Dr Firfiray encourages us to think in terms of a sisterhood, that we are not alone in our journeys and we should be able to lean on one another for support and lift each up for the betterment of all our lives. She reminds us that women can have it all, but we don’t necessarily have to do it all ourselves, some things can be outsourced to others.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to KwaZulu Natal’s first female Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon, Dr. Pranusha Ramlakhan, who works in the public sector at the King Edward VIII Hospital/Victoria Mxenge Hospital, in Durban, South Africa.

Women are underrepresented in the Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery specialisation. Dr. Ramlakhan shares her journey and emphasises that gender should not be a barrier to anyone’s dreams. Through hard work, faith, belief in her dreams and family support she achieved her goals. One of the rewarding aspects of her work is having an impact on people’s lives. She recounts a memorable case of removing a tumour from a young girl’s jaw, which had disfigured her appearance and caused her to be socially introverted. After the procedure, when the girl looked in a mirror and saw normal features on her face, she was overcome with emotion, and her sense of self-confidence was restored.

In terms of her profession, Dr. Ramlakhan notes the value of mentorship and how this asset was lacking at the beginning of her career. She is actively mentoring upcoming maxillofacial surgeons, providing them with the right guidance and sharing her experiences for them to make informed choices.

In closing, Dr. Ramlakhan encourages us to follow in Theodore Roosevelt’s words: “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there”. The journey to success is not always a straight path, but through self-belief, support from loved ones, and drawing on your faith, most challenges can be overcome and make you stronger.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Karin Baatjes, who is the Vice Dean of Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University.

Prof. Baatjes discusses the wide variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes within the faculty and how her sector aims to keep on trend with new pedagogical developments across disciplines as well as being on track with advancements in medicine and health sciences to ensure students are exposed to the latest developments. One of the innovations Prof. Baatjes has experimented with is the use of Go-Pro cameras for point of view surgery, the camera allows the surgeon to record their actions, such as the angle that they hold instruments, and this gives more of a first-person view for trainee surgeons. Quality education comes at a cost, that some people simply cannot afford. The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences established the iThemba Bursary Fund to provide financial support for students, and Prof. Baatjes is an active fundraiser. One of the rewarding aspects of this portfolio is the ability to influence and have a scalable impact on a large number of people across different aspects and disciplines.

Medicine is a demanding field and choosing a specialisation is an important decision. Prof. Baatjes recommends that before people make their final choice they should expose themselves to different disciplines, seek out role models or mentors, and ensure that their personal characteristics align with the appeal and logistics of their potential career. Every job has good and less enjoyable aspects, but make sure the positives outweigh the negatives. Additionally, be driven by your own goals (not someone else’s) and judge yourself by your own metrics of success.

Reflecting on her leadership style Prof. Baatjes applies different strategies according to the situation. She encourages people to speak up on issues even if their opinions contradict the status quo. She also looks for potential in people and helps them grow.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nika Vafaei, who is a Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon in private practice and previously served in the public sector. Dr Vafaei shares the differences between the types of conditions she treats in the private sector compared to her experience in the public sector, noting that cases in the public sector tended to be dominated by pathology (i.e tumours) and trauma as a result of assaults (such as broken jaws and broken noses), whereas wisdom tooth extraction and placing implants were more common in private practice.

We discuss the low ratio of maxillofacial surgeons to the general population and the uneven distribution of these specialists, particularly in rural communities. Lack of access to specialists has significant implications on individuals’ wellbeing, often conditions become complicate to treat because patients have delayed seeking help. Dr Vafaei describes a memorable case where she was able to restore mobility to a young girl’s jaws after 13 years of not being able to open her mouth properly.

According to the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons only 8% of oral and maxillofacial surgeons are female; unfortunately this is a global trend. Dr Vafaei highlights some of the challenges of pursuing a specialisation, such as the intensity of working, studying and conducting research simultaneously. The demands during this phase can be difficult for women who have or plan to have children if they don’t have adequate support structures to help them. Dr Vafaei emphasises the benefits of having role models and mentors to provide a lived experience that shows how they attain professional goals and positive behaviours to emulate.

In closing, Dr Vafaei encourages us to understand our purpose and what motivates us to do the things we want them to; and to combine these drivers into our vocations to lead fulfilling lives.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Bethany Foster, who is a Professor of Paediatrics, Chair of the Department of Paediatrics at McGill University and Paediatrician-in-Chief at the McGill University Health Centre. She also serves as acting Division Director of Paediatric Nephrology. Additionally, she is Chair of The Transplantation Society’s Women in Transplantation Initiative.

She shares some of the factors that contributed to choosing paediatrics and nephrology, such as how kidney disease affects the person as a whole. Her research interests extend to studying immunosuppressive medication adherence, graft outcomes in adolescent and young adult kidney transplant recipients, who tend to be at particularly high risk of graft loss. Additionally, her research addresses recipient and donor sex difference in graft outcomes. She shares that male tissues have a specific protein that is not present on female tissues, which may trigger an immune response against the graft.

Prof. Foster is chair of The Transplantation Society’s Women in Transplantation Initiative (WIT), which aims “to advance and inspire women transplant professionals and champion issues of sex and gender in transplantation”. She notes that men still outcome women in transplant medicine and views WIT as an initiative to encourage more women to pursue the field. We discuss the value of mentorship and sponsorship to support women, and emphasis that women need to step up and put themselves forward for leadership roles, thus becoming role models for the women coming up behind them.

In closing Prof. Foster encourages women to believe themselves, be open to constructive feedback, and continue to improve. In your career, as you develop into a self-assured individual, people should accept you as you are, and if you demand it and give them no choice they might just follow your lead.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Thokozani Chilenga-Butao from the Department of Political Studies at the University of Witwatersrand.

2024 is an election year for more than 60 countries around the world, representing almost 50% of the global population. Political policies shape the narrative of societies and underscores importance of citizen’s having a say in the way that their country is governed.

Dr Chilenga-Butao shares her perspectives on three benefits afforded to citizens voting in democratic elections. The first is representation, the possibility of electing officials that not only hear their needs, but deliver them too. The second is the protection of basic freedoms and human rights, so that people are able to express themselves in and live life in a way that they choose to. Thirdly, people should be able to live peacefully, and not find themselves in a dictatorship. Recent elections in South Africa, have shown that people were dissatisfied with the status quo and used their votes to effect political change.

We note that the global representation of female parliament members is 26.9%, and consider that education, access to funding and countering personal attacks, such as insults and negative commentary, adhering to party rhetoric are some of the barriers that impede women’s access and progress in politics. Dr Chilenga-Butao notes that women politicians, irrespective of political party affiliation, tend to speak the same language when it comes to injustice, and this consistent collective common voice drives change. For example, in South Africa, female politicians banded together to abolish period tax and tackle gender-based violence.

Dr Chilenga-Butao reminds us that time is finite and encourages us to take action today and keep pushing the edge of our boundaries open to more opportunities. The gains we make for ourselves and families also serve to inspire others to action their own dreams.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo, from the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg. She also serves as the Pan African Women Studies unit head at the Institute of Pan African Thought and Conversation.

2024 is an election year for more than 60 countries around the world, representing almost 50% of the global population. Political policies shape the narrative of societies and underscores importance of citizen’s having a say in the way that their country is governed.

Prof Ojo, shares her journey into political studies, which grew out of her background in developmental studies, and focusses on issues that address women’s economic empowerment. We reflect on the political representation of women in various countries, such as Rwanda with the highest representation of women in parliament in comparison to Nigeria, which has one of the lowest. We discuss how women’s political representation impacts on gender sensitive policies, for example, health, education, financial inclusion, gender equality, gender-based violence etc…which contribute to better lives for women.

Aspiring female politicians are change makers for women; and they need support to function optimally through personal and collective collaborative networks. Prof Ojo, reminds to be tenacious and fight for our dreams, to believe in ourselves, to use challenges as opportunities to grow and to surround ourselves with positive supporters.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Elmi Muller, who is the dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University (FMHS). She is a global authority on kidney and liver transplantation and trailblazer in the field of organ transplantation in HIV-positive patients. During her tenure as head of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Division of General Surgery, she initiated a Donation after Cardiac Death programme and a transplant programme for HIV-positive patients utilising HIV-positive donors at Groote Schuur Hospital. She is a past president of the South African Transplantation Society and currently president of the International Transplantation Society (TTS).

Our conversation touches on leadership under challenging conditions, where people operate in resource constrained environments and uncertain circumstances. Under these situations it can be daunting to expend energy on innovation and bigger picture thinking about the future without being swamped by day-to-day pressures. To succeed leaders need to be enabled, supported and recognised for their efforts. We acknowledge that leadership looks different for different people and individuals lead in their own way. Being open to diversity creates a more nuanced environment that considers alterative perspectives. We comment on informal and formal channels to encourage leadership, such as social engagements and mentorship programs. Building a successful career does not mean sacrificing your personal life. Prof Muller shares her strategy for compartmentalizing different facets of her life, which helps her to separate her work and home life to be present in the space that demands her attention.

In closing, Prof Muller inspires us to celebrate ourselves, and rather than trying to change who we are to fit in, we should work with our environments to bring out our strengths.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award winning South African actress Shannon Esra. Her first professional acting role was playing Siri in the feature film I Dreamed of Africa, with Kim Basinger, which cemented her desire to pursue acting professionally. Some of her television work has included Lioness, Isidingo, The Queen and Hard Copy. Theatre wise she has just wrapped up performing a one-woman play, My Left Breast, written by Obie Award winner Susan Miller.

Storytelling, identity, human understanding and connecting with people are some of the interests that Shannon channels into her passion for acting. She views the characters she plays, as one would see their children, there are no favourites! Inhabiting these different identities offer channels for self-discovery. We discuss Shannon’s most recent portrayal in My Left Breast, a solo performance, where she engages the audience exploring a range of emotional realms experienced by Susan Miller as a woman, mother, partner and professional during her journey with breast cancer.

Shannon shares some advice for aspiring actors, imploring them to introspect about their motivations for the profession and evaluate their talent. She highlights some hard truths, such as the fact that in acting you tend to have more down time than work time and that sometimes self-doubt can creep in. She raises the fact that some people define themselves by the work we do, and when we don’t work, we tend to lose our sense of self. Women, in particular nurturers, tend to focus on others at the expense of neglecting themselves. Shannon reminds us to think about our own identities and our own personal values, because the way that we value ourselves tells other people how valuable we are.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Mexico Sara Valdés Bolaño. She is accredited to twelve countries in Southern Africa. Prior to this appointment she was Ambassador to Vietnam. Some of her previous roles include director general for Africa and the Middle East at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, director of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Paris, DCM at the Embassy to Ireland and political counsellor at the Mexican Mission to the European Union.

We discuss trade exchanges between Mexico and South Africa, noting the establishment of integrated global value and supply chains between the two countries that create opportunities for international trade in the global south.

Ambassador Valdés introduces us to the MIKTA alliance between Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia. One of the initiatives of this grouping of countries is to build capacity to empower women economically. We discuss micro-financing as an important solution, noting that fintech and new technologies have enabled new ways of doing business as well as financing.

In 2020 Mexico adopted a feminist foreign policy, which amongst other elements strongly advocates for gender equality. Mexico has been a forerunner in the feminism movement, with notable efforts in the 1970s. Ambassador Valdés remarks that gender based violence is a major challenge to women world-wide and impedes their human rights. She draws our attention to two Mexican women that have made significant contributions in addressing GBV. Anthropologist Dr Marcela Lagarde who identified the concept of femicide in Latin America; and activist Olimpia Coral Melo, who succeeded to have legislation passed to punish people that perpetuate digital violence and abuse.

In closing, Ambassador Valdés reminds us that human rights are not a pie, it is not a case that if somebody gets a larger piece of the pie that they are taking it away from someone else. Human rights benefit all humankind.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Therese Fish , who is the Vice Dean of Clinical Services and Social Impact in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University.

Dr Fish reflects on some highlights from her career, in effect coming full circle, from training as a medical doctor herself to now being responsible for teaching upcoming generations of healthcare professionals. She shares key aspects of her role, emphasising the development of partnerships between universities and the public health sector to strengthen social impact. By straddling the intersection between health and higher education and engaging different communities the university ensures it is of service to society.

Approximately 45% of the South African population lives in rural areas. It is therefore important that students are familiar with working in remote spaces and resource-constrained environments. Through successful partnerships in the Western and Northern Cape numerous training sites have been established in rural areas to accommodate students. By immersing students into these communities, they are able to attain a strong understanding of how people live in rural areas and potential impediments to treatment.

Reflecting on her leadership role, Dr Fish encourages diversity of thought and work practices in the environment. She notes that sometimes the same behaviours exhibited by men and women are interpreted differently by audiences because of gender biases, i.e. a male leader may be seen as assertive whereas a female leader is perceived to be aggressive. We discuss the importance of ensuring that women thrive, and this necessitates understanding the complexities of various societal roles women play and cultural demands placed on them. We consider the idea of changing systems to enable women to fulfil their professional and family roles. Dr Fish also advocates for leading beyond authority, a concept where everyone can lead in their own space irrespective of the position they hold.

In closing, Dr Fish reminds us that to succeed we cannot do things alone, we need to find our clan and nurture relationships. As someone who has actively driven institutional transformation, she states that you can change systems from within, by being present and being the change you want to see.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Lusanda Bomela who is an orthopaedic spine surgeon in private practice.

Women are underrepresented in orthopaedics, making up less than 5% of orthopaedic surgeons. Dr Bombela shares how her interest in the spine, coupled to the fact that few women take up this area of specialisation motivated her to pursue her studies in this field. One of her hopes is that she sets an example to encourage other women to take up orthopaedics and specifically spine as a specialisation.

Medicine can be a demanding career choice, but this profession does not preclude women from having a family life. Dr Bomela notes how having the right support structure in place enables her to be a spine surgeon, mother, wife, mentor and teacher. She reflects that it is not possible to be everything to everybody all the time but with a team ethos and good communication everything is doable.

Dr Bomela is passionate about learning and has a deep desire to share education with others, which is part of her maternal philosophy, she believes that if we have a skill it must be passed on or used to better someone else. We have a responsibility to empower the next generation by imparting what we know to them, both in terms of skills and enlightenment. She tells us how her grandmother used to walk her mother to school 20km away for the sake of education, and years later part of her grandmother’s legacy was establishing a school 500m from her house, so no children in the village had an excuse not to be educated.

Dr. Bomela reminds us not to give up on our dreams. The road might be rocky, there may be a few detours along the way, but hold fast to your dreams; and when you make it others will see all things are possible.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Kathryn Chu, who is a Professor of Global Surgery and is the Director of the Centre of Global Surgery at the University of Stellenbosch.

Prof. Chu specialises in colorectal procedures and is a general surgeon. Her academic journey began at Stanford University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. Following this, she pursued her medical degree and underwent residency training in general surgery at the University of California- San Francisco. She obtained a Master’s degree in Public Health and Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She currently holds positions as an adjunct professor at the University of Botswana’s Department of Surgery, serves as a Board member of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, and leads as the inaugural director of the Centre of Global Surgery.

The need for surgery is time sensitive. Unfortunately, many people around the world don’t have access to surgical care when they need it. According to a 2015 report from the Lancet Commission for Global Surgery two thirds of the global population i.e. five billion people don’t have access to safe, affordable surgical care and the majority lived in low- and middle- income countries. Global surgery concerns developing health systems so that people can receive surgical care when they need it.

Prof. Chu discusses some interventions to make health systems more equitable, specifically surgical access. These include policy reform, developing co-ordinated surgical plans, establishing more facilities, increasing the number of qualified personnel, upskilling people to perform specific procedures, integrating with indigenous health care practitioners.

A few of Prof. Chu’s former roles include working with the health and humanitarian organisation, Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without borders), who are renowned for operating in disaster and conflict zones. She also spent two years training surgeons in Rwanda, helping to rebuild their surgical training process. Through these experiences she recognised how useful surgeons are in under resourced regions.

Prof. Chu has a passion for her field and highly recommends medicine for anyone that feels a calling. She shares the responsibility and privilege that doctors experience in caring for people, who are sometimes at their worst and being a critical part of people’s lives. She also encourages women to retain their femininity; empathy and care makes people better doctors and surgeons.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Nicky Falkof, who is a cultural studies scholar based in the Media Studies department at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Media is ubiquitous and takes multiple forms, that impact how individuals perceive themselves and others, construct their identities, and navigate their social worlds. Prof Falkof shares some insights into the themes of her academic qualifications; studying a Masters in critical theory with a dissertation on race and masculinity in 1980s action films and then studying an interdisciplinary PhD at the London consortium, which was a collaboration between the Tate Modern, The Science Museum and the Architectural Association.

Her current work explores the ways in which persistent negative emotions, like anxiety and fear intersect with race, particularly in urban areas and how these emotions structure social life. Part of her driving impulse is the desire to take emotional life seriously, because there is a trend where society tends to dismiss the way that we feel, but feelings are fundamentally the things that make us act the way that we do. She unpacks the collective emotions that define communities and influence behaviors, drawing on learnings from cities like Mexico City, where positive patriotism fosters a sense of unity and hope amidst adversity.

We discuss aspects of the Me-Too Movement, emphasising there isn’t a universal expression of feminism and that countries in the Global South have had long standing feminists that have been empowering women in ways that are relevant to their social constructs. Implanting an ideology from one hemisphere of the world into another, is not necessarily a solution if it doesn’t take cultural differences and contexts into consideration.

We also reflect on organisational systems as impediments to wide scale change and maintaining the status quo. Corporate, political and social systems that were designed by men tend to be operated by people that think like the system’s architects. This is one of the reasons why gender discrimination is still pervasive, even if some organisations have women at their helm.

In closing the conversation Prof. Falkof emphasises that change doesn’t materialise unless we make it happen.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Marí Thiart who is a Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon based at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. She is President of the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance (IODA) and founder of the South African Female Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Society (SAFOSS)

In South Africa only 5% of orthopaedic surgeons are female; unfortunately this is a global trend. One of Dr Thiart’s objectives is to promote diversity and inclusivity in the field. These ideals are advocated by IODA and SAFOSS. Industry partners are also helping to evolve the discipline by making tools and instruments more women friendly to accommodate their physiology.

Dr Thiart shares some of her passion for pursuing orthopaedics as a specialisation, noting that in this discipline she aims to treat and cure patients rather than manage a condition. She has a special interest in treating children, addressing conditions like bone and joint infections, cerebral palsy and limb reconstruction. She describes how rewarding it is to see children transition into better versions of themselves after treatment.

Dr Thiart closes the discussion with a few words of wisdom that encourages women to believe in their natural talents and develop them and to look for allies to help open doors to opportunities to help you reach your goals.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Eunice Mphako-Banda from the School of Mathematics at the University of Witwatersrand.

Mathematics is instrumental to science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers. According to the Pew Research Centre, jobs in STEM occupations have grown by 79% since 1990. STEM jobs are projected to grow at a higher rate than non-STEM subjects and have higher earning potential. Despite these statistics, women make up approximately a third of the STEM workforce, demonstrating that the STEM landscape is still male biased.

Prof Mphako-Banda shares her journey into the mathematics discipline. Starting in Malawi her first-grade teacher remarked to her father, “Your child is going to be a doctor”. The combination of her aptitude for mathematics and positive support system in her early years nurtured her self-confidence. She considers these factors to be pivotal to overcoming the misconceptions girls face in patriarchal society and gender stereotyping. She strongly advocates for girls to be empowered from an early age to believe in themselves, that they can do anything, and should be exposed to women from different fields to realise what is possible. Furthermore, we are products of our environment; people and place play an instrumental role in shaping who we become. Choose your friends wisely.

After graduating from the University of Malawi with a B.Ed. in sciences in 1992, Prof. Mphako-Banda sought to further her studies and applied to institutions in the UK. She hand wrote and posted hundreds of letters and received just as many rejections. Her perseverance paid off with a British Council Scholarship that funded her Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Mathematics in the UK. Determined to fulfil her dream of being a doctor, after sending 101 applications for her PhD, she received three letters of acceptance and travelled to New Zealand to attain her Ph.D. in Discrete Mathematics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Travelling and living in different countries is an invaluable learning experience.

Today, Prof Mphako-Banda’s research areas include Matroid Theory, Low-Dimension Topology-Knot Theory, Combinatorics, and Graph Theory. She shares an example of how she uses pure mathematics to help design chemical compounds to treat conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Prof Mphako-Banda has achieved significant personal goals in her career and aims to encourage and mentor women. She urges women to not compete against one another, but rather work together, celebrate each other, lift one another up and embrace opportunities in STEM.

WomeninMaths

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tharina Guse, who heads up the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria and is a counselling psychologist.

Professor Gusa shares some of her motivations for becoming a psychologist from initial plans to pursue journalism, which stemmed from her interest in people, their experiences and stories. Studying psychology was a natural fit to really understand people through human behaviour, human thoughts and human feelings.

Her research and teaching focusses on positive psychology and well-being. Positive psychology distinguishing itself from traditional psychology by focusing on strengths, well-being, and resilience, to harness internal and external resources for personal growth as well as overcoming challenges. Positive psychology can help people become the best version of themselves.

Considering satisfaction and well-being in the workplace, research has shown that in workplaces where there are attempts or policies in place to promote gender equality, women are happier. They perform better and their well-being is higher.

She is one of the lead researchers of the International Hope Barometer Research Programme, which is an annual survey covering 13 countries that measures people’s hopes and expectations for the coming year, but also how much their hopes were fulfilled in the prior year. Interestingly, African countries have high levels of hope, which seems to stem from a trust in resources in the community and the people around us as well as faith-based trust.

Reflecting on her leadership role, Professor Gusa highlights the significance of creating supportive and collaborative environments, echoing her belief in the power of compassion and understanding. She acknowledges the challenges of balancing work and personal life, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries, seeking support, and embracing imperfection. Professor Gusa remarks on some of her strong female role models, including her academic mentor and her grandmother, who’s ABBA inspired words instilled in her the belief that “There is something good in everything.”

In closing, Professor Gusa shares a message of hope, emphasizing its transformative power in navigating life’s complexities. Her story serves as a testament to the resilience and strength of women

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in celebration of International Women’s Day 2024, #InvestinWomen, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of the European Union Sandra Kramer, the Ambassador of Denmark Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone, the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania Rasa Jankauskaite, the Ambassador of Austria Romana Königsbrun, the High Commissioner of Jamaica Joan Thomas Edwards and the High Commissioner of Australia Tegan Brink.

The conversation touches on the persistence needed to overcome gender disparities globally. The ambassadors highlight their countries’ initiatives towards gender equality and the importance of fostering strong role models for women in leadership positions. They stress the need for continuous efforts from individuals, organizations, and governments to advance gender equality, with legislation being a crucial tool in accelerating progress. The dialogue concludes with messages of empowerment and encouragement for women to lean in, pursue opportunities, and believe in their abilities. Overall, the discussion underscores the ongoing commitment to achieving gender equality worldwide.

Happy International Women’s Day.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Maryana Iskander the Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that supports Wikipedia. Previously she spent a decade as the CEO of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, a social enterprise building African solutions to tackle the global crisis of youth unemployment. Prior to that she served as Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and as the Advisor to the President of Rice University.

She shares some of the underlying philosophies that have driven her career, such as the idea of breaking down barriers in society and for people to have the ability to choose and make decisions for themselves. This helps achieve scale.

In our discussion about Wikipedia, it is one of the most visited websites on the internet, with over 15 billion visits each month, “The last best place on the Internet”. Ms Iskander explains how Wikipedia works and describes some of the volunteer groups such as the Bashkir wikigrandmothers.

We discuss how intrinsic drivers fuel success, especially self-confidence. Ms Iskander notes when women have genuine and deep confidence and are masters of their own destiny, they can do anything. Self-belief is the engine that enables women to move forward.

In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Ms Iskander reminds us to acknowledge the women we know in our own lives, who inspire and motivate us and tell them.

Happy International Women’s Day.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Melissa Steyn , who holds the Department of Science and Technology National Research Foundation (DST-NRF) National Research Chair in Critical Diversity Studies and is the Founding Director of the Wits Centre for Diversity Studies.

Prof. Steyn describes critical diversity studies and her motivations for specialising in this field. Part of this stemmed from growing up in Apartheid era South Africa, where difference was turned into a mechanism for oppression and subordination. She wanted to be part of a movement to construct a society that in many ways was the “other” to old Apartheid society, where a new society would be built on different assumptions around difference, where people are respected, feel safe, are included and valued. She notes some of the challenges in shifting mindsets and power dynamics between the oppressed and oppressor, whether this deals with perspectives of race, gender, white supremacy, patriarchy or any other social relationships.

Critical diversity studies inform policy and enlightens society about alternative views, however, in practice legislation cannot change attitudes. The combination of policy and people’s willingness to change behaviour lead to changes that contest challenges in unfair societies.

Prof. Steyn shares her journey into critical studies, which were driven by a need to address unfair societies. In the course of her studies, she questioned the roots of her own identity and whiteness, which caused her to rethink and reconstruct her identity. Prof. Steyn reminds people not to accept the narratives of your socialisation at face value, question them and step beyond them.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Maduoe Aphane, who is an ophthalmologist in private practice and former head of the Ophthalmology Department at 1 Military Hospital, which serves military personnel and their dependents. Dr. Aphane discusses some of the factors that motivated her to pursue ophthalmology as a specialisation, in part personal safety, as a woman working in South Africa, was one consideration. Dr. Aphane describes how rewarding her profession is when being able to restore someone’s vision and often their independence too.

Dr. Aphane sheds light on some common eye disorders and the need for greater public awareness to encourage people to screen their eyes and catch problems early enough to prevent blindness. We discuss the uneven distribution of eyecare centres in South Africa, particularly underserved rural areas. Additionally, Dr. Aphane remarks on cultural beliefs where people think their ailments will go away without treatment. Another point of concern is the impact of long delays in the public health sector, which can result in minor disorders becoming major problems.

Dr. Aphane reminds us that we live in a competitive world, and equipping yourself with knowledge through education may give you an edge, but lasting economic empowerment comes from being independent, with the ability to create your own employment – not rely on someone else. At the same time, she implores people to give back and lift others up.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Karin-Therese Howell who is the Academic Director of Mathematical Sciences at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, which is Africa’s first network of centres of excellence in mathematical sciences. There are currently centres in Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa. The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences brings together some of the most gifted students in the continent and uses the slogan, “We believe the next Einstein will be African”.

Dr. Howell narrates her journey into mathematics, in particular studies in abstract algebra and algebraic biology. Dr. Howell is passionate about her field and developing female mathematicians. She founded the African Women in Mathematics (AWiM) Conferences and Virtual Seminars, which was instrumental in establishing the Women in Mathematics division of the South African Mathematical Society. These organisations and the programmes they present are not only about the discipline, but address soft skills like how to market yourself, how to pitch your research and how to look for collaborators. Dr Howell shares how these types of communities show that everyone has a different journey in maths and has their own place in the field.

Historically, women tend to be underrepresented in the field of mathematics but through mentorship, support from their peers and leaders they have the space to develop their skills and self-believe to pursue growth and overcome imposter syndrome. Part of Dr Howell’s recipe includes, “Step out, be brave, turn up and become comfortable with the uncomfortable.”

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr René Ferguson, who was formerly the Head of the Social and Economic Sciences Department at the University of Witwatersrand.Dr. Ferguson’s work focuses on teacher education with an emphasis on life orientation subject matters. Life orientation studies form part of the national school curriculum in South Africa and aims to equip learners with essential life skills, which promote personal, social, and intellectual development to be functional members of society.Gender stereotypes, inequality, inadequate information on reproductive health, gender-based violence and economic empowerment are issues that impact women. Unfortunately, sometimes these perspectives are normalised in society. Some of the university’s programs incorporate gender related issues, such as personal development, self-awareness, self-actualisation, women in sport, democracy and women’s rights.The legacy of patriarchy still impacts South African society, and its overtones are also felt in religious contexts. For some women growing up in a patriarchal society shaped their worldviews to the extent that they defend the system, because it was their lived experience. For other women the realisation that there are alternative ways of seeing the world, has opened the possibility that they can achieve what they want and not be denied their dreams because of their gender. We remark on the importance of education for women, that it is a crucial tool to achieving independence and purpose in life.Dr. Ferguson reminds us that we may be individuals, but we are part of the collective an each of us has the responsibility to contribute positively to the lives of others and greater society.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Keitumetse "Tumi" Mashego who is a clinical and sports psychologist in private practice.Dr. Mashego offers some strategies to help people fulfil their goals, partly through managing expectations and showing ourselves grace.  She shares a useful breathing technique to bring one back into the present and be more mindful, which overcomes autopilot mode.Striking a balance between home and work commitments can be a challenge, especially for women living in a patriarchal society. Under these circumstances Dr. Mashego encourages women to value the capabilities that they bring to the table, to be self-aware and not fall prey to internalised inferiority complexes. She reminds us that perfection is an illusion and that we are constantly a work in progress. To this end we should treat mental health with the same attention that we give our physical wellbeing, look after the mind, nurture it and give it a rest.Some people may be more predisposed to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, for others mental health disorders may be a consequence of environmental circumstances, where they are subjected to negative interactions of others. Many women in South Africa are unfortunately victims of gender-based violence. The Q2 crime stats in 2023/2024 reported that South Africa recorded 10,516 rapes, 1,514 cases of attempted murder, and 14,401 assaults against female victims. While the ideal scenario is for women to leave these situations, but sometimes financial and psychological dependencies prevent them from leaving. In dealing with these situations Dr. Mashego suggests that the first step is recognising the abuser’s motivations for their abusive behaviour and in subsequent steps it is healing yourself and taking back your power.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Australia Tegan Brink, she is accredited to seven countries in Southern Africa – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and eSwatini. Prior to this appointment she was posted in New York as Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Permanent Mission to the UN, and Chef de Cabinet to the President of the UN General Assembly. She also served in the Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Advisory Centre on WTO Law in Geneva.Her interest in cultural diversity and a desire to have a positive impact on the world began in childhood. She further credits her education with studies in Australia, America, the Netherlands, and China as steppingstones that successively created opportunities that progressively built upon each other.  She believes that through hard work and working methodically towards your goals, you can attain them. Personal goals are important. We discuss how by using creative resource management she was able to excel in her roles and not forfeit opportunities.We discuss some of the multilateral objectives of the Australian High Commission, touching on trade, mining, scientific collaborations (like the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project), sports diplomacy and soft power. Additionally, Australia is committed to gender equality and women’s rights. Its development programs are mandated to include an 80% performance target that effectively addresses gender equality. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consciously works to encourage women to take up leadership positions. Some of the High Commissioner’s leadership tools include being prepared, cultivating networks and adopting inclusive leadership that empowers people to lead at all levels.Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of the European Union Sandra Kramer, the Ambassador of Denmark Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone and the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania Rasa Jankauskaite.This conversation takes a multi-dimensional view of women pursuing their careers and being leaders. Some of the internal factors that play a role for the individual include earning technical qualifications, being mentored, receiving support from peers, applying for promotions and believing in one’s capabilities. Externally, visible women in prominent positions have a role-modelling effect that may inspire other women to emulate their achievements “If you can see it, you can be it”.We talk about trail blazers like Ursula von der Leyen the President of European Commission, Mette Frederiksen the Prime Minister of Denmark and Dalia Grybauskaitė the former President of Lithuania. These are examples of powerful women that influence societies.However, according to the World Economic Forum the world is at least 169 years away from closing the economic participation gender gap and requires 162 years to close the Political Empowerment gender gap. Some of the interventions to reduce these gaps at a country level include agreement to follow particular directives, or more formally establishing legislation and action plans. For example the Netherlands’ zipper system sets proportional representation of men and women in its electoral systems, and the European Union recently adopted a regulation that non-executive boards of companies must have at least 40% women serve on their board.As individuals and communities through behavioural change and the adoption of gender positive legislation at national and international levels we can address gender inequality.Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Lizelle de Wee who is a clinical psychologist in private practice.The beginning of a new year is often a period of reflection and many of us are no strangers to creating resolutions for the new year. Unfortunately, the majority of us miss the mark. The key difference between those that follow through with their commitments versus those that give up is putting concrete steps into achieving their goals. In addition to designing a plan with actionable steps to achieve your goals, Dr de Wee recommends creating systems and routines as part of the process to keep targets on track.Our conversation acknowledges that people tend to project different aspects of themselves in work, familial and romantic relationships. We often portray our best selves in the workspace, partly because it’s expected of us and sometimes we expose our loved ones to our less appealing selves. Covid played a significant role in changing the demarcation of boundaries between work and home, in many cases obliterating these boundaries, not allowing people to transition between environments the way that they had done previously.Mental health is important. Dr de Wee shares a few pointers to assist women in their wellbeing, such as determining explicit boundaries, prioritizing self-care, setting realistic goals and taking time out to reset and reignite their energies when needed.Tune in for more…

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Welcome to Womanity-Women in Unity, join us for our new year broadcast with a compilation of voice from female leaders in politics, business and academia. We hear from Patricia de Lille, the current Minister of Tourism, former Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, who is also the leader of the political party “Good”;  Lillian Barnard the President of Microsoft Africa, talking about opportunities and entry points for women in ICT; and Prof Michèle Ramsay who holds the SARCHI Chair for genomics and Bioinformatics of African Populations at the University of the Witwatersrand and is a director of the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, she emphasizes the power of leadership with access to resources and the agency to drive change.We hope their motivational words encourage you to face your fears, find your tribe, don’t let anything stand in your way.Stay safe and happy new year, wishing you all a peace and prosperity in 2024.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity for our final broadcast of 2023. We hope that this mix inspires you to consider possibilities, find passion and purpose. Today’s guests are role models who prove there is no space that women cannot be. Namibia’s Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab demonstrates some of the factors that strengthen gender parity in Namibia. Professor Liezl van Dyk, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at North West University, encourages women to seek career opportunities in engineering. Judge Soma Naidoo, who is a Permanent Judge of the Free State High Court talks about some of the obstacles she overcame and building a pipeline of female judges. We close today’s show with world acclaimed soprano Pretty Yende who reminds us to follow our dreams. Warm wishes for the festive season from Womanity

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, for our special compilation of select programs over the last year. We hope to inspire you through the words of three remarkable women that have succeeded in their respective fields. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the Director-General of the World Trade Organization shares landmarks in her career and opening spaces for women. The High Commissioner of Jamaica to South Africa Joan Thomas Edwards encourages people to live their authentic selves and to recognise that various seasons of life will demand a different focus. Constitutional Court Judge, Justice Leona Theron discusses gender transformation in the judiciary and gives some insight into her life as someone who has risen beyond the circumstances that she was born into. We hope that this compilation encourages you to pursue your best.  Warm wishes for the festive season from Womanity

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Advocate Thando Gumede, a Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), which is one of six Chapter 9 institutions tasked with guarding South Africa's Democracy. We discuss the role of the CGE, which is mandated to promote, respect, protect, develop and attain gender equality, as well as making recommendations affecting the status of women.Several international instruments promote and uphold the rights of women, which have been ratified in South Africa. These include, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Sustainable Development Goals (notably Goal 5), and SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. These regional and global frameworks address diverse forms of gender discrimination #16DaysOfActivism.However, policy without implementation is meaningless. Citizens need to be aware of their rights, take ownership of them and act when infractions occur. People should also exercise their power on political leadership and hold them accountable to deliver what they commit to.  Advocate Gumede notes a positive trend where women are reshaping their ideals in society and recognising their value as individuals; they are not defining their identities in relation to someone else i.e. a girlfriend, fiancé, wife.Advocate Gumede reflects on her journey as a gender activist, where unfortunate circumstances in life redirected her passion for engineering and innovation to study law with an entrepreneurship mind set. She received an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation scholarship to finance her studies. After ten years in the making, she was appointed to be a Commissioner for the Commission for Gender Equality.  She reminds us to find our courage, that life is a constant journey, and to be receptive to inputs that shape us into becoming the humans we were destined to be.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Jamaica to South Africa Joan Thomas Edwards, who is concurrently accredited to 18 other countries from Southern and East Africa.The High Commissioner established Jamaica’s first High Commission in South Africa in 2006 and today serves as its leader. Jamaica has established several memorandums of understanding with South Africa, in sports, tourism, arts and culture and trade. The High Commissioner aims to build and activate these areas.High Commissioner Thomas Edwards reflects on some of the milestones in her career and lifelong learning, which helps to successively build a basket of skills. For example, in multilateral diplomacy you work with institutions like the United Nations and Commonwealth and figure out how to negotiate your position, as a small country, with these large organisations.The High Commissioner shares the following words of advice. Know yourself, don’t be defined by other people. Know your tribe, make sure you surround yourself with the right people. Make sure you know what season of life you are in and make the right choices. Be yourself at all timesThe empowerment of women is a focal point for Jamaica. It has a gender policy and aims to achieve gender equality. Whilst women have made progress, we cannot forget that women experience discrimination and one in four are victims of gender based violence. This is a statistic we should aim to put an end to and consider what actions we can all take to stop GBV, particularly during the global campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Netherlands to South Africa, Joanne Doornewaard. Prior to this role, she served as Ambassador to South Korea and before that as Ambassador to Sri Lanka. She had an atypical entry into foreign affairs, having previously worked as a landscape architect, and at the onset of her diplomatic career considered representing the Netherlands abroad was a way to combine her interests in travel, culture and people.Ambassador Doornewaard shares some of the landmarks in her career, such as promoting car free Sunday in Colombo (Sri Lanka) with the city’s mayor, dealing with the aftermath of the Easter attacks in Sri Lanka, and finding a sense of community with other diplomats in South Korea during the Covid-19 years.The Netherlands has several initiatives in South Africa that are aimed at establishing co-operation between the two countries to co-create solutions #cocreate. For example, co-create MyCity develops joint solutions for urban challenges, such as coping with water resilience. Co-create Identity seeks to open meaningful dialogue around questions of identity transformation.The Netherlands actively promotes women’s rights. In South Africa their focus is on equal rights for women and LGBTI communities; eliminating violence against women and girls, promoting the protection of women human rights defenders, promoting economic empowerment of women, increasing women in leadership, strengthening the role of women in conflict and peace-building. If women work together as part of the solution, then that solution is far more sustainable.Ambassador Doornewaard remarks on the importance of economic independence and freedom of choice, which starts with women acquiring their education and deciding on their career path.Tune in for more…#16DaysofActivism #WomenEmpowerment #Diplomacy #EqualityInAction

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Amanda Dempsey who leads the School of Accounting at the University of Johannesburg, prior to this role she served as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Financial Sciences at the University of Johannesburg. She is a Chartered Accountant registered with SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants), holds a BCom and MCom in accounting. This year she received the SAICA Chairman’s Difference Makers Award for Academia.She reflects on pivotal moments and values that have shaped her as a person and contributed to her career path. For example, establishing a strong network of female friends that have been cheerleaders for each other and encouraged professional growth. Prof. Dempsey highlights how women’s rights in the workforce have transformed since the 1980s, for example, she couldn’t join the institution’s pension fund, she was not entitled to a medical aid allowance and did not receive a housing subsidy. Today she chairs the University of Johannesburg’s pension fund which manages approximately R4bn.Prof. Dempsey is conscious about nation building and developing people’s potential. One of the pioneering programmes she was involved with is the Thuthuka programme, which aims to produce black chartered accountants that contributes to the economic and social upliftment of themselves and South Africa. This professional qualification enables women to choose jobs that fit their lifestyles and ambitions, whether it’s a career in corporate or being self-employed.Part of Prof. Dempsey’s success has been viewing challenges as opportunities and embracing every opportunity that comes her way. They open more doors. One of her mottos in life is “Just Do It”.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Austria to South Africa, Romana Königsbrun, who is also accredited to nine other countries in the region: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.Ambassador Königsbrun shares some of the landmarks in her career, remarking on the positive impact of good bosses. Mentors nurture development and encourage mentees to stretch beyond their comfort zones and embrace opportunities for growth. Sometimes women are reluctant to apply for positions where they do not yet possess all the capabilities of a role, which is a disservice to themselves, rather see this as a chance to acquire new skills and advance yourself.Austria is involved in several projects in Africa, which include the renewable energy sector (SOLTRAIN), support for the interparliamentary forum for SADC and advocacy for women’s rights. Part of the Austrian Development Co-operation’s focus is on gender equality, for example, in relation to gender-based violence (GBV) it has programs to improve victim protection, where public prosecutors, judges and police receive training to sensitise them to various facets of GBV. Additionally, Austria has collaborated with SADC to create model law on GBV. This provides scalable benefits, where countries do not have to derive their own laws and can instead use systems that have already been created.Ambassador Königsbrun remarks on the importance of sisterhood and building relationships throughout your life. Networks are valuable constructs that you need to invest into; they are reciprocal. Women of today should look out for the next generation, offer them guidance so they can rise to their full potential.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ayanda Mafuleka – CEO FASSET (Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority) who has partnered with The International Women’s Forum South Africa (“IWFSA”) to deliver the Women in Leadership Programme or Women Legacy Programme (“WLP”), which aims to develop 1000 women in the financial sector over a 3-year period.Women are underrepresented in the financial services sector, currently there are less than 10% black female chartered accountants in South Africa. FASSET aims to increase the flow of entrants into the finance sector and has partnerships with several institutions. Every sector of industry has a need for finance professionals. FASSET has several programs in place as well as bursaries that are listed on their website. Ms Mafuleka encourages people to pursue professional qualifications.We discuss some of the programs that are in place for women, such as the Women Creating Wealth program with the Graça Machel Trust, which is an entrepreneurship program designed to equip women with confidence, skills and networks to grow their businesses and shift from income generation to wealth creation.Ms Mafuleka walks us through her career journey and factors that have contributed to her success, from being raised by strong women, to aspiring to be different, to working hard, to dreaming big and manifesting intentions where passion meets purpose.As a women leader she consciously draws people up with her and grows the sisterhood.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Liana Roodt who is a specialist general surgeon with a passion for cutting-edge breast care and surgery including breast conserving cancer surgery. Part of her practice’s value proposition is to offer not just surgery but access to a complete package of breast and personal health. During a cancer journey, at times patients are at their most vulnerable, but also at their absolute bravest and courageous.In recognition of breast cancer awareness month, this show continues to raise awareness of breast cancer and living with breast cancer. Statistically one out of every eight women will face a breast cancer diagnosis during her lifetime. The high incidence of breast cancer makes it one of the most researched types of cancers which leads to improvements in diagnosis and treatment. For some people receiving a cancer diagnosis is a point of confronting their mortality, dealing with fear and then going through the process of grief (denial, anger, acceptance). For women, who are generally care providers in the home, there is a necessary adjustment where they shift roles to be taken care of. In Dr. Roodt’s practice she emphasises holistic treatment that is interdisciplinary, including access to a psychologist, physiotherapist, body talk therapist, nutritionist, somatic therapist etc... This basket of services comes at cost, which may be financed in the private health sector for those with medical aid.However, the majority of the South African population rely on the public health sector, where there are often long waiting times for breast cancer patients to receive treatment. To help address this need Dr Roodt created Project Flamingo where on a weekly basis surgeons and anesthetists volunteer their time and skills at key academic hospitals in the Western and Eastern Cape to conduct lifesaving operations. There are several ways that people can support Project Flamingo, from monetary donations to packing pamper packs to volunteering their time.Tune in for more…Take action for breast cancer awareness, for yourself and others, support and help women today.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss South Africa 2023, Natasha Joubert. We discuss her Miss SA journey, from childhood aspirations to be a woman that inspires others, to competing in 2020 and entering the Miss Universe stage, experiencing disappointment and overcoming depression to go on to win the Miss SA crown in 2023.A person’s encounters have an impact on their life, but Natasha emphasises that people should never allow themselves to be a product of their circumstances, but to be a product of their choices.This was the philosophy behind conceptualising her fashion brand Natalia Jeffreys, which was the product of her father losing his job and her mum’s determination for Natasha to continue competing in pageants and having the outfits to do so. Financial exclusion challenges people’s access to opportunity, but through Natasha’s determination she entered pageants and won bursaries that accumulated into her BCom Marketing Management qualification. Based on her lived experience part of her Miss SA endeavours is an education-based project that partners with institutions to award full bursaries to people that cannot afford to study.Tune in for more to hear this resilient, inspiring, young woman that embodies the four pillars of Miss South Africa – duty, championship, empowerment, and beauty.#SecondChances #Empowerment #Resilience #Dream

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Heleen Hanekom who is a specialist radiologist in private practice. She recently launched the Club Women’s Imaging Centre in Hazelwood with the focus of providing compassionate care in a patient-friendly environment. She sits on several multi-specialist oncology boards and is part of the Breast Care Group and the Breast Imaging Society of South Africa, all aimed at providing world class care to patients.October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in today's discussion, we centre our attention on breast cancer, one of the top five cancers impacting women. Our conversation delves into the various risk factors, including genetics, hormones, age, tissue structure, and unhealthy lifestyle habits (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, poor diet). The significance of early breast cancer detection takes the spotlight, with Dr. Hanekom guiding us through self-examination techniques and diagnostic screening procedures, such as mammograms. Additionally, we explore a range of treatment options and strategies for enhancing survival rates.Dr. Hanekom shares her passion for radiology and its diagnostic application across medical disciplines, where imaging modalities assist diagnoses.  Medicine can be an all-consuming profession but also very rewarding. Dr. Hanekom shares how her support structures have enabled her to live her dreams and pursue her ambitions. Tune in for more…Take action for breast cancer awareness, for yourself and others, support and help women today.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Adele Da Veiga from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who has a special interest in information security culture as well as data privacy. Her research raises important questions for consumers and businesses about what information can be disclosed; what measures are in place to protect information; where information is stored; how information is used; and who information is shared with. She notes that 74% of data breaches in organisations are a result of human error (social engineering). Data privacy at an organisational level is one concern but as citizens we have a responsibility to know our rights and protect our own information.The technology sector offers a wide range of opportunities for women, however women tend to be underrepresented in various fields. For example, women make up 25% of the global cybersecurity workforce, and when we consider the continent, women comprise just 9% of Africa’s cybersecurity personnel. Incorporating women into the labour market introduces skills diversity and increases capacity which improves productivity of organisations and simultaneously benefits economies.To inspire more women to take up technology based roles, these topics need to be included in school curricula to give girls exposure to alternative options. Technology development is accelerating, and people need to keep abreast of using innovative resources like artificial intelligence.Lifelong learning and pushing your boundaries contribute to personal growth. Prof Da Veiga encourages women to set goals and drive them forward, and reminds us that every day might not be a good day, but there is some good in every day.  Tune in for more….

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The 10th of October marks World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme is “Mental health is a universal human right”.This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Alicia Porter, who is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Charlotte Maxete Academic Hospital and lectures in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of the Witwatersrand. Some of her areas of interest include child and adolescent mental health, woman’s mental health, mental health in the workplace and burnout. Dr Porter also volunteers for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), which is at the forefront of patient advocacy, education and addressing misconceptions of mental illness.Dr Porter is a mental health advocate and believes in mental health promotion and primary prevention, she remarks that anxiety and depression are some of the more common mental health issues that patients experience, and often mental health conditions manifest in the body. She considers a child’s first 1000 days of life, so nine months in utero and the first two years as the most important period in anyone’s life because it sets the trajectory for their future. Her practice applies a multi-disciplinary holistic approach to treating children that includes family. Some of her tips for women to optimise their mental health include making self-care a lifestyle, knowing who you are through self-awareness and connecting with each other.Dr Porter exercises a pay it forward philosophy with the intention that her ceiling becomes the next generation’s floor. She reminds us that we are the sum total of who we surround ourselves with; so we should be conscious about who we choose to connect to and the effect that this has on helping us progress in our lives.  Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to wheelchair tennis champion Kgothatso Montjane who has made significant achievements in 2023’s grand slam circuit. Winning doubles at the US Open and French Open (Roland Garros), placing second in doubles at Wimbledon and semi-finalist in doubles at the Australian Open. The International Tennis Federation ranks her 9th in the world, one of the world’s top 10 players.KG shares her journey into tennis, which started by chance, as a hobby at the age of 19 and then evolved into a profession after she completed her BSc in Recreation and Leisure. Her career has taken her all over the world. We discuss some of the factors that contribute to her success, such as the team of people that support her, from management to coaches to sport psychologists.Her years of hard work have culminated into triumphs on the global arena, and she uses these accomplishments to fuel her personal motivation and encouraging people to develop an interest in tennis. She has set up the Montjane Sports Development Foundation which aims to take sport to disadvantaged communities.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Justice from the Republic of Namibia, Yvonne Dausab. Prior to this appointment she served as the Chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission, and previously occupied the role of  Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Namibia.Minister Dausab shares some of the factors that contributed to her pursuit of a career in law, including historical context, particularly living through Apartheid as a tool of oppression that used laws to implement its systems, experiencing the trauma of a family member being murdered and residing in an environment threatened by criminal activity.Under Minister Dausab’s leadership the Ministry of Justice drives a significant legislature agenda, both informed by other ministries and its own activities, additionally it aims to fulfil to key strategic objectives namely the provision of legal services and access to justice. In terms of access to justice, initiatives include improving access to legal aid for people who need representation, developing the small claims court system and establishing  community.Some of Minister Dausab’s leadership strategies encompass supporting other women, focussing on key areas of your mandate and avoiding distractions, building relationships across party and gender lines to understand different points of view, reading widely, participating in activities that bring out your strengths and showing up.Namibia has made significant strides in promoting gender equality and women's rights. For example, both Namibia’s prime minister and deputy prime minister are women. A few of the reasons for Namibia strength in the gender equality stakes follow. Firstly, the ruling party took a decision to have a policy entrenched in their constitution that said there must be 50/50 representation in any activity that the SWAPO party undertakes. Secondly, Namibia actively participates in international and regional levels in promoting gender equality. Thirdly, Namibia has very good policies and recently reviewed its national gender policy to assess how has the country has progressed and is presently developing a new gender policy for the next ten years. Tune in for more...

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Kerstin Jordaan, who is a Professor in Mathematics in the Department of Decision Sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and part time Executive Director of the South African Mathematics Foundation. She holds an NRF B rating and is one of only three women in the country to hold a B rating for mathematics.Prof Jordaan gives some insight into the multidisciplinary nature of decision science and reflects on the role of AI and machine learning in evolving the field, particularly when it comes to analysing huge amounts of data.  Mathematics is a fundamental subject; however not enough people are studying mathematics to satisfy the job market in industry or academia.  Prof Jordaan discusses some of the grassroot projects in place that attempt to drive mathematics education to make a meaningful difference in South Africa. These initiatives bring together mathematics educators, be that professionals working at university or teachers at schools or universities that educate teachers.In our conversation on leadership we remark that women are under-represented at the top of the academic hierarchy. Mentorship is an important mechanism to nurture and steer a person’s development. Prof Jordaan shares experiences of mentorship opening opportunities for people to advance and remarks on the importance of pursuing a purpose that is bigger than yourself.Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Soma Naidoo from the Free State Division of the High Court, who shares part of her journey to the bench. In early childhood Judge Naidoo came face-to-face with injustices of apartheid and was aware that the “law” was the instrument of discrimination, these experiences motivated her to change the “law”. Her path was not easy, but she stayed the course pursuing excellence in all her endeavours and proving her worth.

Judge Naidoo shares some of the impactful cases she has worked on from criminal, to political, to industrial and domestic matters. Arriving at a judgement and suitable sentence is no easy task, and sometimes judges are faced with the worst aspects of humanity, but justice must still be metered out impartially. She mentions some of the strategies she uses to debrief and look out for her well-being as well as colleagues.

Judge Naidoo offers several pieces of advice to aspirant lawyers and judges, which include networking, pursuing their academic studies and seeking mentorship to guide and support them throughout their careers. She also mentions a poem, called the “Desiderata” by Max Ehrmann, which is an inspirational prose that offers sound philosophies for living a good life, regardless of age.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Raylene Keightley, a permanent judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, who is currently serving as Acting Judge for the Supreme Court of Appeal. Judge Keightley has an accomplished academic career and her transition into practice was prompted by an opportunity from the National Prosecuting Authority’s role in a new act for the prevention of organised crime and establishing the asset forfeiture unit which deals with the seizure of criminal assets.

Judge Keightley shares some of the types of legal suits she deals with, such as emotive cases with family law and the urgency of burial matters; and in her job as a judge to do her best within the ambit of the law without fear or favour and to show compassion and dignity towards litigants.

The South African judiciary has transformed over the years to represent race and gender demographics of the country. One of the mechanisms for advancing the development of women judges is the South African Chapter of The International Association of Women’s Judges. The sisterhood among members, enables judges and magistrates to learn about each other and get to know one another and continue to develop.  

Justice Keightley reminds women that they are strong in their core, they must believe in themselves and to know what their substance is and pursue it.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Justice Leona Theron, who is a judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. The Constitutional Court is described as the highest court in South Africa, it was born of the country's first democratic Constitution in 1994 and 11 judges stand guard over the Constitution charged with protecting everyone's human rights, more than 60 million lives. Over time the Court’s mandate has enlarged.

The judiciary should reflect the diversity of the people that it serves. In 1994 there were only two women judges in South Africa. Justice Theron was a founding member of the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women’s Judges. The International Association of Women’s Judges aims to increase the number of women judges and promoting equal justice for women and girls throughout the world. The South African Chapter provides a platform for training women judges, to share experiences, to exchange knowledge and to collaborate with each other  and to support one another.

Justice Theron’s jurisprudence spans a broad range of issues. She has a track record of advancing women’s rights. For example, in the case of Gumede (born Shange) v President of the Republic of South Africa, she wrote a seminal judgment which ruled that women in customary marriages were, in effect, married in community of property and so accrued similar rights and benefits.

Justice Theron holds BA and LLB degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an LLM from Georgetown University in the United States, where she studied as a Fulbright scholar. She was appointed to the bench in 1999, becoming the first black woman judge at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court. At the age of 32, she was the youngest judge to have been appointed in South Africa at the time.

Reflecting on her journey, Justice Theron shares how she was able to rise above the circumstances of the Wentworth environment that she grew up in, including violence, crime, drug abuse, women abuse and teenage pregnancy. Her parents had a plan and a vision for her, at the age of five her father decided that she would attend university, and implemented his plan for his daughter.

Justice Theron reminds us, through her own story, that ordinary people are capable of achieving extraordinary things. Tune in for an inspiring conversation…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Sharon Chesiwe from the Free State division of the High Court. When Judge Chesiwe graduated from high school her career options, as a black woman in South Africa, were limited; primarily to teaching and nursing. For more than a decade Judge Chesiwe followed a nursing track and eventually transitioned into law. She explained her decision to shift careers was partly motivated by incidents of injustice she had observed whilst she was a nurse, for example, pay disparity between people of different races. She realised that the only way to fight these injustices was through the law. Judge Chesiwe is passionate about family law and ensuring that people who come before her are treated with humility and respect.

South African women have had a very real struggle in the journey to equality to move past the point where they were regarded as minors under the custodianship of their father or husband. Women need to keep pushing forwards and owning their constitutional rights. Women need to be involved in the drafting of policies that impact them, e.g. sexual harassment policies in the workplace.

Judge Chesiwe reminds women to appreciate their strength and have the confidence to know that they can do anything. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Temi Lydia Leshoro from the Department of Economics at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who has a special interest in macroeconomic studies.

She sheds light on the pressing economic issues faced by South Africa. The nation grapples with the daunting triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality, compounded by energy insecurity, crime, corruption, and skill shortages. Prof Leshoro considers how macroeconomic policies can be tailored to consider gender-specific needs and priorities through five key areas.

She emphasizes the significance of equal access to opportunities, advocating for policies that encompass education, training, employment, and support for unpaid care work, including parental leave. Additionally, she highlights the importance of financial inclusion and property rights for women.

We discuss the role modelling effect that women in leadership exert, which motivates women to pursue their ambitions with confidence.

With Women's Month in focus, Prof Leshoro encourages women to recognise their strengths, their resilience and tap into their limitless potential to fulfil their aspirations. She reminds each woman to embrace her uniqueness as a source of power and capacity for greatness. In rising as individuals women must foster sisterhood, together we are an unstoppable force.

Happy Women’s Day

Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Sunet Eybers from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who lectures on Human-Computer Interaction as well as Principle Concepts of IT Service Management.

We note that diverse professional opportunities are open to technology graduates in different industries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the hot topic of the day. We talk about AI adoption, the role of ethics and engaging AI, that society has already reached a stage where we cannot separate AI from what we do on a day-to-day basis and the importance of values. This field is growing in both academic and industry environments and these communities should collaborate more effectively to benefit students. One of the initiatives that UNISA has taken, in living its motto of Reclaiming Africa’s Intellectual Futures, is to Africanise examples of theoretical concepts which aids comprehension.

We acknowledge that some women contend with fulfilling multiple roles (simultaneously), such as caregiving, educating, economic provision and community contribution. These responsibilities can feel overwhelming and point the need to challenge traditional gender stereotypes for women to attain balance in their lives and fulfil their aspirations. Prof Eybers reminds people to never give up on their dreams – rest but don’t quit. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Judy Van Biljon from the School of Computing in the College of Science Engineering and Computing at the University of South Africa (UNISA), who also holds the National Research Foundation’s Chair in Information and Communication for Development (ICT4D).

She highlights some of her research areas, such as human-computer-interaction (HCI) and knowledge mobilisation and visualisation; focussing on the importance of developing intuitive designs and catering for the different needs of various groups. In the context of websites her work aims to make them effective and efficient and for users to have satisfactory experiences.

We discuss how culture evolves and must continue to transform. E.g. for decades, work environments were designed around the needs of men; organisations need to be reconstructed to accommodate men and women. Stereotypical gender roles in the home should fall away to create win-win scenarios so that both partners feel they are fulfilling their purpose.

“If you keep quiet to keep the peace you start a war within yourself”

Prof. Van Biljon uses the metaphor of a tree to describe the relationships we have in our personal ecosystems. She emphasises the importance of creating structures to support future goals, where healthy habits pave the way for success. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nomcebo Mthombeni, who heads up the Department of Chemical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment at the Durban University of Technology. She highlights the broad applicability of chemical engineering across sectors and the need for collaborative research between industry and academia, that addresses societal and industrial challenges. For example Dr Mthombeni highlights some of the water projects she has been involved with that dealt with disinfection to target pathogens in water; sensors to detect modern water contaminants; recycling waste water to generate energy; and utilising solar power to pump water in rural communities. Dr Mthombeni notes that engineers are problem solvers and asserts that chemical engineering students – no matter how far along they are in their studies – should be confident and if they think they can solve a problem to tackle it now, not wait until they have earned their qualification. Although the engineering discipline is traditionally male dominated, there is a strong cohort of female graduates however they seem to drop out of the pipeline. Some of the reasons for this include environments that are less accommodating for women, the need for men to open opportunities for women to enter the space, the family responsibilities that women tend to carry, negative socialisation that may inhibit women from believing in their capabilities, and a lack of development programmes with intentional career paths. Lastly, Dr Mthombeni emphasises the importance of knowing your “why” and pursuing your purpose. Tune in for more

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Ntanganedzeni Olivia Mapholi, who heads up the Department of Agriculture and Animal Health at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Agriculture and food feature prominently in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals because of the role they have in the economy and environment, and the impact they have on sustainability, climate and biodiversity, as well as nutrition and health.

UNISA’s Department of Agriculture and Animal Health plays a significant role in developing people, processes and products for the agricultural sector in Africa. Prof. Mapholi emphasises the close link between academic research to advance farming practices in the field, such as increasing milk production, breeding tick resistant cattle, helping farmers overcome swine fever and more.

In terms of women in leadership, UNISA’s first female Vice Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula is a role model to female academics, inspiring them to realise their ambitions and make a difference in their disciplines that contribute beyond country borders. Mentorship is an important tool to guide women’s development, as is knowledge through education that furthers your passion. UNISA is a distance learning institution which enables students to study flexibly from anywhere in the world. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Bernadette Sunjka, who heads up the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand. Engineering is one of the four STEM subjects that contribute towards innovation and development and Dr Sunjka emphasises applications of industrial engineering to help students solve research problems, particularly in the small to medium enterprise (SME) sector. For example, improving the efficiency of poultry farmers; helping SME businesses contract sustainably with fast moving consumer goods companies; and evaluating the hydrogen supply chain in the energy sector. In a country, like South Africa, with the official unemployment rate exceeding 40%, entrepreneurship is a means of creating livelihoods and shifts the narrative from job seekers to job creators. Yet, the biggest constraint to entrepreneurs is financial resources. Dr. Sunja shares some of her views on education (beyond pure knowledge gain), extending to developing self-confidence, enabling graduates to have choices to plot their career trajectories, to learn transferrable skills and apply these skills to various contexts for dynamic careers. She reminds people to believe in themselves and have the courage to find and pursue their purpose. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Liezl van Dyk, who is the Executive Dean for the Faculty of Engineering at North-West University. The faculty’s vision is to change the world for the better. Prof. van Dyk shares some of the success factors that went into the development of the Faculty’s solar car, which won the Structural Design Award in Sasol Solar Challenge 2022. This project combined different disciplines within engineering (like chemical, mechanical, technical, computer, electrical and industrial engineering) as well as project management and team work. The faculty actively considers real world problems and the means to solve them.

Prof. van Dyk remarks on some of the programmes that North-West University has in place to encourage and empower young people to pursue STEM subjects that start in school. For example, the Ikateleng programme provides additional support to children to nurture their potential. Others include Femmgineering and InnovatHER.

Prof. van Dyk shares and important lesson of self - be yourself, know yourself and keep learning about yourself. She emphasises that all of us can all be part of solutions to change the world for the better. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Riëtte de Kock, who lectures in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, the Faculty of Natural Agricultural Sciences at the University of Pretoria. The Department of Consumer and Food Sciences provides relevant, world-class education and training for future leaders in consumer science, food science, culinary science and nutrition, and takes in students from across the continent, like Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Lesotho, Uganda and South Africa. 

According to the WEF Agriculture makes up 35% of Africa’s GDP and employs about half of its people. Food and agriculture is a vital part of the continent’s economy. Prof. de Kock has a particular interest on the optimisation of the sensory properties of food and beverages (taste, smell, texture, appearance, sound) that contribute to the nutrition status and well-being of consumers in sub-Saharan Africa. One aspect of her research is optimising the shelf life of wholegrain maize meal.

She emphasises the importance of participating in professional networks to keep abreast of new knowledge and developments in your field and cultivating social connections with peers. She is a member of several associations such as Vice President: South African Association for Food Science Technology www.saafost.org.za; Representative for University of Pretoria as Associate member: South African Association for the Flavour and Fragrance Industry (SAAFFI) www.saaffi.co.za; Representative for University of Pretoria as Associate member: South African Meat Processors Association www.sampa.org.za; Chair: Africa Network for Sensory Evaluation Research ANSWER https://answernetwork.org/.

She imparts an important learning for self-development, namely the more you share the more you grow and teams make you stronger. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Marianne Vanderschuren, the Deputy Dean Transformation and Social Responsiveness in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town. The civil engineering discipline tends to be associated with large scale infrastructure, like high-rise buildings, bridges, water management, and transportation systems, such as roads, railways, canals, harbours and airports.

Prof. Vanderschuren has a particular interest in transportation. One of her research areas addresses gender safety in public spaces, which acknowledges that women in Africa face sexual harassment and violence during their commutes. This research considers how females can travel more safely through social and infrastructure interventions. Social interventions include travelling with people they know (passengers and drivers), and having access to security applications either on their phone or physical buttons to raise an alarm. Infrastructure-wise CCTV cameras, proper lighting and reducing deserted areas aid the safety of female commuters.

Prof. Vanderschuren shares some of her motivations to pursue a career in civil engineering with an emphasis on transport, noting that the field is gradually transforming from a male biased one to accepting women. She is a member of several professional organisations and highlights the value of these networks for the growth of individuals and development of the collective.

Prof. Vanderschuren encourages women to believe in themselves and pursue their passion, reminding people that is ok to be the outlier as long as you stay true to yourself. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award winning South African actress Kim Engelbrecht whose recent television work has included the American science fiction drama Raised by Wolves and playing the lead in the South African production Reyka, a role which earned her the award for Best Actress in the South African Film and Television Awards as well as a Best Actress nomination of the international Emmy Awards.

Kim walks us through some of the milestones in her career and eventually channelling her efforts to focus on acting and hone her skills for the craft. Her roles tend to oscillate between heavy drama and science fiction genres. She aims to bring her characters to life according to the visions of the writer and director. She advises people who want to pursue a career in acting to follow their hearts, staying as close to the fire as possible, developing their abilities and eventually landing a breakthrough part that springboards their career.

Tune in for more…

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Africa Day is celebrated on the 25 May and to commemorate this occasion, today’s broadcast is dedicated to two of the greatest supporters of this radio program, the late Mr Lungi Daweti who was Channel Africa’s program manager and Mr Solly Phetoe who was the station manager, they strongly believed that women are the backbone of our continent.

In their honour we re-run the original podcast we recorded few years ago with award winning Afro-soul vocalist and songwriter Lira. This conversation reflects on some of her career highlights and factors contributing to her success. In the process we reveal evolutions in music industry over the last decade, with musicians becoming increasingly independent and owning more elements of the industry value chain; we reflect on turning challenging circumstances to your advantage by adjusting your perspectives of situations; we emphasise the enabling effects of education as an enduring and indispensible tool for personal progress; we acknowledge the importance of female role models and mentors to inspire young women to fulfil their goals. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South African actress Mogau Motlhatswi, who currently acts in the daily South African soap opera Skeem Saam. Skeem Saam tells stories that reflect the daily realities experienced by people and offers solutions to some of their challenges. For example, discussing government grants and teenage pregnancies. Mogau describes aspects about the character she plays, Mapitsi Magongwa, and how important it is that women are appropriately portrayed in media, that their voices are heard and adequately represented.

Mogau studied audiovisual communication at the University of Johannesburg and emphasises the importance of tertiary education from networking to knowledge gain. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Elsa Thirion-Venter, who is the director and co-owner of MarkData, an independent marketing and strategic insights, consulting, and development company.  She is a registered Research Psychologist at the Health Professions Council. She is also a Southern African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) Accredited Researcher (SAR).

Through research Dr Thirion-Venter surfaces human insights, brings unheard voices to the forefront and makes a difference in people’s lives. She shares some of the challenges she has experienced as a female business owner and how she utilises servant leadership to steer her organisation and serve her team. We reflect on some of the mechanisms to increase the penetration of women into leadership positions, one being the need to simultaneously transform society’s stereotypes of women and for women to change limiting beliefs about themselves. Part of self-development is achieved through education, not just the acquisition of academic knowledge but for personal growth and attaining soft skills to equip one with coping tools for life. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Lebo Mashile who is an award-winning poet, author, actress, and producer. She reflects on her journey into the creative arts, which deviated from her initial academic pursuits to study law and international relations at the University of the Witwatersrand.

As an actress her film credits include Hotel Rwanda, and on the stage The Quiet Violence of Dreams. On the publishing side she won the NOMA Award for Publishing in Africa for her premier collection in A Ribbon of Rhythm (Oshun) and in 2008 she released Flying Above the Sky, her second book of poetry. One of her theatrical productions is Venus vs Modernity: The Life of Saartjie Baartman, and we draw some enduring parallels of challenges that women still face today, such as power imbalances and unequal pay for performing the same work as their male counterparts.

Resilience and relevance are a couple of drivers in the creative space and Lebo proactively curates her skills, in particular communication and connection, to be a versatile asset who is capable of creating employment across the creative spectrum, that has enabled her contributions to span 33 countries to date. Every piece you create is part of your legacy and incorporates memories into your work. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Ghada El-Kamah who is a Professor of Clinical Genetics, coordinator of The Hereditary Blood Disorders (HBD) and Genodermatoses clinics and research team, Human Genetics and Genome Research Institute (HGGRI) at the National Research Centre (NRC), which is mainly involved in the study of medical genetics with a focus on inherited rare disorders, dysmorphology, community genetics, science management and genetic education.

She shares some of her motivations to pursue a career in the field of human genetics, noting the role the discipline plays in treating vulnerable groups of people. The field of genetics is broadening and today every aspect of medicine includes genetics.  Prof. El-Kamah is a member of several professional organisations and highlights the value of these networks for the growth of individuals and development of the collective, ultimately in pursuit of helping patients.

Prof. El-Kamah encourages women to follow their dreams and develop their own style of leadership to become unique individuals.  

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Rokhaya Ndiaye Diallo, who is a professor in Human Genetics and holds the chair of Human Genetics at the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontology at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal. She is a founding member and general secretary of the Senegalese Society for Human Genetics (S2GH), a member of the executive committee of the African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) and the H3Africa consortium, and she is leading the Senegalese Reference genome project SEN-GENOME.

We discuss tertiary education as an enabler and equalizer. Education at public universities in Senegal is free for Senegalese citizens. This policy produces an informed society of educated young people that can problem solve for the economic development of the country and creates equal opportunity where people are not precluded from advancing themselves because of affordability.

Prof Ndiaye emphasises the importance of healthcare in Africa and the lack of human and infrastructure resources to make good healthcare sustainable. She notes that human genetics is the future of health for the continent. She runs several genetics related projects, including breast cancer genetics and the SEN-GENOME project, which aims to create a reference genome for Senegal, with the goal of establishing personalized medicine to individuals.

To help close gender gaps Prof Ndiaye suggests that women are given appropriate support to balance the practicalities of motherhood and career progression, have access to mentors to help their development, be eligible for funding to finance their research and have a planned career trajectory to advance their professional goals. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Jantina de Vries, who is the director of The Ethics Lab at the Neuroscience Institute and an Associate Professor in Bioethics in the Department of Medicine of the University of Cape Town. She is a member of: the Research Ethics Board of Médecins Sans Frontières, the Steering Committee of the Global Forum for Bioethics in Research and the Advisory Board for the Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis (CERA) at Stanford University. She was a member of the WHO Genome Editing Expert Advisory Committee as of the H3Africa Steering Committee.

The vision of the Neuroscience Institute is a continental one for an Africa where people achieve their full potential through brain health. The mission of the Ethics Lab is to foster transformative ethics scholarship to disrupt and shape ethics in health research in innovation and to centre Africa as the context and driver of global health ethics. The Ethics Lab’s interdisciplinary scholars ask broad questions about new and emerging health technologies from the view of our African context. They engage with a variety of technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), genomics and robotics and think about the ethics of these technologies, and what it means to be human. For example, taking the perspective that humans are incomplete and are a constant work in progress, then the incompleteness framing could allow us to think about technologies as extensions of self, that we utilise to become more complete, or better people.

Prof de Vries discusses the mindsets of abundance and scarcity and how a culture of conviviality can lead to changing ways of work and the as well as the work environment with a positive impact on people. We discuss some of the constraints that women experience, which may be internal limitations that are self-imposed, as well external influences that may tell women that they are not good enough.

Give yourself the freedom to pursue your dreams or find what really stimulates you; that is your responsibility, you must pursue that which nurtures and sustains you. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to a woman of several firsts Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Currently, she serves as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) (first woman and first African to do so); previously, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala twice served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions. She is a global finance expert, economist and international development professional with over 30 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. She sits on numerous boards, has published several books and won multiple awards.

We discuss some of the key milestones in her life’s journey. Her early years were grounded in rural village life and during her teens the Nigerian civil war caused her family to lose everything and start afresh. She studied economics with the intent to become a developmental economist to help poor people in developing countries and earned a Ph.D. in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, 1981). During her tenure as Nigeria’s Finance Minister she succeeded to implement reforms that tripled the growth of the economy, fought corruption and cleared thirty billion dollars of external debt.

All her roles have enabled her to fulfil her dream of being able to have a material impact on peoples’ lives in an effort to change them for the better.

Women in leadership have the added responsibility of trying to use the position that they are in to introduce other women into their organisation, to mentor women and open opportunities. Ask the question, how you are setting the example in the organisation you lead?

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, together with Julia Gillard, the former Prime Minister of Australia wrote the book, “Women and Leadership – Real Lives, Real Lessons” and analysed the lived experiences of female leaders, to derive 10 key lessons for women aspiring to a leadership position.

Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Suki Goodman, the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Cape Town, who also leads the Future of Work research programme under the South African Research Chair: Creation of Decent Work and Sustainable Livelihood.

For the past three decades Prof. Goodman has progressively risen through the academic ranks at the University of Cape Town becoming Dean of the Faculty of Commerce in 2022. As a registered organisational psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), holding PhD, master’s and honours degrees in organisational psychology she strives to create a working environment that is life affirming and structured to maximise human potential. It is vital for institutions of higher learning to work with industry and government partners to develop qualifications that produce graduates that are fit for the world of work.

We discuss the role of universities as incubators of disrupters to nurture future innovators that will impact the world. Public institutions carry a massive responsibility to contribute to developing active conscientized analytical skilled citizens for the economy and society. We need to develop thought leaders, problem solvers, truth seekers, knowledge producers, as well as artists, dreamers and philosophers.

As a woman in leadership with a family, Prof. Goodman demonstrates how she consciously navigates between being a present parent and fulfilling her professional mandate, shifting constantly between these roles to ensure they receive the attention they deserve.

She imparts some important words of wisdom, namely that building one’s self-belief is a fundamental lever to success; listening to what you want for you as opposed to what other people want for you, and taking the driver seat to control your narrative to the best of your ability; and surrounding yourself with people who are worthy of you.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Francesca Conradie from the Wits Health Consortium at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Dr Conradie graduated as a medical doctor during the 1980s, a politically tumultuous period in South Africa with the unravelling of apartheid, coupled to this dynamic was the global rise in HIV/AIDS infections. Dr Conradie recalls attending to young women infected with HIV who said they just wanted to live long enough to see their children go to school, sadly most did not live to see that day. Women are often supressed, tend not have a voice and may be involved in relationships where they cannot negotiate safe sexual practices. Dr Conradie realised that under these circumstances to be an effective doctor she needed to learn how to treat HIV. As her career progressed more treatments became available and continued to be refined.

After seeing the successes in HIV treatment Dr Conradie turned her attention to transform treatment of drug resistant tuberculosis. The traditional treatment involved intramuscular injections over a period of 18 months which caused a third of patients to lose their hearing. Dr Conradie and her team have dramatically reduced the treatment window to six months with oral medication and few negative side effects.

In terms of striving for gender equality, Dr Conradie emphasises that education helps to level the playing field. The key to it all is having an enquiring mind and getting as best education as possible and embracing opportunities with both hands. Education is a ticket; and without that ticket the bus ride is never going to happen. She reminds women that we all have something to contribute to any human endeavour. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Michèle Ramsay, who is a Professor in Human Genetics, holds the SARCHI Chair for Genomics and Bioinformatics of African Populations at the University of the Witwatersrand and is a director of The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience.

The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) is a multi-disciplinary research institute dedicated to investigating genetic variation amongst African populations and the impact of genetic variation on health and disease. Research undertaken by SBIMB has an impact on African Science through its focus on African populations living in Africa addressing human genetics, interactions with the environment and implications for health and disease.

Prof. Ramsay discusses some of the research projects that she is involved with, such as H3 Africa, which is one of the bigger symposiums considering the 3Hs of human, hereditary and health; which encompasses 40 different projects covers 35 African countries aimed at understanding genetic variation and the impact it has on health. This is a pioneering field that women are very much a part of and Prof. Ramsay is mindful of female inclusion and for women to strike their own personal balance between family and work. She emphasises that SBIMB operates in teams where members support one another, acknowledging that different types of support will be required during various phases of people’s careers.

In terms of leadership, Prof Ramsay encourages women to take up leadership roles and understand the power that comes with positions of leadership from access to resources and determining where they are allocated to being able to influence institutional culture in a top down approach to drive transformation and create opportunities for women. Prof. Ramsay has served as the immediate past-president of the African Society of Human Genetics and the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies, as well as co-chair of the International Hundred Thousand+ Cohorts Consortium (IHCC) and several other structures.

In closing Prof. Ramsay encourages women to follow their dreams, be true to themselves, nurture body and mind and as each person fulfils their path they should enrich the lives of others.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Resia Pretorius, Department Head and Distinguished Research Professor in the Physiological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, at Stellenbosch University. She is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool. Additionally, she is Managing Director of BioCODE Technologies.

Prof. Pretorius highlights the diverse research areas in her department that focus on a variety of illnesses and methodologies to study various conditions and identify solutions for them. Prof. Pretorius’s research centres on blood and blood related diseases, and more recently on clotting pathology in patients with Covid and long-Covid.

We discuss the commercialisation of research and innovations at universities, acknowledging access to resources from a variety of institutional disciplines to support development, whether it be legal advice for patents or business skills to operate companies. For example, BioCODE Technologies, a spin of company of the University of Stellenbosch develops point-of-care smart sensing solutions that detect novel circulating inflammatory molecules in the blood. BioCODE also provides a place for students to have their first experience in industry and prepare them for the external job market.

Women are making an impact in STEM, notably in physiological sciences. Although they may be equipped with the skills and capabilities they need access to opportunities to realise their full potential. To help women on their career paths Prof. Pretorius advises seeking out a mentor that is in or near your field of interest for support, direction and networking; she also recommends learning how to market yourself and speak the language of your prospective employer; going for interview training to present and sell yourself and create demand for your skills and services with a potential employer.

In closing Prof. Pretorius reflects on the value of keeping an open mind, “to join the dots” in new ways and derive new outcomes. She also embodies that sentiment that if you find your passion and make it your vocation you will never “work” a day in your life, because you enjoy what you are doing. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the CEO of Microsoft South Africa Lillian Barnard. Microsoft has a market capitalisation in the region of USD 1.78 trn, ranking second in the world. It owns multiple subsidiaries, including LinkedIn, Skype and Xbox, and approximately 1.4bn people across the globe use one or more Microsoft products or services.

Ms Barnard shares some of her career milestones. She also notes a few of the challenges she experienced working in a male dominated ICT industry, and shares how women can overcome these issues. Her tips include: being confident and finding your voice to make your point; being aware that you are an intellectual equal to your male peers; and seeking help and mentorship to navigate your career path. For example, the South African chapter of Women@Microsoft is a mentorship instrument that spurs a culture which encourages gender equality in the workplace.

We note the importance of IT throughout society with an emphasis on digital transformation and the need for women to pursue careers in IT and take advantage of economic opportunities. It starts with demystifying what it means to have an IT career and exposing young women to technology, letting them touch it, see it and play with it.

Ms Barnard closes with a few words of wisdom:

1. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Don’t let self-doubt hold you back from pursuing your dreams.

2. Seek out mentors and allies who can support you in your journey. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance.

3. Embrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning. Remember that failure is not the end, but a steppingstone on the path to success.

4. Celebrate your successes and the successes of other women around you. Lift each other up and help create a world where all women can thrive.

5. Finally, never forget the power of your own voice and the impact you can make in the world. You have the ability to shape your own destiny and to make a difference in the lives of those around you. So go out there and make your mark!

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to soprano Pretty Yende, who has made her mark in the world of opera, performing in Paris, Berlin, London, Vienna, Milan, New York, Barcelona and many more cities.

As a sixteen-year-old Pretty was contemplating her future as an accountant, until one evening a British Airways television advert featuring Delibes’ Flower Duet exposed her to the sound of opera, touching her heart in an extraordinary way.

Studying at the South African College of Music she entered and won international competitions and went on to graduate from the Academia Teatro La Scala in Milan. Shortly afterwards she was asked to step in for a colleague and starred in the role of Adèle in Rossini’s Le comte Ory at the New York Metropolitan Opera.

She walks us through some of the milestones in her career and memorable characters she has played. She shares insights into some of the challenges she has experienced and the grounding that faith, family and friends provide; the #prettyarmy.

In closing Pretty reminds us that we are all born unique and each of us have our instruments to share with the world, and echoes Nelson Mandela’s words, “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to neurophysiologist Candice Bottcher from the Entabeni Epilepsy Laboratory at Life Entabeni Hospital in Durban, South Africa. According to the World Health Organisation approximately 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, a disorder that is characterised by abnormal brain activity that may cause seizures or bouts of unusual behaviour.

South African statistics are a little higher than the global benchmark, which is partly attributed to higher incidences of head trauma; head injuries from violence and vehicle accidents. Other causes of epilepsy include encephalitis and meningitis, malformation of the brain, strokes, scarring from the removal of tumours, as well as genetic and hereditary epilepsies. Neurophysiologists monitor patients’ brainwaves during rest and periods of seizure and these diagnostics are used to inform patients’ treatment plans.

The medical field advances constantly and through continuous education one is able to stay at the cutting edge of your specialisation and help pioneer developments.

Ms Bottcher shares a personal experience of gender discrimination in her early years, noting how some people may judge a person based on their own limited stereotypes. She advises people to read the room and if you want to reach someone mirror their language and code of conduct. She reminds us to be resilient and focus on our purpose for long-term success. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Mmamosheledi (Mamza) Mothibe, who is Head of the Division of Pharmacology, in the Faculty of Pharmacy, at Rhodes University. We discuss some of her responsibilities in this role, from teaching and developing a curriculum that meets the criteria of the Pharmacy Council to managing the pharmacology division.

Prof. Mothibe shares a few of her pharmacology research interests, which includes indigenous knowledge systems – focussing on the pharmacology and toxicology of medicinal plants/herbal medicines particularly African Traditional Medicine. She also discusses her work with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to better regulate commercial products that arise from traditional medicine that are safe and efficacious.

Prof. Mothibe is a member of several professional organisations, namely South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (SASBCP); South African Association of Health Educationalists (SAAHE); Toxicology Society of South Africa (TOXSA) and South African Society of Clinical Pharmacy (SASOCP). She shares how being part of various professional bodies accelerated her development, exposed her to peers and leaders, and enabled her to be part of steering the future of disciplines.

Education has played a prominent role throughout Prof. Mothibe’s career, and she reminds us that life is not a straight line, there will be challenges in our paths as well as opportunities, but if you keep focussing on your dreams the vision will come to fruition. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Susan Coetzer, who is a specialist geriatrician and specialist physician in private practice. She is vice-president of the South African Geriatrics Society. Human life expectancy is on the rise, in part thanks to healthier lifestyles and improved medical care. In South Africa male life expectancy is 59 and females 65. As people progress through various life stages they have different needs, with health taking a higher priority.   The five main ailments affecting older people include: osteoporosis, dementia and brain disorders, iatrogenesis, incontinence and delirium. Aging women tend to be at higher risk of osteoporosis, frailty and dementia. To help reduce the risks of age-related conditions Dr. Coetzer recommends staying physically active, stimulating your mind, and limiting your intake of  alcohol and smoking – your future self will always thank you. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure and leader of the political party “Good”, Patricia de Lille. Minister de Lille shares some of her mandates to manage, maintain and grow government’s land and property assets, a portfolio valued at approximately R5trillion. During her time as mayor of Cape Town the region experienced severe drought and with a major concern of day zero – where taps would run dry. She shares some of the interventions she applied to identify alternative water sources instead of solely relying on rain water and campaigning for the public to curb their water consumption and take responsibility for the collective community to think about water as a finite resource. Minister de Lille is one of the only women to launch a political party in South Africa. She attributes her longevity and achievements in politics to applying the rule of the game and standing firm on her principles, one of which is fearing no one. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to authentic, energetic and ever passionate Rami Chuene, who wears several professional caps – successful actress, singer, author and philanthropist to name a few. She takes us back in time, twenty-five years ago, to the moment that the entertainment bug bit and released her creative aspirations. Rami gives a reality check on some of the practicalities of the entertainment industry, what it means to be a freelancer, taking ownership of your creative work and minimising exploitation. We discuss stories from her memoir, “We Kissed the Sun and Embraced the Moon”, which covers impactful moments in her life, everything from bedwetting to rising above sexual abuse and becoming victorious. In 2020 Rami, launched the Rami Chuene Foundation, whose mantra is “Do Good Where You Are” and she unpacks this philosophy showing how people can help one another with what they have in the present. Energy in all forms can be a powerful multiplier of positive benefits. Tune in for more…

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The start of a new year symbolises new beginnings. Motivation can be a powerful catalyst to pursue your goals and seek changes that perhaps challenge society’s expectations. Today’s collection of vignettes are about pursuing passions and being instigators of change. We hear from Professor Caroline Ncube who heads up the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Cape Town, Dr Heide Hackman Director of Future Africa and Strategic Advisor on Transdisciplinarity and Global Knowledge Networks at the University of Pretoria and Judge Carol Sibiya from the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court.

Professor Caroline Ncube demonstrates how education has impacted on her own family, where each generation did better than the previous one and the reason for that frequently hinged on the education that they had acquired. She discusses building support systems and recognizing that as we go through life we pass certain stages and that you need to accept the stage at where you are and then just operate within the realm of what is possible within that stage and as you progress to other stages. Lastly, she reminds young women to seize the moment, the continent is wide open, reach out, take it.

Our next guest is Dr Heide Hackman, who is the Director and Advisor on Transdisciplinarity and Global Knowledge Networks at the Future Africa Institute at the University of Pretoria. Dr Hackman shares some insight into her leadership style, which includes being inspirational (thinking BIG), being an effective enabler and decision maker, being authentic, connecting to people on a human level, and leading by example – don’t be afraid to roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty, it’s teamwork.

Our final guest is High Court Judge Carol Sibiya, who hails from the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court. We start the discussion with an emphasis on law as an instrument to bring change, particularly in terms of gender equality gains. We remark on the progress of women’s rights in South Africa and the positive effects that representation of women in different spaces has on people’s psyche, to understand the breadth of possibilities available to them. In closing, she states the one thing she would like to instill in every person is never accept a different voice telling you what you cannot do. Believe in yourself and do your best whatever the circumstances and when you fail (which will invariably happen) pick yourself up. Sometimes it might mean going back to the drawing board, sometimes it might just mean going at it again. But never accept failure as the final answer.

We hope that this selection of journeys inspires you to pursue and own your unique space. Best wishes for 2023.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, this is our final broadcast of 2022, and we use this show to share some of the lessons learned from female leaders about leadership. Our first guest in this feature is the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, Mutale Nalumango, who is also the Vice President of Zambia’s ruling party, the United Party for National Development.  Vice President Nalumango shares how her life path has been navigated by the drive to fight all forms of injustice, like social inequity, poverty alleviation, access to justice and empowering women to occupy their rightful spaces. She also reaffirms that education is the greatest equalizer and reminds those that think education is too expensive to try the cost of ignorance.

There is an underrepresentation of female CEOs on listed companies in South Africa, but the women who hold these posts have a great sense of purpose to show that women CEOs are tremendous assets to any organisation and realise that through mentorship more women will rise to the top of corporate hierarchies.

Our next guest is the CEO of the Clicks Group, Bertina Engelbrecht. She sees the role of leaders as removing obstacles that stand in the way of people’s performance, providing the resources for people to do their jobs well and motivating them to derive solutions for themselves. On the topic of education Ms Englebrecht notes that education empowers people and is a way of reaffirming and building confidence; furthermore, when a girl child is educated her life and her family’s life changes for the better.

Our last guest is the CEO of Anglo American Platinum, Natascha Viljoen, who also sits on the Anglo American Platinum Board and the Group Management Committee of Anglo American PLC.  She reflects on factors that led to her career in mining from getting “the smell of the place” as a child going on site trips with her father, who worked on gold mines and drawing on this energy, to a love of science and math which fuelled her interest in a technical career, specifically in mining. She notes that women introduce different perspectives, which in turn reshapes the workplace, contributes to diversity and innovation.

We hope that this selection of leaders inspires you to own your journeys.

You have been listening to Womanity Women in Unity, best wishes for the festive season. Be Safe.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity for our special compilation of select programs over the last year. We hope to inspire you through the words of three young successful women. Miss South Africa 2022 Ndavi Nokeri who advocates for education equity, she explains the importance of education in her life and lifting communities out of poverty and discusses the goals of her community project Ed-Unite, which campaigns for quality education. Another outstanding talented young woman is Tatjana Schoenmaker, a South African Olympic Athlete, who won the gold medal and set the world record in the 200 metre breaststroke event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She also earned a silver medal in the 100 metre breaststroke at the Olympic Games. She takes us through her journey to Tokyo during the global Covid 19 pandemic. Mental illness has been in the spotlight for 2022 and our last guest in today’s feature is Dr. Yumna Minty, who is a specialist psychiatrist that focusses on mental health, and lectures in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of the Witwatersrand. She shares some of her views on mental health and disorders that affect women in particular; offering some practical tips to help women cope.

We hope that this compilation inspires you in your respective roles.

Best wishes for the festive season. Be Safe.

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Reflecting on some of our past shows from 2022, tune into our previous conversation with Dr. Ledile Mokoka who specialises in nephrology at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. Kidney disease is often a secondary effect of other conditions like hypertension and diabetes, according to diabetesatlas.org 24 million people in Africa (1 in 22) have diabetes.  These are non-communicable diseases that could be prevented if adequate awareness and education were offered to communities.  We discuss some of the kidney disorders that Dr. Mokoka treats and highlight conditions that women are more predisposed too. Dr. Mokoka shares signs for women to be on the lookout for (like fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea) and to address these potential symptoms with health care practitioners. We note the healthcare challenges that women living in rural areas are exposed to, which include lack of access to facilities and presenting late stage diagnoses. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Jo-Anne Madurai, who is an anaesthetist in private practice, at Jones, Bhagwan and Partners. For anaesthetists no two days are the same, they work with a variety of surgeons and procedures - from orthopaedic to neonatal to cardiac to neurological cases and more. Dr. Madurai recalls some memorable learning experiences from theatre. She reflects on key milestones in her career and notes that some patients have prevailing gender stereotypes where they expect their anaesthetist to be male. Women bring a different dynamic to patients, particularly empathy; and medicine needs women. As a working mother she emphasises the importance of a support structure and fluid sharing of household responsibilities between partners. She also shares a couple of tips that have helped her achieve balance in life, such as taking up a hobby or hobbies that are not work related, additionally, in the words of Asterix, “mens sana in corpore sano” – a healthy mind in a healthy body, she advocates for exercise. We discuss the impact that women in power have on enabling and uplifting girls and women around them. Girls and women need to equip themselves through education and take every opportunity available to them to grow. When your preparation meets your opportunity that’s where you will have your success.In acknowledgement of the period of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Dr. Madurai encourages women who experience GBV to start speaking up, it’s a step forward to freedom. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Shahpar Motakef, who is the Clinical Head of the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) unit at Charlotte Maxete Academic Hospital. She lectures at the University of the Witwatersrand in the Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) department and is an ENT specialist at Fourways Life hospital and is a member of the Rhinoplasty Society.We note that there is still an underrepresentation of female doctors to male doctors, but gender transformation is taking place. For Example Dr Motekef was the first woman to study ENT at Wits and during the early part of her career there were only four female ENTs in South Africa. However, today in her hospital the majority of registrars are women. To get more women into medicine starts early, in high school, encouraging girls to shine, to be ambitious and not supress their passions. Medicine is a hard field and sometimes women are put off from pursuing it because of the misconception that it is impossible to feel they are not able to pursue a challenging career and also have a family. Dr Motekef believes that with planning and discipline both are possible but should be approached through staging and patience. Women can have everything, just not necessarily at the same time. Tune in for more

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Delmaine Christians who represents the Democratic Alliance party in parliament and is a member of the select committee on education and technology, sports, arts and culture (NCOP Committee) and the select committee on Health Social and Services (NCOP Committee) We discuss her journey into politics from the education sector, which laid a strong foundation for her role in parliament. Playing an oversight role in local, provincial and national processes to identify faults in the current system and finding solutions to resolve challenges. For instance, the knock-on effect electricity cuts (loadshedding) have on water access for the Dikgatlong community in the Northern Cape province. We discuss the economic cost of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa as well as the social and psychological damage it causes to victims. Although government has allocated funding to address GBV not enough is being done to curb it, including resources in the police, health and social services. Unfortunately, many women get lost in the system and do not receive appropriate care which impacts their recovery. Ms Christians considers education, grit, perseverance and developing a thick skin as some of the factors that contributed to her success. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Yumna Minty, who is a specialist psychiatrist and also lectures in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of the Witwatersrand. Some of her areas of interest include women’s mental health, mental health in adolescents and young adults, depression and anxiety disorders, and older age mental disorders. She reflects that mental health is not just the absence of illness but should refer to a state of mind and being where people function optimally. She notes that in general women are two to three times more likely to develop a psychiatric disorder when compared to men. Common disorders affecting women include anxiety, stress, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are both inherent and environmental factors the contribute to psychological difficulties and stresses. Environmental variables can be changed and thereby reduce negative impacts on women. For instance women are more prone to physical abuse, emotional neglect and less emphasis may be placed on a girl’s education than a boy’s development. In modern society women bear dual responsibilities of maintaining their homes and pursuing careers, which increases the potential risk for burnout. Her top three tips for women to help manage their mental health are aiming to lead a healthy lifestyle for body and mind, have healthy relationships and ask for help when needed. Education is an important enabler for women, it gives them the possibility to attain economic freedom and independence to take control over their destiny. In a world that is always changing, our situations change, and new developments arise in our respective fields of interest; if we do not keep up with lifelong learning we are doing an injustice to ourselves and those we serve through our vocation. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms Judy Hermans, who is a member of parliament representing the African National Congress (ANC) and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition. We discuss a few focal points of the committee, emanating from events like Covid-19, civil unrest and natural disasters, such as the need to be more responsive, more agile, establishing more resilient supply chains and building an inclusive economy that creates job opportunities for youth and women. Parliament has recently approved a policy that 40% of public procurement should go to women owned businesses. Two development funding institutions; the National Empowerment Fund and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) have specific funds that focus on growing the gender dividend. The IDC for instance provides female entrepreneurs with funding up to R30million per transaction. Ms Hermans shares some of her guiding dictums for becoming a successful #leader be brave, take risks, don’t forget your roots, be honest with yourself and others. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the CEO of Clicks Group Bertina Engelbrecht. Clicks is a leading health and beauty retailer listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with over 800 stores and more than 600 in-store pharmacies and a loyalty programme exceeding 9.7 million active members. Ms Engelbrecht shares some of her career milestones with local and multinational corporates and her three core building blocks of fairness, equity and justice. We remark on common challenges that women experience in the boardroom and solutions; from showing up as an effective contributor to making your voice heard through quality preparation. She sees the role of leaders as removing obstacles that stand in the way of people’s performance, providing the resources for people to do their jobs well and motivating them to derive solutions for themselves. There is an underrepresentation of female CEOs on listed companies, but the women who hold these posts have a great sense of purpose to show that women CEOs are tremendous assets to any organisation and realise that through mentorship more women will rise to the top of corporate hierarchies. On the topic of education Ms Englebrecht notes that education empowers people and is a way of reaffirming and building confidence; furthermore, when a girl child is educated her life and her family’s changes for the better. #Womeninleadership Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss SA 2022, Ndavi Nokeri. We discuss the deliberate steps she took towards her Miss SA 2022 journey by becoming a woman she considers worthy of the title; someone who is educated, is able to lead, stand up for her convictions and give back to her community. Her Gabaza village roots frame her perspective of contrasts and social inequity in South Africa. Poverty affects us all. However, education has the power to disrupt poverty within a generation and change the course of a person’s life, that of their family and society. Ndavi advocates for education equity and recently launched her Ed-Unite campaign, which plans to raise R6million by January 2023 to finance a series of initiatives that extend from human development to upgrading infrastructure and providing financial aid. She shares some of the responsibilities associated with being Miss SA, such as serving as a role model, contributing to changing society and proudly representing South Africa. She reminds us not to see things in our path as obstacles but as opportunities to grow, and to hold ourselves accountable to achieve our respective goals. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Lizanne Langenhoven who is a clinical and radiation oncologist with the Panorama Mediclinic in Cape Town. October is breast cancer awareness month, which serves as an annual international campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer; and 13 October is International Metastatic Breast Cancer Day. In today’s conversation we continue to raise awareness of this important issue that effects many women and their families across the continent. From a breast cancer awareness perspective Dr. Langenhoven encourages women to take responsibility for themselves and loved ones, being our sisters’ keepers and ensuring we have regular screenings. Early detection of cancer is half the battle. Dr. Langenhoven shares her team’s multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment, where experts from their respective disciplines work collaboratively - seeing the same case through different eyes to derive the most suitable treatment for the patient. Cancer research is ongoing and newer treatments have become highly targeted honing into specific cancer cells to deliver therapy at a cellular level. Medicine is still a male dominated field and this sometimes impacts on the way that female doctors are perceived by patients, the way they put in double the effort required to perform their work, and causes them to mimic male voices rather than embracing their female emotive voices of empathy, care and love. Dr. Langenhoven is actively shifting the narrative to combine male and female voices to deliver the best of both to treat patients and personnel more holistically and humanly. We note that working women, whether professionals or shift workers, experience universal challenges of fulfilling their work commitments at the expense of their home lives, and consider there is room to change the current status quo to one that allows women to achieve greater balance in their lives, without compromising their responsibilities. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Dineo Tshabalala, who is a medical oncologist at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital (CMJAH) and senior lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand. October is breast cancer awareness month, which serves as an annual international campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer; and 13 October is International Metastatic Breast Cancer Day. In today’s conversation we unpack some of the stats, early warning signs, risk factors, preventative measures and treatments. According to the 2019 National Cancer Registry (NCR), apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 27 in South Africa. Dr. Tshabalala highlights some of the modifiable risk factors that may cause cancer like alcohol, smoking and unhealthy diets. She mentions that diseases like diabetes, obesity and HIV can make women more susceptible to developing breast cancer. She also discusses the role of genetics. Early detection of breast cancer increases survival outcomes and women play a critical role in checking themselves for abnormalities and seeking out further screenings with healthcare practitioners. Dr. Tshabalala also shares her journey to medicine and reasons for specialising in oncology. She reminds us of the importance of hard work, perseverance, persistency and constantly driving forward to materialise your dreams to live the life you deserve. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Mimmy Martha Gondwe, who is a member of parliament representing the Democratic Alliance and member of the Portfolio Committee of Public Service as well as Administration and the Joint Constitutional Review Committee. Dr. Gondwe refers to herself as a reluctant politician. She is driven to make a difference in people’s lives and veered from law to politics as the vehicle that could deliver meaningful impact on people. We discuss the importance of women playing active roles in politics from voting to participating in political structures. Political decisions have economic consequences which affect the lives of women, and thus its vital that their voices are heard, especially since they represent more than fifty percent of the population. We acknowledge that gender inequalities still exist and mention patriarchy as an impediment to progress. However, we consider that through socialisation, shifting mindsets, gender sensitivity training, changing legislative frameworks and education as mechanisms to reduce inequality and enable women to play their full roles in society. Dr. Gondwe emphasises the power of education in the hands of women, reflecting that you don’t have the choice of which family you are born into or the economic circumstances that you are brought up in, but education helps women make the right choices for themselves to become the person they want to be and build the lives they envisioned. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, who is a member of parliament representing the African National Congress (ANC) and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education. This committee conducts oversight and monitors the work that the executive is doing. We highlight some of the core focus areas of the Department of Basic Education in 2022/2023, notably the shift of early childhood development from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education, the Department’s Programme 5 – to end school related gender based violence (GBV), and building strategic relationships in the international arena. We consider some of the factors that contribute to building female leadership capacity through economic and education mechanisms. The more educated women become the more the country benefits - socially, economically and otherwise. Ms Mbinqo-Gigaba reminds us that “It doesn’t matter how you come, just make sure you arrive”. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Jyoti Bajpai, a Professor of Medical Oncology at the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai India and Dr Nermean Mostafa a lecturer of clinical oncology and early detection at the Ain Shams University in Cairo Egypt. They share some of their motivations for pursuing oncology as a specialisation and give an overview of the field in their countries. For example, Egypt has an intensive screening campaign for early detection of cancer and is improving palliative care. India has a population of more than 1.4 billion people and has wide variations in the type of care and infrastructure available to citizens, however there is a marked deficit of oncologists to cancer patients, currently the ratio stands at 1:2000, whereas in the USA it is 1:100. We note some of the challenges female oncologists experience, which often stem from social stereotypes and patriarchal cultures that limit people’s perceptions of women reducing them to mothers and care givers, not seeing them as professionals who excel in their chosen fields. Our discussion centres on the recent Global Women for Oncology Summit (GLOWS) which received delegates from every continent. GLOWS addressed pressing issues faced by women in their careers, such as how to navigate politics in the workplace, how to break the glass ceiling, the importance of #networking and the value of #mentorship and #sponsorship. We discuss distance mentorship, as a concept implemented through digital platforms to provide mentorship between women in different regions. Some of the benefits of this mode of mentorship for women include saving on travel expenses like accommodation or visas, the ability to remain at home and maintain family responsibilities, and connecting to the right mentor irrespective of geographic location. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Renata Schoeman, who is in private practice as a general psychiatrist, heads up the healthcare leadership MBA specialisation stream at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, serves on advisory boards for several companies and has been appointed to the Ministerial Advisory Board for Mental Health. According to the WHO (2019), globally one in every eight people live with a mental disorder. We note that anxiety and mood disorders are commonly experienced by women presenting for psychiatric and psychological support, sometimes this stems from female biology and hormonal fluctuations. Prof. Schoeman remarks that ADHD is sometimes missed as a condition experienced by girls, and the negative consequence is that these individuals often never realise their full potential. Prof. Schoeman founded the Goldilocks and the Bear Foundation a non-profit organisation which offers free ADHD and mental health screening and early intervention services in underprivileged communities. In a world that never stops it is challenging to find balance. Prof. Schoeman explains that work-life balance is not necessarily a 50:50 scenario, but time must be carved into schedules for one to energise oneself. Some of the seeds of self-care include: sufficient sleep, exercise, good nutrition, spirituality, mental stimulation and socialising. Prof. Schoeman has a simple motto to help sort elements that drain and those that fuel you – “If something does not bring joy, beauty or usefulness – get rid of it!” We discuss some of the discriminatory issues women experience in the workplace and emphasise that women need to retain their authenticity and embrace their differences as points of strength. Women must not allow the “sticky floor of lingering beliefs that they have of themselves and society to hold them back. Prof. Schoeman reminds us to make the most of every moment in life, to do our best and never stop learning. Tune in for more...

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Nicola Smit, Dean of the Faculty of Law University of Stellenbosch. We discuss aspects of her vision for the faculty that include spearheading legal education, building capacity and having a deep social impact on communities. We acknowledge the fact that today’s graduates will likely work in new careers that don’t yet exist. Prof. Smit shares one of her approaches to leadership, which she describes as “leadership constellation”. This view posits that a leader can only be first among equals and provides opportunities for his or her people (stars) to develop themselves and lead in their own areas of expertise, ultimately stiving to develop an organisation that mirrors a constellation of stars (people) that shine brightly leading their respective disciplines and helping each other navigate calm as well as tricky waters. She also reflects on the importance of diverse inputs in teams to bring out the best of team members. We remark on the low representation of women in leadership, noting that the glass ceiling might have shifted but it hasn’t disappeared. Efforts need to be undertaken to ensure that where decisions are made there is representation of women. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks should be in place to help share the burden of domestic work that often compromises a woman’s ability to participate fully in the labour force. For example, increasing paternity leave is an intervention that would help distribute parental loads. Prof Smit, closes the conversation with a quote from Maya Angelou, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia - Mutale Nalumango, who is also Vice President of Zambia’s ruling party the United Party for National Development (UPND). Vice President Nalumango shares how her life path has been navigated by the drive to fight all forms of injustice, like social inequity, poverty alleviation, access to justice and empowering women to occupy their rightful spaces. She shares some of her visions for Zambia where unity and peace serve as foundational elements to development and productivity. She also reaffirms that education is the greatest equalizer and reminds those that think education is too expensive to try the cost of ignorance. We discuss women in leadership and mechanisms to better capacitate women, such as mentorship, effective networking, higher education, encouraging women to rise and also aligning men to the gender agenda – to acknowledge that they are beneficiaries of women’s economic participation. Although efforts are underway to progress the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality progress is slow in some areas of the continent. Some of the impediments to women’s progress include inhibiting cultures, religious expectations, social stereotypes and bearing the burden of unpaid domestic work. In the words of Vice President Nalumango, “Women are born as volunteers.” Women need to unite and collectively fight against injustices that discriminate against them. Women cannot let their life choices depend on other people; they have the capability to achieve their ambitions. In closing, Vice President Nalumango says, “Girls, rise up wherever you are, the sky is the limit, you can make it anywhere, everything is open to us in Africa”. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity for our series on women in the judiciary Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Harshila Kooverjie – from the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria. Prior to her appointment to the bar Judge Kooverjie served on several public sector boards, like the Council for Medical Schemes, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Financial Services Board Tribunal as well as the Legal Practice Council – which regulates the legal profession. These positions provide checks and balances to ensure that government does its work properly and citizens don’t abuse their powers. Judge Kooverjie reflects on some of the impactful cases that she has presided over. We discuss the need for victims of gender based violence to have better support structures and processes to help them systematically navigate these traumatic situations. We consider education as a tool to advance gender equality gains, it empowers people to be competitive and at the top of their game. Judge Kooverjie notes that people need to understand the real value of women to society. For too long women have been absorbing more and more responsibilities in order to participate in the workforce without reducing their commitments to the household. Work institutions could help alleviate the pressure by providing on-site childcare facilities. Real change will only come from walking the walk, not talking the talk. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Lindiwe Rusi from the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Mthatha. Judge Rusi’s disciplined upbringing compelled her to strive for order and equity, which formed foundational values for a vocation in law. During the early part of her career she was involved with several outreach programmes delivering much needed legal knowledge to underserved communities, particularly in areas of customary and family law, domestic violence and access to justice. Reflecting on recent amendments to Acts affecting women, Judge Rusi mentions changes to The Criminal Law Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act Amendment Bill. For example, amendments to the main statutes governing court processes in superior and lower courts makes provision for additional procedures in respect of how witnesses, especially victims of gender based violence, give evidence in court, such as using audio visual facilities, to help reduce secondary victimisation of those victims, because in the process of giving evidence they are forced to relive the experiences. The Domestic Violence Amendment Act sees new definitions of what constitutes domestic violence and places obligations on functionaries of government departments, like the way police render service to victims of domestic violence. To further advance gender equality Judge Rusi considers there are opportunities for government to implement policies aimed at ensuring gender parity and guard the right to equality. Additionally, society needs to stop typecasting women into traditional gender roles. Women should not allow anything or anyone to undervalue their self-worth and derail their dreams. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Marisa Naude-Odendaal – from the Limpopo Division of the High Court, Polokwane. Judge Naude-Odendaal has had a strong sense of social justice from a young age which paved the way for a career in law. She gives us insight into real life experiences as a mother and professional, sharing how she used to drive 300km to and from work every day with her infant son, keep him under the “bench” and attend to him between sessions. She demonstrates that through self-determination, support structures and effective time management – everything is doable. We note that the legal system is constantly changing in response to the ever transforming environment. Judge Naude-Odendaal shares two recent precedent setting cases, from 2022, which have a significant impact on women. One case relates to maintenance orders, which now only prescribe 30 years after the order is issued, previously it was 3 years, which will allow claims for arrear maintenance. The second is recognition of Muslim marriages and the Marriage Act, lack of recognition means lack of protection of the rights of women and their children in the event of dissolution of these types of marriages. Judge Marisa Naude-Odendaal reminds us that women wear many hats, sometimes simultaneously, despite the pressures we face we should not allow anything to stop us from fulfilling our dreams. She says, “I think one must be fearless, set a goal and strive for it”. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Carol Sibiya from the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. Judge Sibiya shares her journey to the judiciary and rising through the ranks to the bench, which was motivated, in part, by her father who was a lawyer, the desire to ensure people have access to justice and growing up in apartheid South Africa. We discuss some of her memorable cases, highlighting the duty of the court to exercise judgements in the best interest of children, and the power the court has to make meaningful changes, for example Judge Sibiya’s ruling ensured LLB graduates from private institutions are allowed to enter the legal profession, previously only graduates from public universities were permitted to do so. We remark on the progress of women’s rights in South Africa and the positive effects that representation of women in different spaces has on people’s psyche, to understand the breadth of possibilities available to them. We highlight mentorship as a tool to help new recruits navigate their careers with the aid of  a solid sounding board to keep them accountable and remain true to their dreams. Tune in for more…

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Ayşegül Kandaş, the Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. We discuss some of her career highlights and the instrumental role that education played in her development, noting the power of knowledge. Generally, the number of women in the diplomatic corps is increasing, and there is a relatively strong representation of female diplomats in Africa. Ambassador Kandaş shares some of her key objectives to foster productive enduring relationships between Turkey and the three countries she is accredited to in Africa. This includes increasing the level of investment from Turkish firms, improving trade, establishing development co-operation initiatives, opportunities for scholarships and projects for women and youth. Some of the programs geared towards women include entrepreneurship training, establishing networks of female small and medium enterprises, and providing trading markets. We discuss women in leadership and remark on varying proportions of women to men in parliaments across the world, pointing out that countries with higher numbers of women in parliament tend to have more egalitarian societies . Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Director General of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) - Advocate Mikateko Joyce Maluleke. The theme of this year’s youth month is “Promoting sustainable livelihoods and resilience of young people for a better tomorrow”. Almost two-thirds of the South African population are under the age of 35. Advocate Maluleke shares some of the programmes that the department has initiated to help address the challenges confronted by youth. For example, the Nelson Mandela Youth dialogues on ethical leadership promoting peace, reconciliation and democracy; fostering stronger relationships between countries in Africa to embrace the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to improve intra-continental trade and socio-economic outcomes; work with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and initiating a programme to help unemployed graduates find gainful employment in their field of study. In terms of specific initiatives for women, the Director General discusses the goals of the Women Economic Assembly (WECONA), which is a partnership between the private sector, civil society and women’s organisations, businesswomen and government that aims to facilitate the participation of women-owned businesses in core areas of the economy. In keeping with the economic empowerment of women, the DWYPD is planning to establish the biggest market expo in the world on 9 August 2022, which will bring together 90,000 women to connect, collaborate and contract to win.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in law, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Nomthandazo Ntlama-Makhanya who is a Professor of Public Law in the Department of Public Law at the Nelson R Mandela School of Law, Faculty of Law, at the University of Fort Hare. Some of her roles include acting as Head of UNESCO Oliver Tambo Chair of Human Rights, serving as the former Commissioner of the South African Judicial Services Commission (JSC) representing the Society of Law Teachers of Southern Africa, acting as a Judge of the High Courts and was appointed as a Non-Judge Member of the South African Electoral Court. Her core area of research is on Constitutional Law with a broader focus on human rights and customary law specifically on socio-economic rights, judiciary, gender equality and women’s rights. Our discussion includes: women in leadership, concerted succession planning efforts, transforming gender perspectives, developing practical gender policy frameworks, human rights education that entwines both rights and responsibilities and attaining an academic education to open doors that exceed your expectations. Prof. Ntlama-Makhanya shares how she overcame some of the challenges in her life through focus and a never give up approach, like having a brain tumour and going on to attain her doctorate. She reminds us that your past does not define your future. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in law, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Caroline Ncube who heads up the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Cape Town. She holds the South African Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development. She serves as a member of the African Policy, Research & Advisory Group on STI, is a member of the Advisory Board of the African Network of International Economic Law (AfIELN) and of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). We discuss how these roles contribute to the discipline of law in both academia and practice; and note some of the accomplishments of women in the field of law. Some of Prof. Ncube’s collaborations with Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt form part of the Open African Innovation Research Partnerships. One of her recent projects addresses patents and access to medicines during the Covid-19 pandemic. We discuss the liberating effects of education on women. Prof. Ncube reflects on the influence of gender in personal and professional life, where the perception of traditional gender roles can inhibit some women from advancing in their careers until their children are less dependent on them. Establishing childcare facilities at institutions, formulating robust support networks and reconsidering gender roles are a few interventions that could help women navigate various stages of their personal and professional lives. In closing Prof. Ncube reminds us that the hopes of the continent are pinned on women and youth; so if you are young and female the moment is yours, the continent is wide open reach out and take it. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Ledile Mokoka who specialises in nephrology at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. Kidney disease is often a secondary effect of other conditions like hypertension and diabetes, according to the diabetesatlas.org,  24 million people in Africa (1 in 22) have diabetes.  These are non-communicable diseases that could be prevented if adequate awareness and education were offered to communities.  We discuss some of the kidney disorders that she treats and highlight conditions that women are more predisposed too. We note the healthcare challenges that women living in rural areas are exposed to, including the lack of access to facilities and presenting late stage diagnoses. Dr. Mokoka shares signs for women to be on the lookout for (like fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea) and address with health care practitioners. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, as part of our commemoration for #AfricaDay, which is celebrated on 25 May, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Heide Hackmann, the Interim Director and Advisor on Transdisciplinarity and Global Knowledge Networks at the Future Africa Institute | University of Pretoria. Prior to this role Dr Hackmann served as CEO of the International Science Council. Future Africa is a research institute and pan-African platform that makes possible fundamentally new approaches to research and innovation that span disciplinary fields and geo-political boundaries to solve continental and global problems by collaborating between stakeholders in science and society. Some of these challenges include climate change, food security, poverty, human rights, gender equality, health and well-being, and biodiversity loss. Diversity and inclusivity are core values of Future Africa which help drive gender equality and equal participation of women across spheres. We emphasise the role of education and empowering Africa's for the future of the continent. Dr Hackman shares some insight into her leadership style, which include being inspirational (thinking BIG), being an effective enabler and decision maker, being authentic, connecting to people on a human level, and leading by example. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Vanessa Steenkamp, the Deputy Dean of Teaching & Learning in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria. As an active member of scientific organizations she holds among other an executive role as President of the South African Association of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, President of the Federation of South African Society of Pathology and Vice-President of the Toxicology Society of South Africa. Her remit at the University of Pretoria encompasses 43 departments within Dentistry, Health Care Sciences, Health Systems and Public Health, and the School of Medicine. She emphasises that teaching and learning is an evolving process and institutions aim to equip students with skill sets to help future proof them for jobs which don’t yet exist; instilling lifelong learning and embracing technology. We discuss a couple of recent initiatives geared towards the well-being of students. Namely a food parcel project, noting that at least 30% of students are food insecure and the other the UP Sight project which addressed students’ vision. We highlight the fact that there are still low levels of women entering STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and remark on interventions to build a pipeline from school to university to the workplace. We also remark on the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles. Prof. Steenkamp encourages more women to embrace opportunities to rise to the top, urging women to stand together, support each other, join industry networks and participate in mentoring initiatives. Prof. Steenkamp shares her formulas for living life to the full, making space for family and a professional career. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Laetitia Rispel who holds a South African Research Chair, entitled Research on the Health Workforce for Equity and Quality. She is a Professor of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.  She is both a former Head of the Wits School of Public Health (2012-2017), and a former Head of the Gauteng Provincial Government Department of Health (2001-2006). She is also a past president of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (2018-2020). Prof Rispel shares some of the challenges and achievements along her journey to improve public health systems and shape health policy in post-apartheid South Africa. For example, being inspired to go to university but lacking the means to do so, yet serendipitously, at a rubbish dump of all places, seeing a pamphlet to study nursing at university – all expenses paid.   Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Prisilla Seipati Makunyane – Head of Ophthalmology at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. Prof. Makunyane is one of the first black female doctors to qualify as an ophthalmologist in South Africa, she serves as a role model and advocate for her specialisation encouraging more women to follow in her footsteps.  We reflect on the fact that medical training is a lengthy undertaking and the process can compromise women who want to start a family or have young children during this period. To help mitigate some of these issues training time could be extended as well as introducing flexible leave arrangements to help women fulfil their roles in the worlds of family and work.  Medicine is a rewarding and humbling discipline that impacts the well-being of societies. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Radmila Razlog who heads up the department of Complementary Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Johannesburg.  Complementary medicine professions in South Africa consist of a diverse range of disciplines including phytotherapy, homeopathy, and acupuncture and offer a natural approach to health and wellbeing to manage conditions. Dr. Razlog notes there is a higher propensity for women to enter disciplines of complementary health as well as more women tending to seek treatment from allied health practitioners. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Kavita Makan who is a Rheumatologist and specialist physician at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. She is also the clinical head of the Medical Covid-19 Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and current president of the South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association. We highlight the fact that women are more susceptible to autoimmune disorders within the spectrum of rheumatic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. We discuss women in leadership and some of the strategies employed to uplift the morale of healthcare practitioners working on the frontline in the face of Covid-19 breakouts. Dr Makan urges people to live their best life as we only have one.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker, who won the gold medal and set the world record in the 200m breaststroke event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She shares her Olympic experience and journey to Gold. She emphasises faith, discipline, strong support systems and leading a balanced life as contributing factors, stating that “a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer”. We remark that women’s sports do not receive equal attention to men’s sports from media coverage to pay scales. We acknowledge that professional sporting careers are relatively short-lived and highlight education as a tool to help develop alternative careers particular for women. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Botswana to South Africa Tshenolo Modise.  We discuss some of the gender challenges experienced by female diplomats and the balancing act that many professional women experience as they juggle their work and home commitments. We discuss the impact that the Botswana women’s movement in 1986 had on opening opportunities for women to pursue careers of their choosing, even in fields that were previously dominated by men, such as politics, the priesthood and becoming tribal chiefs. We emphasise the role of education not only as an enabling tool for the empowerment of women, but also to shift traditional mindsets to accept women as equals in all walks of life. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of the Republic of Congo Chantal Maryse Itoua-Apoyolo, who is accredited to South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.  We discuss gender equality developments in the Republic of Congo. For instance, the formation of the Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women, whose motto was “Seule la lutte libère”, which translates to “Only the Fight will Free Us”. The efforts of this Union helped pave the way for the rights and opportunities that women enjoy today.  Congo promotes equal access to all levels of education irrespective of gender. The country initiated a program called Positive Masculinity which emphasises that attaining gender equality requires the involvement of men. We reflect on  the fact that societies can and should evolve to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the the Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), which is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, Ms Dorothy Tembo. She shares pivotal moments in her career and life, that have charted her path from Zambia to Switzerland. We discuss some of the core goals of the ITC, which works towards creating ‘trade impact for good’, and highlight some of the ITC’s initiatives in relation to women in Africa. For example the SheTrades initiative has connected three million women to market, and continues to expand its hubs into different countries.  We remark on evolving culture and tradition to progress gender equality and women’s empowerment. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, we commemorate International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March. This year’s theme is Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.  The leaders featured in today’s compilation share their views on the significance of International Women’s Day and gender equality. In today’s compilation we hear from Ambassador of Finland to South Africa and non-resident Ambassador of Finland to Botswana, Lesotho and Mauritius, Anne Lammila who shares some of the factors that contribute to advancing gender equality, emphasising the need to defend women’s political and economic rights. High Court Judge Thando Mankge from the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court asserts that legislation cannot remain paper rhetoric, it must be applied in practice for women’s rights to be honoured as human rights. Dr. Melinda Suchard who is the Head of the Centre for Vaccines and Immunology in The National Institute For Communicable Diseases, with a joint appointment as lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, discusses women in leadership and reflects on traits of authenticity, positivity, emotional intelligence, self-confidence, caring about your followers and looking at the long run. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, we commemorate International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March. This year’s theme is Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.  The leaders featured in today’s compilation share their views on the significance of International Women’s Day and gender equality. In today’s compilation we hear from South Africa’s Ambassador to Switzerland Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele who emphasizes the role of legislative frameworks for gender equality and monitoring of these instruments to help move women's issues forward and crack glass ceilings. Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane advocates for reversing gender stereotypes to help level the playing field and urges women in the workforce to create their own table rather than waiting for a seat at an existing one. Canada’s Global Affairs Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Arctic, Middle East and Maghreb Sandra McCardell addresses possible actions to progress Goal 5 - Gender Equality of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and encourages women to believe in themselves, develop their education, become economically independent and embrace the sisterhood to help one another achieve our goals. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, we commemorate International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March. This year’s theme is Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.  The leaders featured in today’s compilation share their views on the significance of International Women’s Day and gender equality. The Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea Librada Ela Asumu speaks about opportunity, leadership, commitment and employment as factors that contribute to gender equality. Member of parliament Alexandra Abrahams from the Democratic Alliance shares a few inspirational words that contribute to success, such as investing into your focal area, seeking out individuals that know more than you, surrounding yourself with supportive people and showing kindness to others. Member of parliament Zandile Majozi from the Inkatha Freedom Party reminds us that women’s issues need year round solutions not just attention for one day in the annual calendar. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Equatorial Guinea’s Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Librada Ela Asumu. Some of her previous appointments include working at the United Nations, serving in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Protection and Ministry of External Affairs and Co-operation. We consider some cultural tensions effecting gender equality despite constitutional legislature in Equatorial Guinea. For example, perceptions that successful career women neglect their families, that being married is a sign of social acceptance, that women have ceilings imposed on their ambitions. We debunk these myths demonstrating that stereotypical thinking is outmoded and threatens the empowerment of women.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka catches up with one of the show’s former guests, renowned musician and humanitarian Yvonne "Chaka Chaka" Mhinga, who also received the Order of Ikhamanga for her contribution to music and social cohesion. We reflect on poignant moments in the early phase of her career, where art and music were forms of ammunition to fight against inequalities and conscientize the public about apartheid atrocities. She recalls receiving a note from former president Nelson Mandela and chewing it up through fear of being arrested by the special branch and reflects on the enduring support of Winnie Mandela. Freedom was hard won in South Africa, but it’s not our only fight; gender based violence, inequality, poverty and intolerance need to be overcome too. Yvonne Chaka Chaka uses her platforms for good, part of her humanitarian efforts includes serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for Malaria in Africa, this disease is one of the leading causes of death in the continent.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Miss SA 2021, Lalela Mswane, who was also crowned second runner up for Miss Universe 2021. We discuss how this empowerment platform has impacted on her life and some of the responsibilities associated with being Miss SA notably serving as a brand ambassador and agent of change not just nationally but globally. Lalela shares her views on role models, leadership, sustainability, climate change, education, empowering young entrepreneurs to create their own economic opportunities in the face of extensive unemployment, and equipping women to become confident competent individuals. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the CEO of Anglo American Platinum (AMPLATS), Natascha Viljoen, who sits on the Anglo American Platinum Board and the Group Management Committee of Anglo American plc. She reflects on factors that led to her career in mining, from getting “the smell of the place” as a child during site trips with her father, who worked on gold mines, and drawing on this energy, to a love of science and math which fueled her interest in a technical career, specifically in mining. We discuss some of the targeted empowerment activities that AMPLATS has in place for women, both in the local communities where it operates and the business itself. We remark on the fact that it is possible for women to make an impact and break ceilings in male dominated environments. Women introduce different perspectives, which in turn reshapes the workplace, contributes to diversity and innovation.  Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament Kathleen Dibolelo Mahlatsi from the African National Congress (ANC), who also serves on the portfolio committees of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, as well as Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. We remark on the role of the ANC Women’s League to spearhead the ANC’s gender parity policy which aims for equal representation of women and men throughout the structures of the party; furthermore how this policy influences broader society to encourage gender equality. Additionally, we reflect on the continued relevance of the ANC Women’s League, as a structure that advocates for the needs of the voiceless, defends and advances the rights of women in South Africa. We highlight education, especially higher education, as a vital tool to empower women and additionally drive the country’s economy growth and social well-being through skilled individuals. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament Alexandra Abrahams from the Democratic Alliance, who also serves on the portfolio committee of Social Development. Applying a gendered lens she unpacks various social development programs in relation to women, such as crime prevention, substance abuse, victim empowerment shelters, social grants, early childhood development and maternal support. We discuss the impact political actions exert on people’s lives, one law or policy can change the future, so people should take an active interest to shape decisions that affect their wellbeing and that of their communities. For women interested in a political career, it starts with being involved in community matters, following issues that concern you in parliament, keeping abreast of narratives from global female leaders and asking what role you can play to drive a cause. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament Zandile Majozi from the Inkatha Freedom Party. She serves on the portfolio committees of Police and Communication. We highlight the power and responsibility of politicians to drive change supported by implementable policies. For example, establishing structures in organisations to effectively address gender equality issues, such as ensuring sufficient numbers of female candidates are shortlisted for vacancies or enforcing salary parity. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Shirley Zinn, who serves as a Non-Executive Director on several corporate boards (Sanlam, MTN, Spur, Boston Consulting Group, World Wildlife Fund etc...), she focusses on strategic human resources, business leadership, transformation and women’s development. Dr. Zinn candidly bares pains and gains from her life and finding purpose. We combine perspectives from women in the workplace, who juggle home commitments and personal ambition in conjunction with the responsibilities of companies to recognise the multidimensional nature of women, enable their talent through appropriate support and give them opportunities to grow. Human diversity is much more than ticking off boxes on a scorecard, it’s a source of innovation and creativity. The objective of an organisation is no longer just about the business of business, it is about its purpose in society. Dr Zinn’s story is one of hope, humanism, compassion, care, diligence and resilience. Tune in for more.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, this is our final broadcast of 2021 and we use this show to share some of the lessons learned from female leaders about leadership. The Ambassador of Norway Dr. Astrid Helle remarks on the types of societies that accept female leaders and some of the characteristics of successful women in leadership. Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Candith Mashego-Dlamini discusses the negative effects concerning global issues and gender inequality if women do not take up leadership roles, and comments on some of the initiatives various countries have adopted to reduce gender inequality; Member of Parliament Liezl Van der Merwe from the Inkatha Freedom Party shares her thoughts on what is needed to ensure more women make it to the top of their fields. The former CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Nicky Newton King talks about the competitive advantage of diversity in business and the value leaders attain from embracing it. Head of the Centre for Vaccines and Immunology in the National Institute for Communicable Disease Dr. Melinda Suchard cautions against self-sabotage, often the hurdles we perceive are in our own minds rather than being an actual physical barrier, people want you to succeed, you just need to say what it is you need; people will support you. Tune in for more.

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, this episode reflects on a few factors of success, as experienced by some of this year’s guests, who are global and local leaders. The Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland grew up with the philosophy that God bestows talent upon every individual, but it’s up to us to find it, hone it and use it for the benefit of others; and never be afraid to try.  The former CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Nicky Newton-King reflects on family values and a sense of social justice as constructs of her path to success. The CEO of BP Southern Africa Taelo Mojapelo tells us that her three key drivers of success are authenticity, courage and humility. The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone Manti Tarawalli recalls the influence of strong independent family matriarchs and faith as sources of her success. The High Commissioner of Kenya Catherine Muigai Mwangi describes how education, possessing a strong work ethic, and following a purpose have contributed to her career. The Ambassador of Finland Anne Lammila cites personal traits of curiosity and confidence, as well as supportive networks as key success factors in her life. Member of Parliament Nazley Sharif from the Democratic Alliance speaks about being a change agent to make a difference in women’s lives. Lastly, Professor Jacqueline Smilg from the University of the Witwatersrand reminds us to enjoy what we do and be true to our values and ethics. Tune in for more

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the CEO of BP Southern Africa, Ms Taelo Mojapelo. She shares key career and life moments that have shaped her, with courage being a guiding force. We discuss the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles and factors affecting this, from underdeveloped soft skills to operating in a patriarchal environment. We highlight the responsibility of female leaders to not only develop upcoming women but open opportunities for them to ascend to the top. For example,  BP Southern Africa now has 45% female representation at executive level. Gender equity and the fight for female emancipation is not under the jurisdiction of women alone; to accelerate these agendas men need to advocate for these issues too. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South African Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder Anruné Weyers. She shares her Tokyo 2020 experience, from creative workouts (incorporating her Beagle in weight training) during lockdown, to contracting Covid-19 just prior to the Games, to going on to win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. The Paralympics is a globally celebrated event that helps to raise awareness for persons with disabilities and their exceptional capabilities. However, persons with disabilities still experience widespread discrimination, and in view of International Day of Persons with Disabilities which was held on 3 December 2021, we discuss some aspects of social and economic discrimination that persons with disabilities encounter and consider how greater inclusivity can be attained. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Heidi Prozesky from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, who surveyed approximately 5000 respondents from 30 countries in Africa to understand the next generation of young scientists in the continent as well as challenges faced by female scientists. Some of the issues inhibiting the progress of female scientists in the region, when compared to their male counterparts, include lower uptake of options to travel and work in different countries, fewer publication outputs and less collaboration with peers. Many of these issues link to the way that societies value women, the opportunities available to women, perceived gender norms and responsibilities which make striking a balance between excelling in a career and caring for a family demanding. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Associate Professor Amal Amin, a professor of nanotechnology and polymers from the National Research Centre in Cairo, Egypt, who founded Women in Science Without Borders. This initiative is active in 67 countries and aims to build science based communities to promote a gender inclusive future where women have equal access to opportunities. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Clare Kelso, who heads up the Department of Geography, Environmental Management & Energy Studies at the University of Johannesburg. Our conversation considers the impact of #climatechange on female farmers, noting the intersectionality of power dynamics that exacerbates the vulnerability of women to climate change, notably fewer opportunities to education, lack of land ownership and limited access to financial resources. We reflect on driving necessary change within existing systems from the inside out, e.g. for female leaders to adjust the mechanics of their workplaces to lift barriers that impede women’s success by redesigning systems that no longer serve the interests of the workforce and society. We recognise that in academic sectors there is a tendency for women to spend disproportionately more time than men on activities (like teaching) that have a lower weighting on promotional score cards, which hinders career advancement. Prof. Kelso remarks on resilience as an important attribute in the pursuit of success. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in science, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Irene Tarimo, who heads up the Department of Environmental Studies at the Open University of Tanzania. In light of the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference (31 Oct – 12 Nov 2021) we discuss pertinent issues contributing to climate change in Tanzania that have a detrimental effect on the agriculture sector, such as deforestation, land degradation, water pollution and sources of energy. Tanzania is one of only two countries amongst Africa’s 54 nations to be led by a female president (President Samia Suluhu Hassan), and Dr. Tarimo shares her views about the positive impact a female president has on reducing gender inequality. For example, combating traditional views that prioritized educating boys over girls because girls would marry into another family and thus the investment in a girl's education would be a monetary loss to her family. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in science, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Esther Akinlabi, who is the Director of the Pan African University for Life and Earth Sciences in Ibadan, Nigeria. We unpack the core scientific thematic areas of the Pan African University, which are located in different regions on the continent to contribute to the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Importantly, it is expected that 50% of the student intake is female to drive gender equality goals. Programs address pertinent issues for Africa to ensure a better life for the continent’s citizens. For example, the plant breeding program undertakes projects that address food security while the Medicinal Plants Research and Drug Discovery program serves as an incubator that utilises indigenous medicinal plants in drug discovery. We discuss career opportunities for women in the fields of Friction Stir Welding and Additive Manufacturing (3-D printing) in automotive sectors, building trains, constructing ships and the biomedical industry. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Lesley Cornish from the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). She is also the Director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials and the Director of the African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology. We discuss women in science in terms of barriers and opportunities in the context of the African Union’s strategy to place science, technology and innovation at the epicentre of Africa’s socio-economic development and growth. Prof. Cornish unpacks some of their focal areas on material research that ranges from improving the effectiveness of materials, such as increasing strength and longevity of use to reducing waste and becoming more energy efficient.  We also discuss the role of tertiary institutions to developing students into responsible global citizens that contribute positively to humanity and the world at large.  Prof. Cornish reflects on her life experience and remarks that there is nothing a woman cannot do, they just need to be given the opportunity to pursue their ambitions. #womeninscience. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Liezel Frick from the Centre for Higher and Adult Education Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, Stellenbosch University. We discuss knowledge gains from formal, informal and non-formal settings, emphasising the need to learn, re-learn and un-learn to adapt to a changing world. Today, the work environment is characterised by mobility, where people’s careers may span multiple roles across several industries. Covid-19 has been a catalyst of change. We highlight the importance of life-long education amongst girls and women as a transformative empowerment tool to better their lives and those around them.  We note that some gender issues are actually social issues, for example childcare which typically falls under the responsibility of mothers often means women sacrifice their ambitions, if more equitable attitudes and systems were in place both mothers and fathers would be able to contribute more productively to society. Thinking about society, Prof. Frick reminds us to question ourselves about what each of us is doing to leave this world a better place for those that come after us. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Psychiatrist Dr. Lerato Dikobe-Kalane about mental health. The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day, on 10th October, is “Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality”. In support of this worldwide campaign, we discuss diagnoses of mental health together with treatment and access to care, which have been compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Jacqueline Smilg,  who is a Diagnostic Radiologist. She is the Head of Breast Imaging at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Radiology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Witwatersrand. She is  the current Chair of the Breast Imaging Society of South Africa and serves on the Council of the Breast Interest Group of Southern Africa.

October is breast cancer awareness month and today’s conversation focusses on breast cancer, which is one of the top five cancers affecting women. We discuss risk factors such as genetics, hormones, age, tissue structure and unhealthy lifestyle practices. Early detection of breast cancer is important and Prof. Smilg walks us through self-check processes and diagnostic screening methods like mammograms. We also discuss different types of treatments and improving survival outcomes. For more information see:

Breast Interest Group of Southern AfricaBreast Imaging Society of South AfricaCMJAH Breast Imaging

Prof. Smilg shares her passion for radiology and its diagnostic application across medical disciplines, where imaging modalities assist diagnoses.  She notes how gender transformation has progressed in the medical arena and comments on the sector’s achievement to close gender pay gaps. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Finland to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Mauritius, Anne Lammila. Some of her previous appointments include Ambassadorships in Mexico, Cuba, Haiti and Central America; serving as  Consul General of Finland to Saint Petersburg, Russia; Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister, Embassy of Finland, Washington, USA;  and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and Gender Equality to mention a few. We reflect on a few of her career landmarks.

We discuss Finland’s Africa strategy, which priorities strengthening political and economic ties. We highlight some of the programmes in place to promote female development in Africa, like the Southern Africa Innovation Support Programme, as well as ecopreneur initiatives.

We consider the 2020 Global Gender Gap index results, which ranks Finland 3rd and South Africa 17th, out of 153 countries. We talk about some of the drivers that have contributed to Finland becoming an egalitarian state, such as education and greater participation of women in political and economic life. We also note that Finland has been recognised as the happiest nation in the world for four consecutive years, and could not have attained this status if it ignored gender equality. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Sylvia Lucas from the African National Congress, who was formerly the Premier of the Northern Cape.  Firstly, she differentiates between the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) from the National Assembly, emphasising the NCOP’s mandate to ensure provincial interests are taken into account. We discuss the nationwide review of the Women’s Charter, which addressed aspects of equality, fighting violence against women and girls and the state of implementation of articles in the Women’s Charter. Unfortunately, lack of implementation remains an ongoing concern. We discuss women in political leadership, remarking on the importance of pipeline processes to draw women through political structures and how the effects of patriarchy negatively impact on women’s perceptions of each other. The Deputy Chairperson highlights an example of the under representation of female ward councillors, in part attributed to the fact that female voters voted for male candidates over female candidates, which illustrates a lack of confidence or belief in their abilities. We consider ways to help encourage women to pursue leadership roles, from support, to mentorship and recognition. Paraphrasing her grandmother the Deputy Chair reminds us that, “Flowers can grow in the ghetto”.  Tune in for more…

DR. MALKAJoining us on the line today is the Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Ms. Sylvia Elizabeth Lucas, from the African National Congress.  She was formally the Premier of the Northern Cape and she has served the African National Congress as well as the African National Congress’s Women’s League in various capacities, including the Provincial Working Committees.  Welcome to the show Deputy Chairperson!DC LUCASGood morning Dr. Amaleya and good morning also to your listeners and thank you very much for having me on the show.DR. MALKAYou know Deputy Chairperson, this is the first time that we have actually had an interview with someone from the National Council of Provinces and as I understand it, the NCOP is one of two houses of parliament, the other being the National Assembly.  A primary role of the NCOP is to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account within the national sphere of government; please can you tell us more about the NCOP?DC LUCASThe NCOP, as you have already said, is one of two houses of parliament.  The one issue that I have realised is that very people really have a clear understanding of the second house; the National Council of Provinces.  The National Council of Provinces in the make up thereof is made up of delegates or representatives from provinces to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account in the national legislative process.  It does this mainly by participating in the national legislative process and by providing a national forum for public consideration of issues, particularly where it is affecting provinces.  You will find that there is some sections in the constitution that make provision for legislation and there is a specific section; Section 76, that is taking into account provincial interests into legislation and that is where the National Council of Provinces actually features.  The NCOP also coordinates and integrates and aligns across the spheres of government, because that remains a challenge.  In all our engagements we usually have special delegates from the provinces as well as organised local government.  Now how do we do it as the NOCP?  We usually have debates and recently we introduced a new form of engagement, what we call Ministerial Engagement or Ministerial Responses, to respond to the specific issues where just recently we had an issue around the looting, the crime system and gender based violence and we brought in the Minister of Police and other, the MEC’s from provinces to respond to the safety issue,

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Kenya to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, Catherine Muigai Mwangi. Some of her previous appointments include Ambassadorships in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Ireland. She has also served as permanent representative to the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.  We reflect on some of her career landmarks, such as chairing the Africa Ireland - Economic Forum to grow economic activity between Africa and Ireland; and whilst serving as a permanent representative to the African Union actively promoting freedom of movement – people, finance and goods within the continent. We discuss some of Kenya’s trailblazers, like Wangari Maathai. We note the need for women to pursue positions of power and highlight some of the issues confronting women in the political sphere.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Bulelwa Pakati from the Eastern Cape division of the High Court. Judge Pakati’s entry into the legal field was driven by the desire to overcome the cultural practice of Ukuthwala, which entails the abduction of young girls by men and forcing them into marriage. Judge Pakati sought justice for these girls, whose voices, choices and futures had been taken away from them. We consider the need to change narratives that no longer have a place in society, using examples of paid maternity leave in the workforce, and allowing teen mothers to continue their education. We discuss aspects of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence & Femicide in conjunction with views of building a more egalitarian society, noting the role of upholding the Constitution and making use of the country’s education system as a sustainable socialisation vehicle to inform youth of their rights and obligations as upstanding citizens to transform society for the better. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judicary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Fathima Dawood from the Eastern Cape division of the High Court. This series is dedicated to celebrating Women’s Month. Long before becoming a judge, Fathima Dawood was passionate about justice and coming to the aid of others. Her journey into the legal system was not easy. Her first hurdle was convincing her family to allow her to pursue a tertiary education and overcome traditional views that saw women as homemakers. As a trailblazer she contributed to changing social perceptions about women and helped opened opportunities for more women to realise their ambitions. We consider some of the transformation and support mechanisms that are enabling women to become judges and importantly retain them. Judge Dawood illustrates some of the actions undertaken by the National Association of Democratic Lawyers which highlights the plight of vulnerable members of society. For example taking justice to people, not just offering free services but ensuring that people in need can access justice. Another instance concerned a prison that permitted children under the age of three to remain with mothers serving their sentence, which speaks to issues of child development, adverse effects of growing up in a confined space,  and the role of mothers as primary caregivers. We address the role of support systems to enable career development and Judge Dawood reflects on the impact her mother had on her life and calls upon the sisterhood of women to help each other rise. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Lindiwe Vukeya – from the Mpumalanga division of the High Court. This series is dedicated to celebrating Women’s Month. Judge Vukeya’s career choice epitomises the influencing role educators play to nurture young minds and help them rise to their full potential. She reflects on her background, growing up in a child-headed household, persevering and actively seeking tools like bursaries and overcoming the odds to succeed. She explains a pioneering concept piloting indigenous language courts in the Barberton sub cluster. She shares a few memorable cases which highlight the vulnerability of women in society. We discuss The Marriage and Matrimonial Property Law Amendment Act 3 of 1988, which dealt with issues of property ownership, the right for women to retain their property and choices of whether they marry in or out of community of property. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in the judiciary Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Thandoluhle Mankge – from the Mpumalanga division of the High Court. This series is dedicated to celebrating Women’s Month. Judge Mankge shares her journey to the judiciary and rising through the ranks to the bench, which was motivated, in part, to ensure people have access to justice. For example, early in her career she observed the postponement of numerous cases due to a shortage of interpreters and took it upon herself to become an interpreter to help people have their day in court and reduce delays. We discuss some of the gender equality instruments that have been developed and implemented, which assert that women’s participation and representation in decision-making bodies is a human right. However, we emphasise that legislation cannot remain paper rhetoric, it must be applied in practice for women’s rights to be honoured as human rights. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Zolashe Lallie of the Labour Court, a specialist court in the South African judiciary. This series is dedicated to celebrating Women’s Month. Judge Lallie explains key functions and jurisdictions of the Labour Court which focus on discrimination and unfair dismissal of employees. We consider the role of legislation, like the Employment Equity Act which espouses equal pay for work of equal value, in relation to closing gender pay gaps; additionally Judge Lallie suggests removing gender distinctions where possible and potentially applying a principle from the civil service to the private sector where salaries are based on the job not the applicant. In order to ready women for positions they should be afforded appropriate education and skills to perform at the highest level. Importantly, women need equal access to opportunities. We remark on the influence that women occupying positions of power have on inspiring other women of their own potential and possibilities to ascend in every sphere. Judge Lallie reminds us to continue earning our stripes to be financially independent and always act with integrity. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Melinda Suchard  who is Head of the Centre for Vaccines and Immunology in The National Institute For Communicable Diseases, with a joint appointment as lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand.  Additionally, she is a ministerial appointed member of the National Advisory Group on Immunization (NAGI), the National Polio Expert Committee (NPEC) and president of the South African Immunology Society (SAIS). Dr. Suchard explains the role of the NICD to support national and provisional departments of health through laboratory based diagnostics, research and surveillance around vaccine preventable diseases, such as polio and measles, with the ultimate goal of eliminating and eradicating these diseases. We discuss women in leadership and reflect on traits of authenticity, positivity, emotional intelligence, self-confidence, caring about your followers and looking at the long run. We discuss how self-limiting beliefs are a form of self-sabotage and urge women to look beyond what they perceive to be barriers and embrace opportunities that advance their career paths. We encourage women who pioneer new fields to trust in their abilities as the lead the way for others. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to neurologist Dr. Jody Pearl who is in private practice. The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body and several of its functions are still to be explained. We note that women are more predisposed to certain neurological conditions than men, sometimes hormonally related. These include headache disorders, migraines, multiple sclerosis, young strokes and Alzheimer’s. Dr Pearl’s practice sees patients from across the African continent and she highlights one of the Nigerian projects she is involved with to build up capacity in neurology with practical life saving interventions. We consider the fact that South Africa has a shortage of doctors, relative to global benchmarks, and remark that more efforts are needed to not only encourage young women to pursue careers in medicine, but to help develop their confidence and be able to make informed choices. Importantly, we highlight that through appropriate support structures, enabling environments and hard work it is possible to achieve everything. Tune in for more

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in our series on women in medicine, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Michelle Wong, who heads up the division of pulmonology at the University of the Witwatersrand as well as Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere and third largest in the world. We highlight the impact that Covid-19 has had on healthcare practitioners working on the frontline and address some of the interventions put into place, such as creating Covid and non-Covid teams, self-educating to navigate a new disease, instituting precautions to reduce infection amongst staff and patients. Looking beyond the medical space we recognise the social burden Covid-19 has exerted, particularly on children and women. We discuss women in leadership and consider enabling mechanisms and support structures that would contribute to women’s career advancement and allow them to embrace equal opportunities. Prof. Wong emphasises education as a source of empowerment and advocates life-long education to keep you at the edge of your game. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Liesl Zühlke, who is a paediatric cardiologist in the Department of Paediatric Cardiology at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, directs the Children’s Heart Disease Research, and is also the Deputy Dean of Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town. Prof. Zühlke shares some insight into her research on rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and non-communicable disease. We discuss some of the underlying reasons that potentially deter women from becoming cardiologists, such as lengthy training, inhibiting work culture, and building a family whilst being fully committed to the discipline. In a demanding career, which sometimes spans up to 80hours a week, time management is critical to juggling workload and family life, for Prof. Zühlke this is about flow, addressing current priorities and scheduling what is important to you. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to medical oncologist Professor Georgia Demetriou, who is a senior consultant in the division of medical oncology at the University of the Witwatersrand and Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. Prof. Demetriou walks us through the inner workings of life as an oncologist and career pathways for women in medicine. We note that the scope of options for women has widened considerably. Currently, women represent approximately half of all working oncologists, however, only occupy an estimated 20% of leadership posts. Prof. Demetriou unpacks some of the risk factors and interventions associated with the three most common cancers affecting women: breast, cervical and colorectal. Some risks are genetic, others can be lessened, for example, by controlling diet (reducing saturated fat and refined sugar consumption), increasing exercise and vaccinating where possible. She emphasises the importance of regular screening to rule out or detect early signs of disease, remarking that under Covid-19 conditions many people have neglected annual check-ups. Prevention is always preferred to cure. We end the conversation noting that in today’s world women can be anything they want to be and strive for excellence. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Ambassador to Ireland Yolisa Maya. We discuss dynamics of international relations and remark on the increasing feminisation of diplomacy, particularly female heads of missions. Some of the qualities that make women good diplomats include intuitiveness, empathy, active listening, motivation and a consultative approach. We acknowledge that different regions around the world have established various gender equality programs to varying levels. However countries that are serious about gender equality are intentional, for example, they have policies and inclusivity initiatives. Gender equality remains a challenge and Ambassador Maya emphasises that it is a phenomena that must be addressed at all levels of society. We end the conversation with an appeal for solidarity amongst women and to strengthen their respective networks as vehicles of social capital that have a lifelong impact. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Ambassador to Switzerland Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele.

We reflect on some of her career milestones, from working with the ruling African National Congress in exile and returning home to continue that work and shape South Africa into a democratic country.

We discuss aspects of her current role emphasising foreign investment, research, innovation and science as well as applying start-up know-how to assist the Small Micro, Medium Enterprise sector in South Africa. We engage on some equality challenges that women still have to contend with, such as patriarchy.

At the same time, we consider interventions to help change society through socialisation and leaning on South Africa’s constitution as a guiding framework.

In terms of building female leadership we remark on establishing mentor-mentee programmes to help women navigate their respective career paths. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Ambassador to Switzerland Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele. We reflect on some of her career milestones, from working with the ANC in exile and returning home to continue that work and shape South Africa into a democratic country. We discuss aspects of her current role emphasising foreign investment; research, innovation and science; and applying startup know how to assist the SMME sector in South Africa. We address some equality challenges that women still have to contend with, such as patriarchy. At the same time we consider interventions to help change society through socialisation and leaning on South Africa’s constitution as a guiding framework. In terms of building female leadership we remark on establishing mentor-mentee programmes to help women navigate their respective career paths. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament, Nomsa Marchesi from the Democratic Alliance.

She serves on the portfolio committee of Higher Education, Science and Technology.

We address the role of a country’s education systems, not just from the view of knowledge gain, the ability to access the job market and contribute to the nation’s economy, but also from the perspective of producing socially conscious citizens that understand their impact on society and the responsibilities they have towards their communities.

Marchesi reflects on her own education, as a student of the 80s, post the 1976 uprising, and the eventual subject choices she made, not from personal volition but from the influence of wise elders who prevented her from studying career limiting topics.

We remark on women leading their families and directing subsequent generations to better themselves.

We discuss some of the responsibilities of parliament members in terms of addressing their constituents’ needs and bringing female voices to platforms that are intended to drive change.

Yet, although South Africa has an abundance of positive policies that are designed to improve the wellbeing of women and open equal opportunities, implementation of paper rhetoric still remains a challenge. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament,  Nomsa Marchesi from the Democratic Alliance. She serves on the portfolio committee of Higher Education, Science and Technology. We address the role of a country’s education systems, not just from the view of knowledge gain, the ability to access the job market and contribute to the nation’s economy, but also from the perspective of producing socially conscious citizens that understand their impact on society and the responsibilities they have towards their communities. Ms Marchesi reflects on her own education, as a student of the 80s, post the 1976 uprising, and the eventual subject choices she made, not from personal volition but from the influence of wise elders who prevented her from studying career limiting topics. We remark on women leading their families and directing subsequent generations to better themselves. We discuss some of the responsibilities of parliament members in terms of addressing their constituents’ needs and bringing female voices to platforms that are intended to drive change. Yet, although South Africa has an abundance of positive policies that are designed to improve the wellbeing of women and open equal opportunities, implementation of paper rhetoric still remains a challenge. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Ntombizozuko (Zozo) Dyani-Mhango, who is a Professor in the Department of Jurisprudence, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria and inaugural fellow of the Pan African Scientific Research Council. Dyani-Mhango describes three critical functions in her portfolio: teaching, research and academic citizenship. She highlights her research on international criminal justice in Africa, where she considers African Union member states’ obligations for international crimes, the power struggles between the African Union and International Criminal Court, and South Africa’s obligations to hold perpetrators accountable. We acknowledge the tremendous role that women play in peace, justice and security. We note the need for more women to be more involved in negotiations and occupy leadership positions. Considering the South African context and COVID-19 we unpack some of the challenges faced by students learning online, such as: lack of data, adequate privacy to attend class, and the ability to engage. In light of this point we debate if access to the Internet should be a human right. Dyani-Mhango shares aspects of the Pan African Scientific Research Council as an institution to bring together African researchers and Africa focussed research. We discuss the lack of women at the top of academic hierarchies and the foundations that female academics are laying to make the journey easier for upcoming women in their fields. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Ntombizozuko (Zozo) Dyani-Mhango, who is a professor in the Department of Jurisprudence, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria and inaugural fellow of the Pan African Scientific Research Council. Prof. Dyani-Mhango describes three critical functions in  her portfolio: teaching, research and academic citizenship. She highlights her research on international criminal justice in Africa, where she considers African Union member states’ obligations for international crimes, the power struggles between the African Union and international criminal court, and South Africa’s obligations to hold perpetrators accountable. We acknowledge the tremendous role that women play in peace, justice and security. We note the need for more women to be more involved in negotiations and occupy leadership positions. Considering the South African context and COVID-19 we unpack some of the challenges faced by students learning online, such as: lack of data, adequate privacy to attend class, and the ability to engage. In light of this point we debate if access to the Internet should be a human right. Prof. Dyani-Mhango shares aspects of the Pan African Scientific Research Council as an institution to bring together African researchers and Africa focussed research. We discuss the lack of women at the top of academic hierarchies and the foundations that female academics are laying to make the journey easier for upcoming women in their fields. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sibongiseni Dlamini-Mntambo.

We discuss feminisation of government services across the globe and increasing the ratio of female to male diplomats.

In part, this trend takes consideration of the changing nature of diplomacy and international relations which now tends to address common global interest issues, such as climate change, human rights and sustainable development.

We consider some of the duties of diplomats and skills needed to perform in this role through a stakeholder management lens, emphasising capabilities of communication, negotiation and influence.

The High Commissioner remarks on some of the achievements during her tenure, which include developing academic collaborations, progressing shared expertise and lifting trade bans on importing South African wine.

We acknowledge the challenges and obstacles that women still need to overcome to rise in their disciplines of choice and remind women to keep opening spaces for other women to reduce gender inequality.

Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s High Commissioner to Canada - Sibongiseni Dlamini-Mntambo. We discuss feminisation of government services across the globe and increasing the ratio of female to male diplomats. In part, this trend takes consideration of the changing nature of diplomacy and international relations which now tends to address common global interest issues, such as climate change, human rights and sustainable development. We consider some of the duties of diplomats and skills needed to perform in this role through a stakeholder management lens, emphasising capabilities of communication, negotiation and influence. The High Commissioner remarks on some of the achievements during her tenure, which include developing academic collaborations, progressing shared expertise and lifting trade bans on importing South African wine. We acknowledge the challenges and obstacles that women still need to overcome to rise in their disciplines of choice and remind women to keep opening spaces for other women to reduce gender inequality.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Member of Parliament, Liezl Van der Merwe from the Inkatha Freedom Party. She serves on several parliament committees, namely: Multi-Party Women's Caucus; Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs; Portfolio Committee on Social Development; Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests. Although there is parity representation of women in most committees, which successfully voice issues relating to women, the real question is are those voices translating to real change for women on the ground? The Department of Social Development’s South African Social Security Agency heavily impacts on women through poverty alleviation programmes. For example in rural areas 70% of households are female headed. We discuss the issue of gender mainstreaming expenditure with respect to fiscal budgets as a tool to accelerate change to benefit women. Van der Merwe cites two examples: the poor rollout of free sanitary pads to girls, which would help ensure their continued education and reduce dropout rates, and the chronic underfunding of women’s shelters, where women and children seek refuge from abuse, which may receive as little as R5 per day per person in contrast to prisons receiving R550 per prisoner, who may be perpetrators of domestic violence.

There is an imbalance in the way that government disburses funds on gender empowerment projects. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament Liezl Van der Merwe from the Inkatha Freedom Party. She serves on several parliament committees, namely: Multi-Party Women's Caucus; Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs; Portfolio Committee on Social Development; Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests. Although there is parity representation of women in most committees, which successfully voice issues relating to women, the real question is are those voices translating to real change for women on the ground? The Department of Social Development’s South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) heavily impacts on women through poverty alleviation programmes. For example in rural areas 70% of households are female headed. We discuss the issue of gender mainstreaming expenditure with respect to fiscal budgets as a tool to accelerate change to benefit women. Ms Van der Merwe cites two examples. Firstly, the poor rollout of free sanitary pads to girls, which would help ensure their continued education and reduce dropout rates. Secondly, the chronic underfunding of women’s shelters, where women and children seek refuge from abuse, which may receive as little as R5 per day per person in contrast to prisons receiving R550 per prisoner, who may be perpetrators of domestic violence. There is an imbalance in the way that government disburses funds on gender empowerment projects. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Member of Parliament, Thandiswa Marawu from the African Transformation Movement. She serves on several parliament commitees, namely: Multi-Party Women's Caucus; Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation; Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; and Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Our conversation raises the issue of consequence management to drive implementation of government mandates. We remark on the negative impact Covid-19 has had on political affairs, particularly when it comes to community engagement, and the regression of employment and poverty alleviation strategies. We also discuss connecting to women in rural areas and ensuring they are empowered with knowledge of their rights and actions to take when these are violated. Marawu also shares her journey into politics, triggered by the injustices of apartheid and undignified treatment of her mother, with the ambition to transform societies and structures for the better. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament Thandiswa Marawu from the African Transformation Movement. She serves on several parliament commitees, namely: Multi-Party Women's Caucus; Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation; Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; and Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Our conversation raises the issue of consequence management to drive implementation of government mandates. We remark on the negative impact Covid-19 has had on political affairs, particularly when it comes to community engagement, and the regression of employment and poverty alleviation strategies. We also discuss connecting to women in rural areas and ensuring they are empowered with knowledge of their rights and actions to take when these are violated. Ms Marawu also shares her journey into politics, triggered by the injustices of apartheid and undignified treatment of her mother, and fuelled by the ambition to transform societies and structures for the better. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Member of Parliament and National Chairperson of Economic Freedom Fighters, Ntombovuyo Veronica Mente. She serves on the Standing Committee of the Auditor General and Standing Committee of Public Accounts. Mente emphasises the importance of not just speaking about issues that affect women, but taking effective action. Pertinent areas requiring attention include gender-based violence, unemployment, lack of empowerment and adequate resources to safeguard women. Whilst government has a responsibility to support institutions that enable and protect women, women cannot be complacent, they must empower themselves and consciously seek out or create opportunities to fulfil their ambitions.

Mente further reflects on growing up under the influence of her fierce feminist of a grandmother, as well as her journey into politics with a core motivation to bring about meaningful change.

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament and National Chairperson of Economic Freedom Fighters, Ntombovuyo Veronica Mente. She serves on the standing committee of the Auditor General and standing committee of Public Accounts. She emphasises the importance of not just speaking about issues that affect women, but taking effective action. Pertinent areas requiring attention include gender based violence, unemployment, lack of empowerment, and adequate resources to safeguard women. Whilst government has a responsibility to support institutions that enable and protect women, women cannot be complacent, they must empower themselves and consciously seek out or create opportunities to fulfil their ambitions. Ms Mente further reflects on growing up under the influence of her fierce feminist of a grandmother, as well as  her journey into politics with a core motivation to bring about meaningful change. Tune in for more…

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In Womanity-Women in Unity this week, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka chats to Member of Parliament (MP), Heloïse Denner from the Freedom Front Plus.

She serves on the Portfolio Committee for Employment and Labour. Denner shares some of the responsibilities associated with being an MP, emphasising oversight of government departments and being able to make a real difference in people’s lives.

We further discuss the high unemployment rate in South Africa, officially at 32.5%, and the slow progress of government as well as current policies to create jobs.

In terms of female empowerment, women need to have adequate access to education and employment. The opportunities that women have today were built off the actions of strong women and men that have gone before us.

Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament,  Heloïse Denner from the Freedom Front Plus. She serves on the portfolio committee for Employment and Labour. She shares some of the responsibilities associated with being a member of parliament, emphasising oversight of government departments and being able to make a real difference in people’s lives. For example, she highlights the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS), which was implemented by the Department of Labour to financially assist employers and workers during the nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, which has paid out in the region of R60billion.  We discuss the high unemployment rate in South Africa, officially at 32.5%, and the slow progress of government as well as current policies to create jobs. In relation to this point, Ms Denner remarks on the fact that the private sector is the greatest employment creator in the country, and stresses the importance of the private sector to stimulating the economy and creating jobs. In terms of female empowerment, women need to have adequate access to education and employment. The opportunities that women have today were built off the actions of strong women and men that have gone before us. Women must stand up, stand together and stand strong. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Member of Parliament, Nazley Sharif, from the Democratic Alliance. She serves on the portfolio committees of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus and Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. Our discussion with her also reflects on Freedom Day, which is commemorated on April 27. The conversation touches on Freedom Day commemorations yet some communities are still discriminated against, for example the oppression of women, which leaves them out of the economic circle. We discuss some of the platforms in parliament that aim to progress women’s agendas, such as the multiparty women’s caucus.

In our discussion on gender-based violence and femicide, we consider how government institutions need to be held to account and fulfil targets that have been set across the entire system. Over 90% of sexual offences in South Africa are committed against women and it is estimated that almost 30% of these crimes go unreported. In the 10 years period (2008-2018) 584 497 sexual offences were reported to the South African Police Services. Listen to Sharif’s views on the issues…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament,  Nazley Sharif from the Democratic Alliance. She serves on the portfolio committees of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus and Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. We open the discussion with a reflection on Freedom Day, which is commemorated on 27th of April, yet some communities are still discriminated against, for example the oppression of women, which leaves them out of the economic circle. We discuss some of the platforms in parliament that aim to progress women’s agendas, such as the multiparty women’s caucus. In our discussion on gender based violence and femicide we consider how government institutions need to be held to account and fulfil targets that have been set across the entire system. Over 90% of sexual offences in South Africa are committed against women and it is estimated that almost 30% of these crimes go unreported. In the 10 year period (2008-2018) 584,497 sexual offences were reported to the South African Police Services. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Elizabeth Makhatha, who is head of the Engineering Metallurgy Department in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg.

Makhatha walks us through her career journey, starting from humble beginnings fueled by dreams, hope and faith to turn her early curiosity into becoming a material scientist. She shares some of the important research projects underway in the department, which have strong practical implications in industry from the automotive sector to the mining industry and health space. She shares some of her views to encourage greater participation of women in STEM subjects. We discuss women in leadership and factors that contribute to equality and female empowerment. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Elizabeth Makhatha, who is head of the Engineering Metallurgy Department in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg. Professor Makhatha walks us through her career journey, starting from humble beginnings fueled by dreams, hope and faith to turn her early curiosity into becoming a material scientist. She shares some of the important research projects underway in the department, which have strong practical implications in industry – from the automotive sector to the mining industry and health space.  She shares some of her views to encourage greater participation of women in STEM subjects. We discuss women in leadership and factors that contribute to equality and female empowerment. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Fiona Tregenna who holds the DST/NRF South African Research Chair in Industrial Development, and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Johannesburg. Tregenna shares how her commitment to social justice stemming from early activism and interest in politics motivated her to pursue her studies in economics with real world implications. The economic domain is a fundamental pillar in productive societies. We discuss aspects of her research, which focusses on structural change, deindustrialisation and industrial development and apply it in the context of the African continent and women’s empowerment. She notes one of the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area through regional and continental integration is building up economies of scale through porous borders. Attaining gender equality requires a multi-pronged approach, which interconnects factors such as: legal, economic, cultural and economics. Tregenna reminds us that structuring of fiscal budgets and prioritizing gender mainstreaming within government departments across local and national spheres is one mechanism that can help accelerate change towards gender equality for faster gains. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Fiona Tregenna who holds the DST/NRF South African Research Chair in Industrial Development, and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Johannesburg. Professor Tregenna shares how her commitment to social justice stemming from early activism and interest in politics motivated her to pursue her studies in economics with real world implications. The economic domain is a fundamental pillar in productive societies. We discuss aspects of Prof. Tregenna’s research, which focusses on structural change, deindustrialisation and industrial development and apply it in the context of the African continent and women’s empowerment. She notes one of the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area through regional and continental integration is building up economies of scale through porous borders. Attaining gender equality requires a multi-pronged approach, which interconnects factors such as: legal, economic, cultural and economics. Prof. Tregenna reminds us that structuring of fiscal budgets and prioritizing gender mainstreaming within government departments across local and national spheres is one mechanism that can help accelerate change towards gender equality for faster gains. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Hanneke Takkenberg, who is Co-Executive Director of the Erasmus Centre for Women and Organisations (ECWO) at Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University. She is also a Clinical Epidemiologist and Professor of Clinical Decision-making in Cardiothoracic Interventions at the Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery in Erasmus University Medical Centre. Additionally, she chairs the Dutch Network for Women Professors board, which consists of a network of over 1 300 women professors and associate professors. We discuss gender stereotyping and the influence this has on perceptions of leaders, which exerts a limiting effect on women’s advancement in the workplace. Some of the research ECWO is undertaking to help empower women to drive their careers forward includes network analysis, aimed to teach women to more effectively navigate both visible and invisible organisational networks; and advocacy and awareness raising, which focuses on listed companies, specifically the composition of boards and representation of women as well as imaging and language utilised by these entities. We also consider other factors that contribute to gender imbalances in organisations, such as hierarchy, remuneration, non-financial benefits, promotion, culture and social safety.

Takkenberg reminds us that women are generally under-represented across the spectrum and to help address this gap colleagues should use opportunities to support and help amplify women’s voices. Here’s her take…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Hanneke Takkenberg, who is co-executive director of the Erasmus Centre for Women and Organisations (ECWO) at Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University. She is also a clinical epidemiologist and professor of clinical decision making in cardiothoracic interventions at the department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery in Erasmus University Medical Center. Additionally, she chairs the Dutch Network for Women Professors (LNVH) board, which consists of a network of over 1300 women professors and associate professors. We discuss gender stereotyping and the influence this has on perceptions of leaders, which exerts a limiting effect on women’s advancement in the workplace. Some of the research ECWO is undertaking to help empower women to drive their careers forwards include i) network analysis – to teach women to more effectively navigate both visible and invisible organisational networks; and ii) advocacy and awareness raising – focussing on listed companies, specifically the composition of boards and representation of women as well as imaging and language utilised by these entities. We also consider other factors that contribute to gender imbalances in organisations, such as hierarchy, remuneration, non-financial benefits, promotion, culture and social safety. Prof. Takkenberg reminds us that women are generally underrepresented across the spectrum and to help address this gap colleagues should use opportunities to support and help amplify women’s voices. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Helena Barnard who heads up the doctoral programme at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science. We consider the importance of building world class research institutions in Africa specifically, as opposed to out-of-continent countries, that focus on understanding business and management in Africa. Business management is a social science and therefore is influenced and shaped by societies with variable cultural contexts. We consider some of the business research projects that have been undertaken by scholars in the continent, for example in Zimbabwe understanding the DNA of firm’s that thrive in spite of turbulent conditions, and in Kenya the challenges experienced by entrepreneurs returning from the diaspora. We highlight the empowering effects of education in the hands of women to develop and advance. In terms of reducing inequality Prof. Barnard reflects on the role of men to support and enable women. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Helena Barnard who heads up the doctoral programme at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science.  We consider the importance of building  world class research institutions in Africa specifically, as opposed to out-of-continent countries, that focus on understanding business and management in Africa. Business management is a social science and therefore is influenced and shaped by societies with variable cultural contexts. We consider some of the business research projects that have been undertaken by scholars in the continent, for example in Zimbabwe understanding the DNA of firms that thrive in spite of turbulent conditions, and in Kenya the challenges experienced by entrepreneurs returning from the diaspora. We highlight the empowering effects of education in the hands of women to develop and advance. In terms of reducing inequality Prof. Barnard reflects on the role of men to support and enable women.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, Barbara Creecy. The Department’s mission is to provide leadership in environmental management, conservation and protection towards sustainability for the benefit of South Africans and the global community. Three core areas that the Department is addressing is biodiversity loss, sustainability and climate change; and unless society changes the way that we exploit our natural resources, human life as we know it is not sustainable. Minister Creecy shares some of the public employment programmes available for women in the restoration of ecosystems, and school outreach programmes designed to encourage girls to pursue science subjects and scientific careers. Minister Creecy reflects on her MEC role in the Gauteng Department of Education which initiated various programmes that radically improved matric performance rates. She emphasises the importance of allowing girls who fall pregnant to resume their schooling and complete their education. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, Barbara Creecy. The Department’s mission is to provide leadership in environmental management, conservation and protection towards sustainability for the benefit of South Africans and the global community. Three core areas that the Department is addressing is biodiversity loss, sustainability and climate change; and unless society changes the way that we exploit our natural resources, human life as we know it is not sustainable. Minister Creecy shares some of the public employment programmes available for women in the restoration of ecosystems, and school outreach programmes designed to encourage girls to pursue science subjects and scientific careers. Minister Creecy reflects on her MEC role in the Gauteng Department of Education which initiated various programmes that radically improved matric performance rates. She emphasises the importance of allowing girls who fall pregnant to resume their schooling and complete their education. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in recognition of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March, today’s series takes us around the world, to hear international voices of ambassadors and high commissioners from different countries that have featured on the show. The theme for International Women’s Day this year, is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. The Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho - Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, who highlights the power of women with respect to building societies by the way they raise their children. The Ambassador of Norway to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar and Lesotho – Dr. Astrid Emilie Helle, shares insights into some characteristics of women leaders and perspectives of the nature of societies that chose women leaders as being nations that are equipped to handle a pandemic. The Ambassador of Mexico to South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauricio, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – Ana Luisa Fajer walks us through highlights from the three main waves of the feminist movement and introduces Mexico’s feminist foreign policy, incidentally the first in Latin America. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in recognition of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March, today’s series takes us around the world, to hear international voices of ambassadors and high commissioners from different countries that have featured on the show. The theme for International Women’s Day this year, is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.  The Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho - Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen, who highlights the power of women with respect to building societies by the way they raise their children. The Ambassador of Norway to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar and Lesotho – Dr. Astrid Emilie Helle, shares insights into some characteristics of women leaders and perspectives of the nature of societies that chose women leaders as being nations that are equipped to handle a pandemic. The Ambassador of Mexico to South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauricio, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – Ana Luisa Fajer walks us through highlights from the three main waves of the feminist movement and introduces Mexico’s feminist foreign policy, incidentally the first in Latin America. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in recognition of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March, today’s series takes us around the world, to hear international voices of ambassadors and high commissioners from different countries that have featured on the show. The theme for International Women’s Day this year, is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. In today’s compilation we hear from the Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of South Africa, Mauritius, Botswana, Kingdom of Lesotho and Zimbabwe - Fionnuala Gilsenan; the Ambassador of Senegal to the SADC region - Safiatou Ndiaye; and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation - Candith Mashego Dlamini. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, in recognition of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on the 8th of March, today’s series takes us around the world, to hear international voices of ambassadors and high commissioners from different countries that have featured on the show. The theme for International Women’s Day this year, is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.  In today’s compilation we hear from the Deputy Minister of International Relations  and Co-operation - Candith Mashego Dlamini; the current Ambassador of Senegal to the SADC region and former Minister of Culture - Safiatou Ndiaye; and the Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of South Africa, Mauritius, Botswana, Kingdom of Lesotho and Zimbabwe - Fionnuala Gilsenan. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini. We discuss the Department’s vision for an African continent that is prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and united and which contributes to a world that is just and equitable. We consider some of the programmes that are in place to support women. We discuss the African Continental Free Trade Area as a flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, to boost intra-Africa trade and enhance Africa’s industrialisation prospects. For example, developing capability to manufacture medical supplies from medication to equipment. We also discuss the development and economic costs of menstruation from the perspective of a) have access to sanitary protection and b) the expense of these items, noting how some markets have made these products exempt from tax, and other countries like New Zealand and Scotland offer these items free of charge. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini. We discuss the Department’s vision for  an African continent that is prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and united and which contributes to a world that is just and equitable. We consider some of the programmes that are in place to support women. We discuss the African Continental Free Trade Area as a flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, to boost intra-Africa trade and enhance Africa’s industrialisation prospects. For example, developing capability to manufacture medical supplies from medication to equipment. We also discuss the development and economic costs of menstruation from the perspective of a) have access to sanitary protection and b) the expense of these items, noting how some markets have made these products exempt from tax, and other countries like New Zealand and Scotland offer these items free of charge. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture - Nocawe Mafu. We discuss the Department’s role in national building and social cohesion. We consider the integrated effects of various government departments working collectively to prevent gender based violence and femicide. Combating gender based violence and promoting women’s empowerment are critical performance areas within the governmental sphere. On a practical level Deputy Minister Mafu considers access to financial, technical training, mentorship and opening spaces in industry for women will contribute to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture - Nocawe Mafu. We discuss the Department’s role in national building and social cohesion. We consider the integrated effects of various government departments working collectively to prevent gender based violence and femicide. Combating gender based violence and promoting women’s empowerment are critical performance areas within the governmental sphere. On a practical level Deputy Minister Mafu considers access to financial, technical training, mentorship and opening spaces in industry for women will contribute to gender equality  and the empowerment of women. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. In the second part of this two part interview the Secretary General reflects on some of the pioneering work she has done to demonstrate the economic cost of domestic violence – extending across the public sector, loss of profitability to businesses, pain, injury and suffering. She emphasizes the importance of sharing lessons learnt, both successes and failures between Commonwealth nations to accelerate development amongst countries. She highlights examples of brilliant female leadership confronting COVID-19. The Secretary General shares some insights into her upbringing, as one of twelve children, born in Dominica, growing up in the East End of London, and rising above the odds to pursue her ambitions; demonstrating that things can and will change if we make them change, and remembering to recognize our individuality and our power to make a difference in this world if we choose to. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. In the second part of this two part interview the Secretary General reflects on some of the pioneering work she has done to demonstrate the economic cost of domestic violence – extending across the public sector, loss of profitability to businesses, pain, injury and suffering.  She emphasizes the importance of sharing lessons learnt, both successes and failures between Commonwealth nations to accelerate development amongst countries. She highlights examples of brilliant female leadership confronting COVID-19. The Secretary General shares some insights into her upbringing, as one of twelve children, born in Dominica, growing up in the East End of London, and rising above the odds to pursue her ambitions; demonstrating that things can and will change if we make them change, and remembering to recognize our individuality and our power to make a difference in this world if we choose to. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. In the first part of this two part interview, the Secretary General provides some context about the Commonwealth, describing it as an association of 54 independent and equal countries, comprising almost a third of the world’s population; emphasising that no country is greater than another and everything is done by consensus. We discuss the Commonwealth’s response to COVID-19 including a virtual platform dubbed the COVID-19 resource centre; its conscious and consistent outlook on women and women’s empowerment. The Commonwealth’s work on and eliminating domestic violence is encapsulated in its No More campaign. Domestic violence affects one in three women around the world and has both social and economic impact. For example, the Seychelles loses US$65million annually to violence against women and girls. Consider the economic opportunities that could be created in every country if violence against women was eliminated? Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Nicky Newton-King, who is the former CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and spent over two decades with the JSE in various positions. She played prominent roles in the transformation and modernisation of the Exchange with respect to gender, race and technology. Diversity should be treated as a competitive advantage, not a scorecard tick. She championed the idea of businesses being socially responsible entities, driving a new consciousness about corporates and how they do business to move towards more conscious capitalism. Leadership brings immense responsibility but also opportunity to direct change; and being at the helm of the JSE, the voice of the regulator is heard more broadly, people listen more intently and respond more readily. More recently, Ms Newton-King has been involved in the WOZA Matrics TV program, which took the initiative to make quality education content freely available to high schoolers in 2020 where the COVID-19 pandemic drastically disrupted the school year. Afterall education is the beginning of anybody’s ability to progress. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology - Professor Sarah Mbi Enow Anyang Agbor. We discuss some of the strategies underway at the African Union to build the Africa we want by facilitating knowledge, building bridges and promoting human capital. Prof. Agbor highlights some of the mechanisms to encourage women’s development and their socio-economic contributions, such as the International Centre for the Education of Women and Girls; the African Women’s Leadership Network, and scholarships that are earmarked for female researchers to advance their discoveries. We remark on the roles of book smart and street smart education to holistically equip women for success. Prof. Agbor shares some of her success drivers – like teamwork, humility, discipline and establishing your personal vision and goals to aspire to. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology - Professor Sarah Mbi Enow Anyang Agbor. We discuss some of the strategies underway at the African Union to build the Africa we want by facilitating knowledge, building bridges and promoting human capital. Prof. Agbor highlights some of the mechanisms to encourage women’s development and their socio-economic contributions, such as the International Centre for the Education of Women and Girls; the African Women’s Leadership Network, and scholarships that are earmarked for female researchers to advance their discoveries. We remark on the roles of book smart and street smart education to holistically equip women for success. Prof. Agbor shares some of her success drivers – like teamwork, humility, discipline and establishing your personal vision and goals to aspire to. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone, Minister Manti Tarawalli who shares how her formative years led her to pursue a life of service and make a difference to the lives of people in Sierre Leone. To accelerate gender equality, we discuss the importance of demonstrating the benefits of gender equality to men, for them to understand that an empowered woman does not mean a disempowered man, it means a better socio-economic community. We also consider the role of women in power and Minister Tarawalli described Sierre Leone’s recently launched gender equality policy as a key milestone to ensure the gender equality doesn’t regress in the country. Part of this policy aims to increase women’s representation in politics to a minimum of 30%, to apply gender budgeting across government institutions and the creation of a fund for women entrepreneurs. Minister Tarawalli reminds us that women need to come together, to speak with one voice and urge their governments to make gender equality a law in order achieve gender equality by 2030. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone, Minister Manti Tarawalli who shares how her formative years led her to pursue a life of service and make a difference to the lives of people in Sierre Leone. To accelerate gender equality, we discuss the importance of demonstrating the benefits of gender equality to men, for them to understand that an empowered woman does not mean a disempowered man, it means a better socio-economic community. We also consider the role of women in power and Minister Tarawalli described Sierra Leone’s recently launched gender equality policy as a key milestone to ensure the gender equality doesn’t regress in the country. Part of this policy aims to increase women’s representation in politics to a minimum of 30%, to apply gender budgeting across government  institutions and the creation of a fund for women entrepreneurs. Minister Tarawalli reminds us that women need to come together, to speak with one voice and urge their governments to make gender equality a law in order achieve gender equality by 2030. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award winning South African actress, director and producer Gina Shmukler, whose work has spanned film, television and theatre; locally and internationally. We discuss some of the milestones in her career, driven in part by mentors who inspired her to succeed in different roles. We consider how personal values and the representation of women influence role choices. Her passion to keep developing her craft is honed through discipline with humility and an aspirational attitude towards her work which sees her pushing herself to constantly deliver more. Additionally, as an educator she nurtures students to be accountable, empowered and confident, with an understanding that they should view the Arts not just as a creative endeavour but as a business too. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award winning South African actress, director and producer Gina Shmukler, whose work has spanned film, television and theatre; locally and internationally. We discuss some of the milestones in her career, driven in part by mentors who inspired her to succeed in different roles. We consider how personal values and the representation of women influence role choices. Her passion to keep developing her craft is honed through discipline with humility and an aspirational attitude towards her work which sees her pushing herself to constantly deliver more. Additionally, as an educator she nurtures students to be accountable, empowered and confident, with an understanding that they should view the Arts not just as a creative endeavour but as a business too. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to reigning Miss SA 2020 Shudufhadzo Musida about the pageant, how it has impacted on her life and some of the responsibilities that come with being Miss SA and serving as an ambassador to her country and continent. We discuss some of the social issues that Shudu is passionate about, encompassing the destigmatization of mental health, food security and empowering women through education. We emphasise the importance of role models, for younger people to aspire to achieve their dreams, whilst recognising someone in their own image has succeeded and thus serves as an example of success. We also note the role of mentorship, of being able to help people navigate their professional journey with a shoulder to support and direct them along the way. Tune in for more…

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, this is our last broadcast of 2020 and we use this show to consider some of the lessons learned as well as inspirations for progress and success, by playing back some impactful segments with guests over the past year. The former Deputy Minister of Defence and former Deputy Minister of Health, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge reminds us about of some of Africa’s formidable women and how South African women on the political front have worked tirelessly to drive equality in the country. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for Africa, explains the transformational impact education played in her life. Staying with the theme of education, Dr. Jane Ongolo, reflects on her determination to get her education, starting with walking 40km from her village to attend school. Today she holds her doctorate in Business Administration and heads up the division on Social Welfare, Vulnerable Groups, Drug Control and Crime Prevention at the African Union Commission. Women continue to gain ground in every sphere of society, however there are still some areas, particularly the corporate arena where women are underrepresented. Dr. Leila Fourie, the CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, shares some of her views about the importance of improving the number of women in decision-making roles. Dr. Elize Esterhuizen, who is responsible for the management of the Trauma Unit and Casuality, including COVID-19 cases at Pelonomi Hospital in the Free State offers a few inspiring words that emphasise the importance of mind over matter. Lastly, Professor Julia Wells Head of the Isikhumbuzo Applied History Unit at Rhodes University closes the show with some words of advice that remind women to think big. Tune in for more…

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, this episode reflects on equality for women through perspectives of past gains, present actions and future intent from guests that have participated in the program this year. Prof Julie Wells (Head of the Isikhumbuzo Applied History Unit at Rhodes University) highlights some of the resistance movements over the last 100 years that emphasise women’s unwavering dedication to the liberation struggle. Legislation has changed the face of women’s rights for the better of womenkind. High Court Judge Thoba Poyo-Dlwati from the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court shares some local examples, such as the Constitutional Court making it possible for women to be appointed as chiefs. High Court Judge Tebogo Djaje from the North West Division of the High Court explains the importance of implementing policies to drive change, and the need for women to develop confidence be hopeful and optimistic that they are capable of achieving their goals. Lastly, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Hlengiwe-Mkhize discusses some of the actions government is undertaking to tackle current issues to drive gender equality. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Leila Fourie, the CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange who is also the Co-Chair of the United Nations Global Investors for Sustainable Development. Dr. Fourie reflects on some of her milestones in relation to contributing to people’s development and changing lives, noting the paths women can take when they are supported and uplifted by other women. She mentioned some of her career highlights, working across multiple geographic jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Russia, Brazil and Argentina to her current role leading the JSE through the COVID-19 pandemic and the future plans for the JSE in relation to growing the organization in a sustainable and inclusive way. We considered that both structural and general changes are required to improve the number of women in corporate decision making roles, emphasising that women must be more bold, more confident and more willing to put themselves forward into positions of power; equally so, company policy plays an important role where gender equality measures should be shared publicly to disclose not only the representation of women in organisations, but address gender pay parity too. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Leila Fourie, the CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange who is also the Co-Chair of the United Nations Global Investors for Sustainable Development. Dr. Fourie reflects on some of her milestones in relation to contributing to people’s development and changing lives, noting the paths women can take when they are supported and uplifted by other women. She mentioned some of her career highlights, working across multiple geographic jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Russia, Brazil and Argentina to her current role leading the JSE through the COVID-19 pandemic and the future plans for the JSE in relation to growing the organization in a sustainable and inclusive way. We considered that both structural and general changes are required to improve the number of women in corporate decision making roles, emphasising that women must be more bold, more confident and more willing to put themselves forward into positions of power;  equally so, company policy plays an important role where gender equality measures should be shared publicly to disclose not only the representation of women in organisations, but address gender pay parity too.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, who is the World Health Organisation’s (WHO)Regional Director for Africa, and is the first woman to hold this appointment. Dr. Moeti reflects on a few of her career milestones which progressively established links between public health, illness and socio-economic status. We discuss universal health coverage as an important objective of the WHO and some of the work that drives this mandate. We consider prominent health concerns affecting women in Africa like maternal mortality, HIV, cervical cancer, obesity, mental health and gender based violence. We emphasise the importance of educating girls and women because of its transformative effects for themselves as individuals, for their families and for their nations’ overall well-being. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, who is the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, and is the first woman to hold this appointment. Dr. Moeti reflects on a few of her career milestones which progressively established links between public health, illness and socio-economic status. We discuss universal health coverage as an important objective of the WHO and some of the work that drives this mandate. We consider prominent health concerns affecting women in Africa like maternal mortality, HIV, cervical cancer, obesity, mental health and gender based violence. We emphasise the importance of educating girls and women because of its transformative effects  for themselves as individuals, for their families and for their nations’ overall well-being. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Busisiwe Mavuso, the CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), an independent association of leaders from South Africa’s largest organisations that strives to build a competitive business environment. We discuss corporate policy as a mechanism to drive the gender agenda and ensure that the environment offers equal opportunities to women. We note the effect that visibility of women in leadership has on accommodating not just the individual’s voice but the voices of other women from similar backgrounds. We remark on the need for women to overcome their fears of inadequacy and imposter syndrome to own their success and achievements. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Financial Services Director – Soula Proxenos (Africa Finance Corporation, First Housing Finance, Women’s Development Investment Holdings etc…). Women’s Development Investment Holdings is a women-led group with a focus on funding and supporting female entrepreneurs to transform South Africa’s business and social landscape by empowering women. It was established in 1991 by Zanele Mbeki, former first lady of South Africa (her husband, Thabo Mbeki served as the second president of South Africa from 1999 to 2008). Our conversation addresses women’s financial empowerment and their long-term view towards financial products that contribute to education and life cover. We note the value of home ownership as a source of equity for wealth creation. We remark on some of the positive effects of legislation to improve the representation of women on boards in South Africa in contrast to other BRICS nations. We consider the roles of women on boards to influence aspects like gender diversity, pay parity and leadership within the organisation itself and associated stakeholders. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Financial Services Director – Soula Proxenos (Africa Finance Corporation, First Housing Finance, Women’s Development Investment Holdings etc…). Women’s Development Investment Holdings is a women-led group with a focus on funding and supporting female entrepreneurs to transform South Africa’s business and social landscape by empowering women. It was established in 1991 by Zanele Mbeki, former first lady of South Africa (her husband, Thabo Mbeki served as the second president of South Africa from 1999 to 2008). Our conversation addresses women’s financial empowerment and their long-term view towards financial products that contribute to education and life cover. We note the value of home ownership as a source of equity for wealth creation. We remark on some of the positive effects of legislation to improve the representation of women on boards in South Africa in contrast to other BRICS nations. We consider the roles of women on boards to influence aspects like gender diversity, pay parity and leadership within the organisation itself and associated stakeholders. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Elize Esterhuizen, who is responsible for the Management of the Trauma Unit and Casualty Department at Pelonomi Hospital in the Free State. We discuss some of the environmental stresses that managing COVID-19 has exerted on working conditions and the physical and emotional impact that managing the disease has had on frontline staff. We discuss education as a foundational asset to develop women and exposure to opportunities in order to help develop their respective career paths, the importance of positive role models and mentorship to guide and support choices. We note some of the attributes of female leadership and highlight women’s capability for multitasking as a key strength. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to CEO – WDB Investment Holdings – Faith Khanyile. WDB is a women-led group with a focus on funding and supporting female entrepreneurs to transform South Africa’s business and social landscape by empowering women. Women in rural areas tend to be the most marginalised in South Africa, so they are a key focus for the group, with the view that by providing credit to women entrepreneurs allows these ladies to start their own businesses thereby uplifting themselves and their families. The WDB Trust is modelled on the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, which was conceptualised by Prof. Muhammad Yunus, under the philosophy that credit is a fundamental human right, with the bank offering loans to people who were too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. WDB has also prioritised women in leadership and the gender pay gap on its gender agenda and drives these initiatives in part through its presence on investment boards and influencing change. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Nomcebo Zikode – who is the songstress and voice behind the massive global hit ‘Jerusalema’, which has sparked the worldwide dance #JerusalemaChallenge. We talk about the making of Jerusalema and how Nomcebo draws on her own life to inspire her lyrics and music. We discuss her career and how she is developing her personal brand and finally seeing many years of hard work materialise into success. We reflect on her early years and determination to succeed. She speaks of the need to stand firm and fight for your dreams by taking action and making the right choices. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Nomcebo Zikode – who is the songstress and voice behind the massive global hit ‘Jerusalema’, which has sparked the worldwide #JerusalemaDanceChallenge. We talk about the making of Jerusalema and how Nomcebo draws on her own life to inspire her lyrics and music. We discuss her career and how she is developing her personal brand and finally seeing many years of hard work materialise into success. We reflect on her early years and determination to succeed. She speaks of the need to stand firm and fight for your dreams by taking action and making the right choices. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to multi-award winning actress Connie Chiume, who was a nurse and a teacher before her acting career launched; her debut role being an international production with performances in Greece and Israel. We reflect on life in South Africa during the 70s and the restrictions she experienced from the apartheid system in comparison to the freedoms she enjoyed in countries that were not her own. We remark on some of the freelancing challenges actors encounter in South Africa, where the entertainment industry is substantially smaller than that of Britain and America, and as a result there are fewer opportunities. We note that the industry is still male dominated, particularly in executive positions and story lines tend to be written by men. We consider the need for greater unity amongst women to exert actions that cohesively transform the industry. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Feroza Motara, who is the Head of Emergency Medicine at Wits University and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Our conversation highlights some of the new realities facing healthcare practitioners in the era of COVID-19, from logistical changes to protecting staff and patients. We consider some of the traits that female leaders have applied to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and other situations; noting characteristics of practicality, empathy and transparency and their tendency to make decisions that are in the best interest of people. We also remark on the duty of female leaders to mentor younger women to help them navigate their respective career paths. We reflect on the need to instil self-worth amongst girls to help them foster the belief that they have the potential to be anything they want. We highlight the value of education in the hands of women to help elevate the socio-economic conditions of themselves and their families. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Feroza Motara, who is the Head of Emergency Medicine at Wits University and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Our conversation highlights some of the new realities facing healthcare practitioners in the era of COVID-19, from logistical changes to protecting staff and patients. We consider some of the traits that female leaders have applied to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and other situations; noting characteristics of practicality, empathy and transparency and their tendency to make decisions that are in the best interest of people.  We also remark on the duty of female leaders to mentor younger women to help them navigate their respective career paths. We reflect on the need to instill self-worth amongst girls to help them foster the belief that they have the potential to be anything they want. We highlight the value of education in the hands of women to help elevate the socio-economic conditions of themselves and their families. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Anita Bosch, who is an associate professor at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa, where she holds the USB Research Chair dedicated to the study of women at work. Our discussion focusses on how to increase the proportion of women on boards and in decision-making roles. We consider aspects that can be undertaken directly by an organisation such as fast-tracking women in the early phase of their career and expanding their recruitment network to appoint qualified women. We look at the role of quotas and voluntary targets, with evidence from Germany, Norway, Spain and Australia. We discuss legislative gaps in the Companies Act and King IV which could be tweaked to improve equality in organisations. We remark on the need for robust consistent monitoring of women in the workplace and the role of the media to encourage companies to be accountable at the risk of reputational damage. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to former Deputy Minister of Defence and Deputy Minister of Health, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, who reflects on some of the influences in her journey to politics, from foundational schooling at Inanda Seminary, whose motto is, ‘Shine where you are’; to her introduction to Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement; to the University of Natal – Black Section – which trained black doctors and was a site of struggle but home to activism. She joined the underground African National Congress in 1979, participated in establishing the Natal Organisation of Women and became its chair. In 1990 she became a member of the executive committee of the Women’s National Coalition and thereafter served as a member of parliament for 15 years. We discuss the progress that has been attained to improve access to equal opportunities for women and the need to keep persisting to achieve transformation and equality. We speak about gender violence with an emphasis on GBV incurred through exploitation in the sex trade, and the work that Ms Madlala-Routledge does through her NGO, Embrace Dignity, to address these issues. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to former Deputy Minister of Defence and Deputy Minister of Health, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, who reflects on some of the influences in her journey to politics, from foundational schooling at Inanda Seminary, whose motto is, ‘Shine where you are’; to her introduction to Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement; to the University of Natal – Black Section – which trained black doctors and was a site of struggle but home to activism. She joined the underground African National Congress in 1979, participated in establishing the Natal Organisation of Women and became its chair. In 1990 she became a member of the executive committee of the Women’s National Coalition and thereafter served as a member of parliament for 15 years. We discuss the progress that has been attained to improve access to equal opportunities for women and the need to keep persisting to achieve transformation and equality. We speak about gender violence with an emphasis on GBV incurred through exploitation in the sex trade, and the work that Ms Madlala-Routledge does through her NGO, Embrace Dignity, to address these issues. Tune in for more…

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This week’s episode of Womanity - Women in Unity is dedicated to the memory of Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa, who sadly passed away two years ago on 22 September 2018. Her memory is a lasting legacy in the fight for gender equality. Our conversation reflects on the progress women have made in South Africa, particularly in the political arena and touches on several elements to promote gender equality in the private sector. This includes the Women’s Charter of 1954, as a guiding strategy, and more recently the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill; the capability of women to unite collectively for causes, irrespective of their political allegiances; extending the role of women in government to support women in the private sector. Looking to the future, we emphasise the numerous opportunities that are now available for women, as a result of past efforts that were undertaken to strive for women’s rights. Tune in for more…

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This week’s episode of Womanity - Women in Unity is dedicated to the memory of Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa, who sadly passed away two years ago on 22 September 2018. Her memory is a lasting legacy in the fight for gender equality. Our conversation reflects on the progress women have made in South Africa, particularly in the political arena and touches on several elements to promote gender equality in the private sector. This includes the Women’s Charter of 1954, as a guiding strategy, and more recently the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill; the capability of women to unite collectively for causes, irrespective of their political allegiances; extending the role of women in government to support women in the private sector. Looking to the future, we emphasise the numerous opportunities that are now available for women, as a result of past efforts that were undertaken to strive for women’s rights. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Julia Wells, who is Associate Professor Emeritus and Head of the Isikhumbuzo Applied History Unit at Rhodes University. Given that we are in heritage month, we reflect on the past and poignant moments for women in South Africa’s history, highlighting some of the resistance movements in 1913, 1930 and 1950s, mentioning Josie Mpama, Helen Joseph and Lilian Ngoyi. Prof.Wells also makes reference to the diplomatic role women played to consolidate warring factions through intermarriage, where the daughter of the losing entity was married to the victor. In these scenarios women formed diplomatic alliances between the two groups, transcending violence and being the peacemakers that built bridges between communities, for example, Queen Noloyiso Sandile of the AmaRharhabe Kingdom. We note that gender discrimination like racial discrimination will not change by superficial means, gender issues extend beyond legal frameworks and thus quotas in various structures be it political or the workplace are needed to enable women to participate in these spaces. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Julia Wells, who is Associate Professor Emeritus and Head of the Isikhumbuzo Applied History Unit at Rhodes University. Given that we are in heritage month, we reflect on the past and poignant moments for women in South Africa’s history, highlighting some of the resistance movements in 1913, 1930 and 1950s, mentioning Josie Mpama, Helen Joseph and Lilian Ngoyi. Prof.Wells also makes reference to the diplomatic role women played to consolidate warring factions through intermarriage, where the daughter of the losing entity was married to the victor. In these scenarios women formed diplomatic alliances between the two groups, transcending violence and being the peacemakers that built bridges between communities, for example, Queen Noloyiso Sandile of the AmaRharhabe Kingdom. We note that gender discrimination like racial discrimination will not change by superficial means, gender issues extend beyond legal frameworks and thus quotas in various structures be it political or the workplace are needed to enable women to participate in these spaces. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nadine Lake, the Director of Gender Studies in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State. We discuss feminism as a theory that challenges normative patriarchal and capitalist societies to reconsider the way that people think about reality and prioritises the voices and lived experiences of women. Multiple traits of feminism have evolved. Some of the applied learnings of a more gender sensitive state has seen narrowing of gender pay gaps, women having the right to work, increasing the number of women in decision making positions and fighting against gender-based violence in a public manner supported by the President of South Africa. The field of gender studies aims to teach students to think about power relations in society and the way that this impacts on our work and domestic environments to challenge inequality in society. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Gillian Drennan, Head of School of Geoscience at WITS University. She is a member of the Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA) and the International Geoscience Education Organization (IGEO) and also serves as Chairperson for the Museum Consultative Committee as well as the Geological Museum Association, Museum Africa. We discuss some of the applications of the earth sciences encompassing fields of geology, mining geology, geochemistry and palaeontology amongst others. Prof. Drennan highlights some of the research the department has embarked on and collaborations with countries like Japan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast, remarking how older technology is being repurposed and put into new contexts as well as identifying new applications for older minerals in our changing world. We discuss the fact that there are more women than men enrolled at undergraduate level to study GeoScience, which is a marked change from when Prof. Drennan undertook her academic studies. We consider how employers can create conducive environments that enable people to reach their full potential and be able to fulfil both their personal and professional goals. We contemplate to transition into a more egalitarian society and considered the role that attitude and culture play in this change. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Lenore Manderson, Distinguished Professor of Public Health and Medical Anthropology in the School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand; she also holds appointments with Brown University, US, and Monash University, Australia. Prof. Manderson unpacks aspects of medical anthropology, such as the social ways in which people experience health and disease. We consider the impact of Covid-19 in this context with particular emphasis on the burden borne by women, noting that women are typically the primary care givers to the young and elderly; where there is home schooling – this task often falls under women’s responsibilities too; on top of these roles women are still have to maintain their day jobs for economic sustenance. We highlight structural reasons for women experiencing discrimination; we speak about the feminism movement in the 70s; and Prof. Manderson shares some of the challenges she overcame during her career and the achievements she has attained. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Lenore Manderson, Distinguished Professor of Public Health and Medical Anthropology in the School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand; she also holds appointments with Brown University, US, and Monash University, Australia. Prof. Manderson unpacks aspects of medical anthropology, such as the social ways in which people experience health and disease. We consider the impact of Covid-19 in this context with particular emphasis on the burden borne by women, noting that women are typically the primary care givers to the young and elderly; where there is home schooling – this task often falls under women’s responsibilities too; on top of these roles women are still have to maintain their day jobs for economic sustenance.  We highlight structural reasons for women experiencing discrimination; we speak about the feminism movement in the 70s; and Prof. Manderson shares some of the challenges she overcame during her career and the achievements she has attained. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities - Hlengiwe Mkhize. Who previously served as Minister of Higher Education and Training; Minister of Home Affairs; Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services; Deputy Minister of Economic Development; Deputy Minister of Higher Education; and Deputy Minister of Correctional Services from May 2009 to November 2010. She is the former Ambassador of South Africa to the Netherlands and she is the former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We discuss her pursuit of the gender equality agenda in the various cabinet positions she occupied. We reflect on important gains women have achieved with respect to health and reproductive rights; access to electricity; and education. We consider how the four key actions, announced by President Ramaphosa in his 2020 Women’s Day speech will materialise. These actions are: 1. To expand access of women to economic opportunities; 2. To support women who operate small or micro businesses, including in the informal sector; 3. To speed up the process of giving women access to productive assets such as land; and 4. To ensure that women are safe from gender-based violence in the workplace. We address the impact of Covid-19 on women revealing social and economic fault lines. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities - Hlengiwe Mkhize. Who previously served as Minister of Higher Education and Training; Minister of Home Affairs; Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services; Deputy Minister of Economic Development; Deputy Minister of Higher Education; and Deputy Minister of Correctional Services from May 2009 to November 2010. She is the former Ambassador of South Africa to the Netherlands and she is the former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  We discuss her pursuit of the gender equality agenda in the various cabinet positions she occupied. We reflect on important gains women have achieved with respect to health and reproductive rights; access to electricity; and education. We consider how the four key actions, announced by President Ramaphosa in his 2020 Women’s Day speech will materialise. These actions are: 1. To expand access of women to economic opportunities; 2. To support women who operate small or micro businesses, including in the informal sector; 3. To speed up the process of giving women access to productive assets such as land; and 4. To ensure that women are safe from gender-based violence in the workplace. We address the impact of Covid-19 on women revealing social and economic fault lines. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of New Zealand to South Africa – Sarah Lee. High Commissioner Lee shares some of the landmarks in her career and work being undertaken in the 12 African countries that fall into her current portfolio; and she emphasises the value of teams and how collective efforts deliver success. We highlight some of the empowerment projects that New Zealand is involved with in Africa, that aim to normalise women’s economic participation in the labour force as well as the idea that women should occupy leadership roles not just support functions. We reflect on some of the characteristics that women bring to leadership, such as good communication, compassion, focus on family, healthcare and welfare. New Zealand has a history of women in prominent positions of leadership and we remark on the positive role modelling effect this has for girls and women, encouraging them to be bold and ambitious, and we acknowledge that there are different ways of leading and different ways of following. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of New Zealand to South Africa – Sarah Lee. High Commissioner Lee shares some of the landmarks in her career and work being undertaken in the 12 African countries that fall into her current portfolio; and she emphasises the value of teams and how collective efforts deliver success. We highlight some of the empowerment projects that New Zealand is involved with in Africa, that aim to normalise women’s economic participation in the labour force as well as the idea that women should occupy leadership roles not just support functions. We reflect on some of the characteristics that women bring to leadership, such as good communication, compassion focus on family, healthcare and welfare. New Zealand has a history of women in prominent positions of leadership  and we remark on the positive role modelling effect this has for girls and women, encouraging them to be bold and ambitious, and we acknowledge that there are different ways of leading and different ways of following. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Segopotje Sheila Mphahlele – from the Mpumalanga division of the High Court. We reflect on strategies that reduce gender bias in recruitment processes, such as the inclusion of women on selection panels. Judge Mphahlele reflects on former International Development Law Organisation’s Director-General Irene Khan statement, “The quality of justice for women improves when women are not only consumers of justice, but also providers of justice”, and the need to increase the number of female judges in South Africa. In our discussion about gender equality Judge Mphahlele considers the influencing effects that parents have on shaping children’s attitudes of women and men and through a paradigm shift that focuses on both girls and boys to help evolve society towards a more egalitarian one. We consider education as an enabler and Judge Mphahlele goes further to describe it as a liberator, which frees women from being dependent on others, and potentially remaining in abusive relationships because they lack the means to stand on their own. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Segopotje Sheila Mphahlele – from the Mpumalanga division of the High Court. We reflect on strategies that reduce gender bias in recruitment processes, such as the inclusion of women on selection panels. Judge Mphahlele reflects on former International Development Law Organisation’s Director-General Irene Khan statement, “The quality of justice for women improves when women are not only consumers of justice, but also providers of justice”, and the need to increase the number of female judges in South Africa. In our discussion about gender equality Judge Mphahlele considers the influencing effects that parents have on shaping children’s attitudes of women and men and through a paradigm shift that focuses on both girls and boys to help evolve society towards a more egalitarian one. We consider education as an enabler and Judge Mphahlele goes further to describe it as a liberator, which frees women from being dependent on others, and potentially remaining in abusive relationships because they lack the means to stand on their own. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Thoba Poyo-Dlwati – from the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. Judge Poyo-Dlwati shares key landmarks in her career and her involvement with various legal associations that aim to increase the representation of women and their advancement in justice institutions. We also discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on transforming ways of working in the legal system. In light of national women’s month this year, which is celebrated under the theme, “Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future” Judge Poyo-Dlwati reflects on some of the recent equality gains women have attained and considers what needs to be done to accelerate equality for women. Judge Poyo-Dlwati considers how, “women can have it all”, with the relevant support structures and equitable distribution of family responsibilities between parents. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge Thoba Poyo-Dlwati – from the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. Judge Poyo-Dlwati shares key landmarks in her career and her involvement with various legal associations that aim to increase the representation of women and their advancement in justice institutions. We also discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on transforming ways of working in the legal system. In light of national women’s month this year, which is celebrated under the theme, “Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future” Judge Poyo-Dlwati reflects on some of the recent equality gains women have attained and considers what needs to be done to accelerate equality for women.  Judge Poyo-Dlwati considers how, “women can have it all”, with the relevant support structures and equitable distribution of family responsibilities between parents. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to permanent High Court Judge Tebogo Djaje – from the North West division of the High Court. Judge Djaje shares her journey to the judiciary and rising through the ranks to the bench. She relays some of her experiences presiding over sexual offences, highlighting the effects of victim trauma and various support structures in place to assist witnesses. We discuss the role of institutions like the South African Women Lawyers Association and initiatives like Take a Girl Child to Work to create space to ensure there is participation of women across all spheres of society, and encourage girls and women to pursue the road less travelled – challenges bring opportunity. We reflect on skills that working mothers use to juggle the demands of family and career, citing time management as an effective tool. Judge Djaje considers that with hope and confidence women can achieve and do it all. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to permanent High Court Judge Tebogo Djaje – from the North West division of the High Court. Judge Djaje shares her journey to the judiciary and rising through the ranks to the bench. She relays some of her experiences presiding over sexual offences, highlighting the effects of victim trauma and various support structures in place to assist witnesses. We discuss the role of institutions like the South African Women Lawyers Association and initiatives like Take a Girl Child to Work to create space to ensure there is participation of women across all spheres of society, and encourage girls and women to pursue the road less travelled – challenges bring opportunity. We reflect on skills that working mothers use to juggle the demands of family and career, citing time management as an effective tool. Judge Djaje considers that with hope and confidence women can achieve and do it all. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge - Mokgere Masipa of the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. We discuss some of her motivations for entering the legal profession, which included witnessing first-hand injustices of the maintenance courts as a child. We address some of the success factors that have contributed to her career, such as pursuing her dream, collegiality, sacrifice and a support family. Judge Masipa shares a few of her significant cases which impact on education rights and rape offences. In terms of trying to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence, Judge Masipa considers the need to actively educate society and direct behavioural change by introducing a gender sensitive curriculum at schools, establishing user-friendly community centres with appropriately skilled personnel and adequate training for first-responders, like police, to professionally attend to GBV cases. We consider the challenge of sexism that women face in the work place and urge them to confront this issue, utilising legislation that has been designed to combat discrimination. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge – Mokgere Masipa of the KwaZulu Natal division of the High Court. We discuss some of her motivations for entering the legal profession, which included witnessing first-hand injustices of the maintenance courts as a child. We address some of the success factors that have contributed to her career, such as pursuing her dream, collegiality, sacrifice and a supportive family. Judge Masipa shares a few of her significant cases which impacted on education rights and rape offences.  In terms of trying to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence, Judge Masipa considers the need to actively educate society and direct behavioural change by introducing a gender sensitive curriculum at schools, establishing user-friendly community centres with appropriately skilled personnel and adequate training for first-responders, like police, to professionally attend to GBV cases.  We consider the challenge of sexism that women face in the work place and urge them to confront this issue, utilising legislation that has been designed to combat discrimination. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to High Court Judge - Anna Maleshane Kgoele of the Mpumalanga division of the High Court, who formerly served as president of the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges. She shares some career milestones and reflects on a few memorable cases. We look at some of the initiatives that promote women in the judiciary and emphasise the work that the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges focuses on, such as capability building through various programmes. Looking towards bettering the future for women, Judge Kgoele considers several elements are necessary, namely: increasing the presence of female leadership across public and private sectors, promoting solidarity amongst women, building strong alliances between women and their male counterparts, encouraging women to be ambitious and ascend the ladder of whatever profession they chose to enter. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tess van der Merwe who is a Professor and Researcher in the Department of Endocrinology, University of Pretoria; CEO of the 11 Centres for Metabolic Medicine and Surgery of South Africa CEMMS(SA). She is the Africa consultant for the International Association for the Study of Obesity; Chair of the South African Society for Obesity Metabolism (SASSO) and has served this organisation for more than 25 years; and she currently serves on the Scientific Board of the International Federation for Surgical Obesity. She highlights the fact that two out of every three women in South Africa is clinically overweight or obese, which places South Africa fifth highest level in the world in terms of obesity rankings and the heaviest in sub-Sahara Africa. Obesity is a multifactorial disease and the prevalence in women is combination of environmental and personal factors. There is a need to shift thinking about obesity from a lifestyle disease to a disease in its own right that contributes to several chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and cancer. We compare gender equality attitudes in South Africa and Sweden (an egalitarian society), where gender blindness in Sweden provides equal opportunities for women in comparison to the immature attitudes some sectors of South African soceity tends to have regarding women that limit their development. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Tess van der Merwe who is a Professor and Researcher in the Department of Endocrinology, University of Pretoria;  CEO of the 11 Centres for Metabolic Medicine and Surgery of South Africa CEMMS(SA). She is the Africa consultant for the International Association for the Study of Obesity; Chair of the South African Society for Obesity Metabolism (SASSO) and has served this organisation for more than 25 years; and she currently serves on the Scientific Board of the International Federation for Surgical Obesity. She highlights the fact that two out of every three women in South Africa is clinically overweight or obese, which places South Africa fifth highest level in the world in terms of obesity rankings and the heaviest in sub-Sahara Africa. Obesity is a multifactorial disease and the prevalence in women is combination of environmental and personal factors. There is a need to shift thinking about obesity from a lifestyle disease to a disease in its own right that contributes to several chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and cancer. We compare gender equality attitudes in South Africa and Sweden (an egalitarian society), where gender blindness in Sweden provides equal opportunities for women in comparison to the immature attitudes some sectors of  South African society tends to have regarding women that limit their development. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Jeannette Parkes, who heads up the Department of Radiation Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. She highlights some of the dynamics of the multidisciplinary network that is applied to oncology treatments and some of the projects that the institutions are involved with to deliver cutting edge solutions. We consider some interventions to promote staff retention in the state sector which serves more than 85% of the population. We discuss role modelling and mentoring as positive methods to nurture and develop women in their career paths. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Lizle Oosthuizen, who is a registered specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist practising at Cape Fertility in Claremont Cape Town as a fellow in Reproductive Medicine. Given that June is World Infertility Awareness month our conversation highlights some of the factors that contribute to infertility. Lifestyle vectors that impact on the likelihood of successful conception include being overweight, unmanaged stress levels, smoking and ageing.  We address egg freezing or cryo preservation as one option for women to bank their eggs for the future, in the event that they want to delay starting a family, thus creating choice for women as they manage their careers and partnerships. Dr Oosthuizen reflects on some of the milestones in her career such as turning around a labour ward in a rural Eastern Cape hospital to the point of zero maternal mortalities and using intuition to creatively find solutions in situations of limited resources. We remark that women need to continue to educate themselves, expand their horizons and learn about the multitude of career possibilities. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Lizle Oosthuizen, who is a registered specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist practising at Cape Fertility in Claremont Cape Town as a fellow in Reproductive Medicine. Given that June is World Infertility Awareness month our conversation highlights some of the factors that contribute to infertility. Lifestyle vectors that impact on the likelihood of successful conception include being overweight, unmanaged stress levels, smoking and ageing. We address egg freezing or cryo preservation as one option for women to bank their eggs for the future, in the event that they want to delay starting a family, thus creating choice for women as they manage their careers and partnerships. Dr Oosthuizen reflects on some of the milestones in her career such as turning around a labour ward in a rural Eastern Cape hospital to the point of zero maternal mortalities and using intuition to creatively find solutions in situations of limited resources. We remark that women need to continue to educate themselves, expand their horizons and learn about the multitude of career possibilities. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award winning singer and songwriter Riana Nel. She shares some of the lessons learned along her almost two decade career in the entertainment industry, extending from traditional operations through to being a coach on the talent reality TV show The Voice and seeking new opportunities brought about by the challenges of COVID-19; which has included writing 106 songs for the members of the public in just 7 weeks. We consider the influencing effect that musicians exert on their audiences and correspondingly the importance of musicians using their platforms responsibility. Riana reflects on her choices to lift people up, and as a lasting legacy to help blow the in wind into women’s sails so they may soar to greater heights. We also reflect on the need to create awareness about gender-based violence issues, including sex trafficking and caution young women against predatory practices. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Brigadier-General Winnie Ntombizodwa Zini-Bobelo. Brigadier-General Bobelo shares a few of the landmarks in her career with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Some of these milestones have exerted a positive impact on the lives of women: such as role modelling and mentoring women to aspire for leadership roles in SANDF; addressing women as peacekeepers; and correspondingly their work in post conflict management and protection of women. She highlights some of the peacekeeping functions undertaken by SANDF in different countries in Africa, such as Burundi, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. Looking to the future of women and reflecting on her own experiences, Brigadier-General Bobelo notes the importance of gaining knowledge through education, developing confidence, evolving risk-taking skills, wholeheartedly embracing opportunities that present themselves and digital transformation. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award winning actress Katlego Danke. We reflect on some of the memorable characters she has portrayed in productions, as well as her choices to tell the stories of strong black women and in doing so demonstrate what women can do for themselves and what women can do for other women - especially those in positions of power. We note the pervasiveness of media as a tool to exert constructive as well as negative impact, and the importance of using these platforms responsibly. We consider some of the changes that are underway at production houses, citing DSTV as a shining example that is consciously uplifting women through particular productions, which is positively influencing the type of work available to women and the gender pay scale. We highlight the importance of education to hone career skills, especially amongst young women. We also note the need to include men in women’s ongoing challenges of attaining equality. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of the United States of America to South Africa - Lana Marks. We discuss the Ambassador's multifaceted career; traversing sport, business and the diplomatic corps. We reflect on some of the programs the US mission has developed to empower women, as well as its forthcoming summit for women in 2021. Ambassador Marks shares some of her drivers for success, highlighting the self-belief to trust in one's own abilities and practicing effective communication.   We consider women in leadership and female attributes that contribute to their success, reflecting on several female heads of state notably Jacinda Ardern, Sanna Marin, Angela Merkel and Tsai Ing-wen who have curtailed the spread of COVID-19 in their respective countries. Despite the evidence of successful female leaders, women are still significantly underrepresented in leadership roles. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and member of parliament Ms Faith Muthambi, who previously served as Minister of Communications, and Minister of Public Service and Administration. We discuss the role that the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs plays with respect to disaster management during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa; highlighting two recent examples that require the portfolio committee’s oversight, specifically a R20billion relief package to distressed municipalities and effective communication to people living in rural areas to avoid misinformation about the coronavirus and the risk of stigmatization. We note that several female headed countries have successfully limited the spread of COVID-19, such as New Zealand, Finland, Germany and Taiwan, and remark on the value of female management characteristics in periods of crisis. We also discuss women in leadership on a more localised level, such as in communities and in the home. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and member of parliament Ms Faith Muthambi, who previously served as Minister of Communications, and Minister of Public Service and Administration. We discuss the role that the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs plays with respect to disaster management during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa; highlighting two recent examples that require the portfolio committee’s oversight, specifically a R20billion relief package to distressed municipalities and effective communication to people living in rural areas to avoid misinformation about the coronavirus and the risk of stigmatization. We note that several female headed countries have successfully limited the spread of COVID-19, such as New Zealand, Finland, Germany and Taiwan, and remark on the value of female management characteristics in periods of crisis.  We also discuss women in leadership on a more localised level, such as in communities and in the home. Tune in for more…

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Due to South Africa’s nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, this week we will be running a re-broadcast of our previous show with the former Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, who is currently serving as South Africa’s Minister of Social Development. This week we are joined by Lindiwe Zulu, South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development. Our conversation reflects the Department’s priority targets of youth, people with disabilities and women (in particular) for small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), and the need to create environments for SMMEs to thrive through skills development, financial support and markets for these operations. We emphasise the importance of educating women to endow them with the requisite skills to contribute meaningfully to all sectors of the South African economy. We recognise that today women have many more opportunities than their predecessors did, but to take full advantage of these benefits requires effective planning. Tune in for more…

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Due to South Africa’s nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, this week we will be running a re-broadcast of our previous show with the former Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, who is currently serving as South Africa’s Minister of Social Develoment. This week we are joined by Lindiwe Zulu, South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development. Our conversation reflects the Department’s priority targets of youth, people with disabilities and women (in particular) for small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), and the need to create environments for SMMEs to thrive through skills development, financial support and markets for these operations. We emphasise the importance of educating women to endow them with the requisite skills to contribute meaningfully to all sectors of the South African economy. We recognise that today women have many more opportunities than their predecessors did, but to take full advantage of these benefits requires effective planning. Tune in for more…

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Due to South Africa’s nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, this week we will be running a re-broadcast of our previous show with the former Chairperson of the African Union Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is currently serving as South Africa’s Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. We spoke to Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on key outcomes of the summit 25th AU Summit, under the theme "Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa's Agenda 2063" : the transformation efforts underway to better enable women working in agriculture; emphasising the need to deliver on gender quotas across the board to move towards 50:50 parity; the launch of the African Union Foundation; and the plans underway for the African Union to become self-reliant. Additionally, we address women in leadership, overcoming patriarchy and eradicating poverty through education. Tune in for more…

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Due to South Africa’s nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, this week we will be running a re-broadcast of our previous show with Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, as well as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, and Vice-President of Namibia’s ruling party SWAPO. We retrace some of the steps in her enduring political career. We discuss the liberation movement in Namibia and its strategic focus areas post independence, on education, health, housing and agriculture. The Deputy Prime Minister shares some of the inroads that Namibia has made regarding women’s rights and their empowerment, including the national gender policy, pay parity and holding leadership positions across the public and private spectrum. We remark on the need to change stereotypical attitudes about gender roles to alter perceptions of women’s capabilities. The Deputy Prime Minister reminds us that the future is female. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Amy Niang, from the School of International Relations at the University of the Witwatersrand. Professor Niang is a political scientist with an interest in the history of state formation and related ideas of sovereignty, statehood, community and order. We discuss some aspects of her research and the School’s goal to develop its students teaching concepts like cosmopolitism and multilateralism. We debate mechanisms to accelerate gender equality, highlighting legislative instruments and note that many activists tend to be female. We remark on the importance of mentoring young women to aid their advancement. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Pan African Parliament member and Member of Parliament of Uganda, Jacqueline Amongin. Her portfolio with the Pan African Parliament Committee encompasses agriculture and the youth caucus and as a member of the Parliament in Uganda she focusses on Public Accounts. Some of her focal areas in relation to women address parity of land ownership and youth development. Additionally, she established the Jacqueline Amongin Development Foundation, which aims to empower women with vocational skills, such as animal husbandry to rear goats and poultry products. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the African Union Commission’s Head of Social Welfare – Dr. Jane Ongolo. Her portfolio encompasses children’s rights, human rights, governance, social protection, drug prevention and crime prevention. We raise issues of female genital mutilation and child marriage as gross acts of gender-based violence. We discuss education as an important equalizer in terms of gender equality and Dr Ongoglo narrates her personal story of education, which she attributes to her success. She was the first girl from her village to go to school, every term she walked, with her belongings, 60km to and from school. Her core takeout from the Pan African Parliament, which was held under the African Union’s theme for 2020: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”, concerned mechanisms to combat child exploitation, particularly girls. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Pan African Parliament member and Member of Parliament of The Gambia, Fatou Jawara. In The Gambia she serves on the following committees: gender, health, women, children, disaster, humanitarian relief, defence and security, as well as the independent electoral commission’s ombudsman. Some of her focal areas in relation to women encompass: supporting female farmers, striving for gender parity, increasing the representation of women across the spectrum – targeting 30%, and overcoming outdated thinking that relegates women to care giving roles. She narrates some of her challenges in The Gambia’s political struggle which included imprisonment, torture and intimidation. A few of her takeouts from the Pan African Parliament, which was held under the African Union’s theme for 2020: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”, are to grow her knowledge base and implement procedures and sensitisation methods to combat issues raised by the conference. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Pan African Parliament member and Member of Parliament of The Gambia, Fatou Jawara. In The Gambia she serves on the following committees: gender, health, women, children, disaster, humanitarian relief, defence and security, as well as the independent electoral commission’s ombudsman. Some of her focal areas in relation to women encompass: supporting female farmers, striving for gender parity, increasing the representation of women across the spectrum – targeting 30%, and overcoming outdated thinking that relegates women to care giving roles. She narrates some of her challenges in The Gambia’s political struggle which included imprisonment, torture and intimidation. A few of her takeouts from the Pan African Parliament, which was held under the African Union’s theme for 2020: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”, are to grow her knowledge base and implement procedures and sensitisation methods to combat issues raised by the conference. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Pan African Parliament member and Member of Parliament of The Gambia, Fatou K. Jawara. In The Gambia she serves on the following committees: gender, health, women, children, disaster, humanitarian relief, defence and security, as well as the independent electoral commission’s ombudsman.  Some of her focal areas in relation to women encompass: supporting female farmers, striving for gender parity, increasing the representation of women across the spectrum – targeting 30%, and overcoming outdated thinking that relegates women to care giving roles.  She narrates some of her challenges in The Gambia’s political struggle which included imprisonment, torture and intimidation.  

A few of her takeouts from the Pan African Parliament, which was held under the African Union’s theme for 2020: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”, are to grow her knowledge base and implement procedures and sensitisation methods to combat issues raised by the conference.  Tune in for more…

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This week’s episode of Womanity – Women in Unity, is dedicated to the March Sitting of the Permanent Committees of the fifth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament which will takes place from 27 February to 07 March 2020 at the Gallagher Estate (Midrand) South Africa. These sittings will be held under the African Union’s theme for 2020: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development.” Next week we will hear from country representatives at the Pan African Parliament about key takeouts from some of the committee sittings. For this reason, we celebrate the success of two exemplary female pilots who broke every glass ceiling possible, from flying Boeing 747-400s, to flying all female crewed flights, even serving as Nelson Mandela’s personal pilot. Tune in for more…

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This week’s episode of Womanity – Women in Unity, is dedicated to the March Sitting of the Permanent Committees of the fifth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament which will takes place from 27 February to 07 March 2020 at the Gallagher Estate (Midrand) South Africa. These sittings will be held under the African Union’s theme for 2020: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development.” Next week we will hear from country representatives at the Pan African Parliament about key takeouts from some of the committee sittings.  For this reason, we celebrate the success of two exemplary female pilots who broke every glass ceiling possible, from flying Boeing 747-400s, to flying all female crewed flights, even serving as Nelson Mandela’s personal pilot.  Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the captain of the South African National Women’s Football Team Janine van Wyk, who is the country’s most capped player (male or female). She has represented South Africa in two Olympics, as well as qualifying the national team’s debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. We discuss some of her career highlights as a player and driving the development of women’s football to evolve the sport, to make it more accessible for girls to play in a comfortable environment. To develop international success as a player we note the role of support structures, coaches and role models to bring out the best in an athlete. As a leader, Janine applies her enthusiasm for the game and social capital to build trust and invest into relationships with the team to guide them through strengths and weaknessES to optimise collective performance. Janine is conscious about giving back to the game from establishing her own women’s football club, Janine Van Wyk Football Club, to help girls develop their game and become the next rising stars of Banyana Banyana to promoting the recently formed Women’s National Football League. Additionally, to help grow women’s football in South Africa, a combination of greater corporate sponsorship support, the creation of soccer academies for girls to nurture talent and exposure of women’s football for public awareness. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Chairperson of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus Portfolio Committee and member of parliament, Ms Nkhensani Bilankulu. The conversation includes the role of the committee as a body where women parliamentarians champion gender equality inside and outside parliament across racial and party lines, to serve as an advisory structure that represents the interests and concerns of women. We highlight some of the developments in the committee’s core focus areas of: Decriminalization of Sex Work; Women in Politics; Sanitary Dignity; Gender Based Violence and Femicide; Strengthening of the National Gender Machinery; the Re- introduction of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB); Building Relations with Stakeholders; and Women and Health. We consider some of the gaps in these areas and how to close them. We discuss formal education to help advance women in the workplace and social education throughout communities to transform societal behaviour towards a more egalitarian society; and reflect on the responsibility that citizens have to one another to be the change they wish to see. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Chairperson of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus Portfolio Committee and member of parliament, Ms Nkhensani Bilankulu. The conversation includes the role of the committee as a body where women parliamentarians champion gender equality inside and outside parliament across racial and party lines, to serve as an advisory structure that represents the interests and concerns of women. We highlight some of the developments in the committee’s core focus areas of: Decriminalization of Sex Work; Women in Politics; Sanitary Dignity; Gender Based Violence and Femicide; Strengthening of the National Gender Machinery; the Re- introduction of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB); Building Relations with Stakeholders; and Women and Health. We consider some of the gaps in these areas and how to close them.  We discuss formal education to help advance women in the workplace and social education throughout communities to transform societal behaviour towards a more egalitarian society; and reflect on the responsibility that citizens have to one another to be the change they wish to see. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ultramarathon Champion Gerda Steyn, who currently holds the titles to the Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans Marathon. We discuss her tremendous success in a relatively nascent career of just six years and her vision for the future as she prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She shares her journey from quantity surveyor to professional athlete, including the transformation of her microcosm to optimise performance on the road. We discuss some of the dynamics of running, such as the team aspect of the sport, physical endurance and importantly mental strength – as the mind controls the body. Gerda reflects on the history of competitive marathon running for women, explaining that women were barred, because of the perception that they were physically not capable of running long distances. In 1967 Katherine Switzer triggered an equality movement through her official entry to the Boston Marathon and completion of the event despite attempts to haul her off the track. Today female marathon runners are free to nurture their talent competitively, they earn equal prize money to their male counterparts and now receive equal exposure from broadcasters. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to General Riah Phiyega, who was the former National Commissioner of the South African Police Services and currently serves as CEO of the Safer South Africa Foundation. We discuss the role of the foundation with respect to civil rights and community involvement in crime prevention management with a focus on youth programmes that cut across the criminal justice stakeholder value chain, as well as the longitudinal value of these interventions on the country’s social fabric. We consider the responsibility of women as primary care givers to deter criminal behaviour, to socialise children against gender based violence and foster respect for girls and women. Our conversation regarding women in leadership touches on some of qualities women bring to the table, such as compassion for effective outcomes, and examines the role of the South African Chapter of the International Women’s Forum to advance women’s leadership across careers, cultures and continents. We emphasise the duty of pathfinders to dispense their wisdom to path-followers that rise behind them. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to member of parliament and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Public Works and Infrastructure – Nolitha Ntobongwana. We discuss the oversight and governance role of the portfolio committee that she chairs, and some of the challenges regarding implementation of budget items and accountable delivery. We reflect on the role of the African National Congress’s Women’s League to prioritize issues that affect all women. In terms of female economic empowerment we raise concerns that women, although possessing requisite capability for positions, still tend to be overlooked for roles, in favour of men. We highlight the scourge of gender based violence, and Ms Ntobongwana suggests solutions, in part, lie with men, as perpetrators of GBV, changing their perspectives of women, and for women as primary child rearers to socialise boys and girls to adopt egalitarian values and regarding one another as equals. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the High Commissioner of Australia to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola and Eswatini. We discuss some of the landmarks in her career, the enduring links between Australia and South Africa and mutual investment interests. High Commissioner Kamath highlights some of the gender focal priorities of the Australian Government’s Aid Programme with 80% of aid investment addressing gender issues and their implementation, as such they invest in enhancing women’s voice in decision making, women’s economic empowerment, and ending violence against women and girls. We discuss some of Australia’s creative mechanisms to promote gender equality and get women to participate meaningfully through initiatives like male champions of change to the panel pledge. High Commissioner Kamath also shares personal journey as a migrant, the role of education, the resilience of her mother and grandmother as powerful role model and reminds women to support one another – always. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga. We discuss the Department’s work under the Batho Pele philosophy, with respect to setting norms and standards for government departments to best serve citizens and the governance thereof. We also speak about the Department’s role in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), from the perspective of South Africa being one of the co-founding countries of APRM and taking over its chair-ship in 2020. We emphasise APRM as tool to build on the knowledge of others to accelerate development. We also unpack some of the cultural dynamics that perpetuate gender-based violence in communities. We address women’s empowerment, with a focus on education and access to resources as strategic enablers, and if integrated effectively, by working together we will leave no woman behind. Tune in for more…

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Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, this is our first broadcast of the new year and we use this show to reflect on some of the lessons learned as well as inspirations for progress and success, by playing back some impactful segments with guests over the past year. The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations United Nations Ms Amina Mohammed shares her humble beginnings in Nigeria which paved the way for her future in New York. The former Vice President and Minister of Women Affairs from the Gambia, Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, reflects on the importance of having a vision to fulfill, advocating lifelong learning to remain relevant. South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, reflects on gender quotas as instruments to progress equality. South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Nomalungelo Gina, appeals to women to unite for success. South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour; Ms Boitumelo Elizabeth Moloi encourages women to reach for the stars and take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. Professor Sehaam Khan, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Johannesburg, stresses building good character and self-awareness as traits for success. Professor Ingrid Woolard the Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at Stellenbosch University, reminds us that Superwoman is a myth, women can have it all, just not at the same time. The Ambassador of Norway, Dr. Astrid Emilie Helle, reminds us to be proud of who we are, embrace our uniqueness and look out for the women around us. Miss Fionnuala Gilsenan, the Ambassador of Ireland, implores women not to get in their own way of success, Finally the European Union Ambassador to South Africa Dr. Riina Kionka talks about being prepared and being flexible for new opportunities and building networks. Happy New Year! Tune in for more…

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We dedicate our last programme of 2019, to celebrate the success of Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi winning the title of Miss Universe 2019 by re-broadcasting our conversation from earlier in the year. Zozibini brings a message of resilience, of being proudly African, shining a light on a different kind of African beauty and representing women, not just from South Africa but the continent too.  Congratulations, Zozi, Miss Universe, we are all proud of you. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the European Union Ambassador to South Africa Dr. Riina Kionka. We discuss some of the European Union’s priorities, with an emphasis on digital as an enabler and sustainable development - the green deal. Ambassador Kionka speaks about the evolving narrative between the EU commission and Africa towards a relationship partnership for the mutual benefit of both regions. We consider women in leadership and the positive direct and indirect impact they have on other women as role models. We reflect on several mechanisms to attain gender parity, such as target setting and including women on recruitment selection panels to compensate or overcome human biases. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the European Union Ambassador to South Africa Dr. Riina Kionka. We discuss some of the European Union’s priorities, with an emphasis on digital as an enabler and sustainable development - the green deal. Ambassador Kionka speaks about the evolving narrative between the EU commission and Africa towards a relationship partnership for the mutual benefit of both regions. We consider women in leadership and the positive direct and indirect impact they have on other women as role models. We reflect on several mechanisms to attain gender parity, such as target setting and including women on recruitment selection panels to compensate or overcome human biases. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Ireland to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Mauritius - Fionnuala Gilsenan. We discuss some of her former diplomatic roles in East Timor, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Our conversation touches on potential points of knowledge exchange between Ireland and South Africa, with a focal point on women, in areas of peace and security, gender-based violence, education and economics. We consider women in leadership, and note the positive role-model effects that Ireland’s first female president, Mary Robinson, had on women, not just with political aspirations but with ambitions to succeed in other sectors. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development - Thoko Didiza. We discuss some of the dynamics of agriculture, encompassing the spectrum of subsistence to commercial farming, although the various constituencies are positioned at different levels they all require support mechanisms in the form of technology reform, financial backing, market facilitation and access. Minister Didiza mentions an emphasis on enabling rural communities, especially women, to turn their assets, like goats and cattle, into revenue generators i.e. milk, cheese and meat production. We discuss disproportionate land ownership, favouring men over women, and the fact that women’s relationship to land tends to be through men. Minister Didiza shares some aspects her recent appointment to chair the African Union’s Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, which partly entails leveraging expertise of the continent to deal with matters affecting these domains in an integrated best practice approach. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South African actress, presenter and producer – Zakeeya Patel. We discuss the art of storytelling and its power to move people. Zakeeya shares some of her career highlights and being able to realise her ambition to participate in the world’s biggest entertainment industry, Hollywood. We talk about her long-term goals to be able to tell stories by women, about women, for women. We address positive changes that have been introduced into the television and film sector to protect women from harassment. We reflect on education and financial security as key empowerment tools for women to own their futures, their voices and their stories. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the former Vice President and Minister of Women of The Gambia - Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang. Our conversation encompasses women in politics, business and leadership. We emphasise opening spaces for women to participate in mainstream economies, for example, through implementing the African continental trade agreement and deriving benefits such as access to resources, capacity building and support for their enterprises, which in turn enables them to contribute more meaningfully in their local communities as well as their national economy. Some of the entrepreneurial projects set up in The Gambia, for women, revolve around local resources, for example, salt production enterprises and animal husbandry initiatives. Access to finance through microfinancing has been another important enabler. We note that gender equality is vital for building inclusive societies, developing social justice, equitable power structures and developing capacity for communities. In order to achieve progress it is vital for individuals to remain relevant through continuous learning and being attuned to social signals. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Deputy Minister Trade and Industry Nomalungelo Gina. We discuss some of the Department’s programmes to counter high levels of unemployment in South Africa, to promote inclusive economic opportunities and cross-border participation in the continent – facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. We highlight policies that enable economic empowerment for women across the work spectrum and note several social policies for example interventions that help formalise stokvels. We contrast the comparatively low representation of women in upper echelons of the private sector with government, as well as the selection of a limited number of women for board seats. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award-winning multi-talented actress Kate Normington. We explore acting as a profession from her experiences and perspective as a woman. We touch on aspects that have contributed to her longevity in the industry, from patience and faith in pursuit of roles during periods of uncertainty and taking advantage of situations, to reinventing yourself through continual learning to remain relevant. We touch on limitations concerning the body of work available to women, remarking on various media studies from the likes of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media and tests such as Bechdel-Wallace, which demonstrates that females are significantly underrepresented in film, accounting for an average of 30% of speaking roles. Yet, media is an enduring platform that is an intrinsic part of many cultures thus women deserve equal exposure and to be portrayed inclusively. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award-winning multi-talented actress Ilse Klink. We revisit a few of the memorable characters she has portrayed in productions like Scorched, Chicago and Isidingo and the impact roles have on the psyche and society. She discusses some of her motivations that go into selecting roles that represent women of today and do not perpetuate narrow stereotypes, as well as constantly honing her skillset for versatility. We speak about the challenges that women still experience in the performing arts, ranging from harassment to pay disparity. We reflect on the freedoms associated with freelance performance as well as the business acumen required for economic success. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to award-winning multi-talented actress Ilse Klink. We revisit a few of the memorable characters she has portrayed in productions like Scorched, Chicago and Isidingo and the impact roles have on the psyche and society. She discusses some of her motivations that go into selecting roles that represent women of today and do not perpetuate narrow stereotypes, as well as constantly honing her skillset for versatility. We speak about the challenges that women still experience in the performing arts, ranging from harassment to pay disparity. We reflect on the freedoms associated with freelance performance as well as the business acumen required for economic success. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Fifi Cooper a multi-award-winning rapper, songstress and independent producer of MoCooper Records. We reflect on Fifi’s journey into the music business and paving the way for other female rappers to enter the mainstream. We talk about some of her recent projects, such as composing a film soundtrack and judging newcomers on a TV talent show. She discusses the independence and responsibilities of owning a record label and how she uses this platform to open opportunities for others. She considers the importance of developing a female network for musicians to share developments and confront negative issues experienced in industry as a cohesive unit. Fifi also shares some of her key motivators, from being a mother to approaching everything she does like it’s the first time. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South African singer LaSauce. We highlight aspects of her journey into the music industry and ambitions for the future as a performer. We talk about the importance of finding purpose to help direct a person’s efforts into a meaningful trajectory. We reflect on the role of social media as an engagement channel to connect with fans, and consider the planning required to maintain interesting media content that attracts audiences’ attention. We address some of the social issues that young women of today grapple with and how greater public awareness, for instance of gender-based violence, is helping women protect themselves and drive socio-cultural transformation amongst menfolk. We acknowledge the examples of women who have walked their respective paths to empower the current cohort of women, who in turn will make it easier for the next generation to realise their dreams. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Marie Sukers, who serves as a Member of Parliament for the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and sits on the portfolio committees of Basic Education and Social Development. We discuss some of the responsibilities of parliament in terms of delivering services to citizens and ensuring that legislation that has been passed is implemented in communities. Ms Sukers shares some of the highlights from the recent Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting in Uganda, noting that the global average of female representation in parliaments is under 25%. She remarks on the role of men in political parties to help promote women within their structures, as one aspect of shoring up female representation in parliament. Our conversation considers mechanisms to help empower young women, emphasising mentorship and tertiary education. We remark on women supporting other women to help them rise through their respective careers and the importance of female networks. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms. Tamarin (Tammy) Breedt, who serves as a Member of Parliament for the Freedom Front Plus and sits on the portfolio committees of Agriculture, Rural Development as well as Land Reform. We discuss parliament members’ responsibilities in relation to holding portfolio committees and government departments accountable for their respective projects to ensure the country’s fiscuss is spent wisely. Our conversation highlights parliament’s recent five-point plan to combat gender-based violence and associated offences against women, and the need to move from awareness to action by empowering first responders. We remark on women supporting other women to help them rise through their respective careers and the importance of female networks. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms. Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, who is a Member of Parliament and Deputy Secretary General of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Our discussion highlights patriarchy and inequality as prominent barriers to women’s progress. We unpack education as a tool to overcome oppressive cultural practices and as a means for women to attain economic empowerment. We speak about some of the political structures, like the Women’s Multiparty Caucus, that aim to unify women across parties to focus on the agendas of women and thereby drive change. Ms Mkhaliphi argues that whilst these platforms bring women together, they must be used to deliver tangible solutions for women. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to reigning Miss South Africa 2019 Zozibini Tunzi about the 2019 Miss SA pageant, and some of the responsibilities associated with being Miss SA, such as being a voice for women, serving as a role model and representing South Africa in the global arena. We discuss Miss SA as a platform for women’s empowerment. We talk about the role of campaigns driving awareness about women’s issues, such as gender-based violence, and the need to move forward into action to make a tangible difference in the lives of women. We recognise education as tool for independence to propel women forward. We reflect on some of the factors that have contributed to Zozibini’s success, such as resilience, resourcefulness and resetting goals in the face of unfavourable circumstances. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Angel Khanyile from the Democratic Alliance, who is a member of parliament and serving on the portfolio committee of Home Affairs. We discuss some of the platforms in parliament that aim to progress women’s agendas, such as the multiparty women’s caucus and annual women’s parliament event, which included a 25 year review of the Women’s Charter for effective equality. We consider gender-based violence, patriarchy and pay disparity as key concerns that perpetuate inequality for women, and urge women to speak up about any injustices they experience, so that appropriate action can be taken. Ms Khanyile demonstrates that through hard work, perseverance, appropriate planning and action it is possible for people to transform their lives for the better. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to multi-award winning singer-songwriter Berita. She shares her introduction to music, initially exploring self-identity as an African and expressing herself through different genres of art. She shares some of the poignant landmarks in her Afrosoul career, such as collaborations with legends, winning awards and becoming an independent multi-faceted artist. We discuss some of the strengths for women in the South African music industry and the conscious development of female talent across the industry. We consider the importance of education and continuous advancement for life-long learning and the need to challenge oneself daily. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour – Boitumelo Moloi. We discuss the Department’s economic role in society to reduce poverty, unemployment and inequality. We reflect on implementation of the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, which is particularly important to women, considering current gender pay disparities. We remark on the cabinet’s 50:50 composition regarding male and female appointments as a positive demonstration of women’s capabilities and message of transformation which should be echoed in the private sector. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Louise Warnich, the Dean of the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University. We discuss some of the recent innovations emanating from various science departments housed in the faculty, such as addressing biological invasions that challenge our bio-diversity, studying populations of great white sharks and developing safe shark barriers to protect beaches. These endeavours have an impact on the real-world, which is part of the institution’s ethos to equip students with skills like critical thinking, lifelong learning and collaboration to enable them to participate and lead in the future #4IR world of work. Prof Warnich shares some of her experiences as a scientist and her research in the field of genomics. We discuss interventions from bursaries to events and flexible schedules that help promote the participation of women in science. We note the need for programmes that develop leadership qualities in women, the importance of role models and mentors and to provide these tools to girls as they are starting to consider career and life options. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Sibongile Muthwa, the Vice Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University. Prof. Muthwa highlights a few of the institution’s strategic plans from transforming curricula content to increasing research outputs as well as promoting demographic diversity of its cohort of researchers. She also introduces a flagship project to retrace Nelson Mandela’s footsteps in Africa via academic alliances with countries that supported South Africa in its struggle years. We discuss what it means to be African in the space of knowledge creation, and stamping Africa’s contribution on the academic map. Prof. Muthwa shares her experience of the fees must fall movement and resulting learnings leading to greater student-centricity and inclusion at all points in the university’s value chain. We look at avenues to groom female leadership, such as identifying and supporting young women with promise to instil self-belief and leapfrog hurdles to accelerate their access to opportunities. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South African comedienne Nina Hastie about her career in stand-up comedy and using this platform to pursue her agenda for race resocialisation. We discuss some of the dynamics that aspiring female comics encounter in the industry in comparison to their male counterparts, such as reduced exposure resulting in fewer work opportunities which impacts their growth prospects and earning potential. On a more positive note we highlight how initiatives, like the Kings and Queens of Comedy, are creating a space to address gender imbalances and stage more female comics; additionally we recognise that the Internet, social media networks, Netflix etc… provide alternate avenues for comics to develop their personal brand and attain success on not just a local level but global scale too. Tune in for more…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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.

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Member of Parliament from the Kingdom of Lesotho – Mamoipone Senauone, who serves her country at the Pan African Parliament. Ms Senauone sheds light on interventions in Lesotho that focus on educating girls, including free primary education, encouraging the pursuit of science and technology studies, distributing sanitary protection so that menstruation does not interrupt their schooling, and promoting the return of young mothers to attend school. We note the need to address gender-based violence as social, cultural and economic impediment to the progress of girls and women. We also look at the role of politics and the power to influence positive change through policies.

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Kinta Burger, the Registrar of the University of Johannesburg, who explains her core function concerning  facilitating the academic administrative life-cycle of every student at the institution, stretching from recruitment to graduation; promoting student well-being through an interdisciplinary approach; and striving to provide access to global excellence. We discuss mathematics as a gateway subject for STEM fields, noting some of the outreach interventions that the University of Johannesburg has in place to encourage high school students to nurture their math skills. We note that young people lack exposure to alternative careers, particularly those residing in rural areas. We remark on the role of science, technology and engineering for jobs of the future and the ethos of the University of Johannesburg to fulfill its vision of The Future. Reimagined. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Minister of Social Development – Susan Shabangu, who previously served as Minister of Women in the Presidency, Minister of Mineral Resources. She has been a member of parliament since the inception of South Africa’s democracy in 1994. The Department of Social Development’s main responsibility is to address the needs of vulnerable members of society and uplift them. For example, the Department issues social grants to 17 million people, 12 million are children. The Department has shifted its focus from welfare based to developmental based and to this end embraces private public partnerships. Minister Shabangu highlights some of the Department’s activities with respect to women, including education programmes that afford teenage mothers a second chance to become productive members of society, gender responsive budgeting, and preventative gender-based violence programmes. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Antje Schuhmann from the Political Studies Department at the University of the Witwatersrand, whose research areas encompass feminist theories, gender-based violence, postcolonial theory and memory politics amongst others. We discuss some of the factors that contribute to gender-based violence committed against women in South Africa, which include rising levels of socio-economic disparity, men being sidelined and retaliating against women, a history of a culture of violence, legacy effects of colonialism and apartheid. We debate the representation of women in parliament, comparing some countries in the West with countries in Africa, noting that countries with more recently formed constitutions are more contextually relevant and have greater numbers of women in their parliaments. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Minister of Science and Technology – Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, whose cabinet career has also seen her serve as Minister of Communications and Minister of Energy. Minister Kubayi-Ngubane highlights recent developments in Science and Technology, particularly in the space sector. We speculate about the impact that the 4th Industrial Revolution (#4IR) will have on the economy and evolution of new industries; emphasising that programmes should be directed to support South Africa’s triple challenges of unemployment, inequality and poverty. The Department of Science and Technology recognises that its sector represents the future of work and therefore it is vital that girls participate in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects to the highest level. However, to keep girls in this subject stream requires financial aid, support structures, experiential opportunities and exposure to potential careers. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia – Loide Kasingo, who has served as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, as well as Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing, and Vice President of the Pan African Parliament. Ms Kasingo highlights some of the work she is engaged with at the Pan African Parliament, such as female upliftment, youth empowerment and ensuring Africa’s natural resources benefit its people. Ms Kasingo remarks on the need to recognise women’s unpaid labour in the home. We reflect on female leadership in Namibia, and the increased participation of women in politics, especially the ruling party SWAPO, and the prospects of a female president in five years time.

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia – Loide Kasingo, who has served as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, as well as Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing, and Vice President of the Pan African Parliament. Ms Kasingo highlights some of the work she is engaged with at the Pan African Parliament, such as female upliftment, youth empowerment and ensuring Africa’s natural resources benefit its people. Ms Kasingo remarks on the need to recognise women’s unpaid labour in the home. We reflect on female leadership in Namibia, and the increased participation of women in politics, especially the ruling party, and the prospects of a female president in the next election.

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Ambassador of Norway to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar and Lesotho – Dr. Astrid Emilie Helle. We discuss some aspects of her work, and Norway’s focus on addressing global issues which become common agendas to advance both local and international efforts in various domains. Norway has some specific women empowerment programmes that it facilitates in Africa through a rights based approach, covering five key pillars: access to education; sexual and reproductive health; political empowerment of women; economic empowerment of women; and addressing gender based violence. Female political leadership is prominent in Norway. The current Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Speaker of Parliament are all women. Ambassador Helle shares some of the contributing factors that allowed pioneering women to lead, such as being a country where democracy and human rights are important and inequalities are limited. We talk about some important mechanism to equip women, such as education, being resilient, coping with setbacks, building confidence, stepping up to opportunities and not trying to be superwomen. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Tourism – Elizabeth Thabethe, who has been a member of parliament since 2014. She reflects on some of parliament’s outcomes during South Africa’s transition into democracy, such as changing almost every law in the country and establishing a constitution with a human rights culture. She reminds us that up until 1993 women were treated as minors, requiring permission from their husbands to open bank accounts, to apply for credit and to own a business. Minister Thabethe’s earlier career as a trade unionist set her on the path to fight for women’s rights. During her tenure as Deputy Minister of Small Business as well as Deputy Minister of Tourism she has promoted and facilitated women’s empowerment via programmes developed in the ministries that have resulted in successful female owned businesses. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration – Dr. Chana Pilane-Majake through a gender lens. Dr. Pilane-Majake discusses the inclusion of gender focal points in every office of government to mainstream gender and the importance of cascading this philosophy into business to attain their commitment for gender transformation. We reflect on some landmark cases during Dr. Chana Pilane-Majake’s term as CEO with the Gender Equality Commission, encompassing feminization of poverty, primogeniture and the right for women to receive inheritance, engagements with advertising authority standards on the portrayal of women in the media, and other work that contributes to improving the lives of women in South Africa. Dr. Chana Pilane-Majake highlights the need to create or resuscitate national gender instruments to advance the status of women. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Minister of Public Service and Administration – Ayanda Dlodlo about prior milestones in her diverse career, spanning private and public sectors. We discuss key developments planned for the department from establishing a fully fledged government employee housing scheme to the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism to foster accountability and good governance across the continent. Minister Dlodlo highlights government as a trend setter with respect to gender representation and pay parity, which ideally should flow over into the private sector. We remark on the need to strive for gender parity across the board and the implementation of effective penalization for non-compliance. We look forward to a world where women hold more positions of power and leadership. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Mboni Mohamed Mhita – Member of Parliament Tanzania for the Handeni Vijijini Constituency, who has a special interest on youth. We acknowledge that Africa has a burgeoning youth population who experience different challenges to their counterparts in other continents. Education is a priority to upskill and empower, but current education systems are flawed with respect to preparing students for a world of self-employment. We address some of the programs that Tanzania has in place with respect to girls to promote their education, providing access to schools as well as sanitary protection during menstruation. We raise the point of creating space for women and carving out a common agenda to elect more women into positions of leadership. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Jessye Lapenn - Chargé d’Affaires at the United States of America Mission about a few aspects in her portfolio in relation to women development. We discuss some of the key youth outreach projects that focus on leadership development, and emphasis that young people want to be included in policy discussions that impact them to derive suitable solutions. We mention the United States’ recent pledge of R16bn to help control HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, noting that every week 1200 girls are infected by this disease. We talk about trade opportunities, like AGOA (Africa Growth Opportunity Act) for female entrepreneurs in Africa to take advantage of. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Claire Johnston lead singer of iconic South African music group Mango Groove. We reflect on the band’s longevity, as an 11 member multi-ethnic group, which came together under the Apartheid regime and is now celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album. We discuss some of the inequalities that women still have to overcome, such as pay disparity to issues of poor self esteem. We comment on social movements like “MeToo” as activism aimed at putting an end to disparaging and abusive behaviour that undermines women and their talent. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Nazereen Captieux-Bhana the CEO of eDeaf (www.edeaf.co.za), an organisation that she founded in 2007 which focuses on training and empowering the Deaf for job placements in industry. We talk about her career journey as well as the barriers and challenges she has experienced as a deaf woman. Nazereen provides insight into the Deaf community such as establishing identity and belonging. This segment of the population is underserved across the spectrum, from inadequate media options to underqualified interpreters to poor access to services to the need to increase the availability of specialised quality education. Nazereen emphasises that deaf people are capable of doing anything, but attitudes of both hearing and deaf people need to shift to open thinking and recognise opportunities. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Alicia Girón the Coordinator of the University Program for Asian and African Studies from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. We talk about women and financialisation, encompassing aspects of empowerment, entrepreneurship and access to finance. We discuss components of the micro-finance value chain loop including institutional investors that lend and profit from this service. Dr Girón also talks about feminist economics, the care economy and the role of public policy and the State in terms of support structures to enable women’s economic participation and financial independence. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Noni “She Bee Stingin” Tenge who is a five time World Champion boxer. Noni was part of a group of five women that pioneered female boxing in South Africa, whose activism succeeded to change the Boxing Act and permit women to box in this country. She shares some of the highlights in her career as well as the challenges she faced in her decision to pursue a male dominated sport. We speak about sport as a tool to develop values of discipline, focus and commitment, particularly in the youth. Noni is passionate about developing women in sport and fighting against women abuse throughout the continent. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Bukiwe “the Anaconda” Nonina who is the current World Boxing Federation Champion of the Bantamweight division and also holds the title of best female boxer in South Africa. Bukiwe shares her passion for boxing and her exceptional family support system whose collective team spirit helps to realise her goals. She remarks on how she turns failure into success by consciously analysing mistakes to overcome weaknesses. Women’s boxing is a growing sport that needs to be developed. Beyond the intensive physical training, boxing teaches discipline, endurance, confidence and self-esteem. In closing Bukiwe urges women to focus, to never choose a career over education and to respect themselves. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Buhlebendalo Mda vocalist of award-winning South African a capella music group The Soil. Buhle cites the soundtrack of township life in Soweto - from mums and neighbours gossiping in kitchens, to commuters trundling in taxis and trains, to uncles clinking glasses in bars - as sounds that informed The Soil’s unique a capella genre labelled Kasi Soul. We discuss the role of musicians beyond entertainment to one of influence that voices social issues and public truths; a power which should be exercised responsibly. In addition to her music, Buhle has a social initiative called Soil Sista Projects which looks to fill the emotional void that many high school children experience as a result of their parents and teachers neglecting their needs. In closing Buhle reminds women to be true themselves, believe in themselves and support each other. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Dee Smythe, a Professor of Public Law and Deputy Dean for Research in the Law Faculty at the University of Cape Town about her work in the gender space. We speak about findings from her book, titled “Rape Unresolved”, which considers view points of both women activitists and police regarding high attrition of rape cases in South Africa and some of the reasoning for low conviction rates of this crime. In terms of women in leadership Prof Smythe highlights mentorship as a pivotal mechanism to transfer both tacit and explicit knowledge to aid learning curves, as well as strong networks that simultaneously challenge and provide support. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises Ms Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe about some of the responsibilities in this role. She highlights a few core infrastructure projects that the energy and rail freight sectors are undertaking to increase capacity and unlock economic benefits. Ms Mnganga-Gcabashe outlines some of South Africa’s female friendly policies in relation to empowerment and equality and the necessity of implementing these policies to overcome gender disparity. She also draws attention to the importance of formal and informal education as tools to empower women to help them overcome socio-cultural challenges. Tune in for more…

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This episode of Womanity is dedicated to the memory of Mr Lungi Daweti, Channel Africa’s programme manager, who was at the inception of Womanity; his spirit will forever live on in this show. So in his honour this is the first interview he co-ordinated for Womanity, with renowned musician and humanitarian Yvonne Chaka Chaka. We discuss some of her career highlights and the contributions of music and musicians in social causes, such as campaigning for freedom and equality, whether in the course of South Africa’s own liberation struggle or other global issues. We address aspects of her humanitarian work, as a Goodwill Ambassador for Malaria in Africa, and the effects of sustainable initiatives designed to empower disenfranchised women on the continent. We raise the topic of knowledge and education as critical elements towards women’s development, emphasising lifelong learning, and much more…

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Today’s broadcast of Womanity-Women in Unity closes out 2018, and we use this episode to celebreate African female leadership with special compilations that include extracts from conversations with two former African female presidents. Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim who was the sixth president and the first female president of the Republic of Mauritius and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the former President of Liberia who served as the country’s 24th president and first elected female head of state. They share some of their accomplishments in office and aspirations for the future of women leadership in Africa. Tune in for more.

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism Ms Lusizo Makhubela-Mashele about some of the responsibilities in this role. Tourism contributes to almost 10% of South Africa’s GDP and accounts for approximately 10% of the country’s workforce with a value chain that cuts across the spectrum, especially in hospitality, transport and agriculture sectors. Ms Makhubela-Mashele speaks about the rise of township and rural tourism in conjunction with tourist demand for cultural tourism and the positive effect these offerings have on empowering women in these spaces. We remark on the impact of ICT as a multidirectional enabler connecting the global village and services like AirBnB benefiting developing markets too. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed. We discuss a few of her memorable achievements at the United Nation, in particular the process of bringing member states together to develop the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that no one in the global village is left behind in the pursuit of sustained global prosperity. She emphasises how SDG5, the gender goal, is a docking station for the other 16 goals. We address the role of business with respect to climate action, reducing emissions, job creation and modifying their business models to respond to the challenges. We discuss women in leadership and the importance of exposing young people to opportunities to develop their careers. The Deputy Secretary-General also reflects on aspects of her personal journey to the United Nations from her beginnings in Nigeria. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Nicoline Janse van Nieuwenhuizen from the Gauteng Division of the High Court. She recounts some of the milestones in her career which led to her becoming a high court judge, and the tremendous responsibilities associated with this role. She shares some of her memorable cases, highlighting the empathy she brings into the courtroom, reminding us of the human element. She notes the gender split in her division is currently weighted 40% female to 60% male, which shows a marked increase in the number of female judges, up from 30% in 2013 for the country. She reflects on the impact of public demand on the gender composition of the counsel they choose to represent them. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Wendy Hughes from the Gauteng Division of the High Court. She relays her journey into the legal profession and shares the process of becoming a judge – resulting in independent individuals who mete out the law without fear or favour. She highlights some landmark cases in her career such as state capture. We discuss the evolution of the South African legal system founded on Roman Dutch law into a hybrid judicial system to take account of customary laws, traditional values, the environment and other factors. Judge Hughes reflects on her upbringing, family and values as enablers. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Cynthia Pretorius from the Gauteng Division of the High Court. We discuss some of the milestones in her career, from breaking glass ceilings and opening doors for other women to rise through the judiciary, to memorable cases such as the spy tapes, ponzi schemes and infanticide. Judge Pretorius illustrates through personal example, by starting her pupillage at the age of 45, that the door to education is always open and takes people ahead. She remarks that nowadays there are fewer barriers for women to overcome but they should embrace the opportunities that come their way. Tune in for more….

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This week in the first part of Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms Kamina Johnson-Smith the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade for Jamaica about some of her country’s foreign trade policies and domestic activities. We highlight, for example, interventions that have been implemented to allow for the re-integration of teen mothers into the school system, changing the narrative from a moralistic discussion to one of human rights and economic costs to the country. Minister Johnson-Smith remarks on positive outcomes of Jamaica’s national gender policy which led to Jamaica, per capita, having the highest number of female managers in the world. In the second part of the show we are joined by Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, as well as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, and Vice-President of Namibia’s ruling party SWAPO, who shares some of the programmes she has driven to advocate for women’s empowerment and rights in Namibia, including establishing the Ministry for Women and gender budgeting for each ministry to ensure that they consider how the outcomes of their budgets impact on the lives of women. Tune in for more….

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This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Ms Kamina Johnson-Smith, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade for Jamaica, about some of her country’s foreign trade policies and domestic activities. We highlight, for example, interventions that have been implemented to allow for the re-integration of teen mothers into the school system, changing the narrative from a moralistic discussion to one of human rights and economic costs to the country. Minister Johnson-Smith remarks on positive outcomes of Jamaica’s national gender policy which led to Jamaica, per capita, having the highest number of female managers in the world.

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This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Ambassador to Madagascar, Ms Maud Vuyelwa Dlomo. We discuss some of the highlights in her early career with the Department of International Relations, such as integrating and re-educating diplomats in 1994 to serve in a new democratic South Africa; introducing young cadets into the talent pipeline as enthusiastic agents of change, with fresh perspectives to represent the country; and starting a programme for women in peace and security – remarking on the importance of establishing peaceful, stable, conflict free, environments to attract investors. Ambassador Dlomo shares some of the cultural difference exhibited by different countries, particularly elements that infringe on women’s rights and inhibit their development. She mentions an example of a project that young Malagasy women have undertaken which tackles issues of political identity, as well as economic development and the role of women contributing to their country. Ambassador Dlomo reminds us that women stand better together, as a united front and that this is our time, the future is bright. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s High Commissioner to Sir Lanka, Ms Robina Marks. We discuss how she is redefining the role of modern day diplomats as networkers and facilitators that are promoting what our country has to offer to the world and in so doing contributing to President Ramaphosa’s goal of raising foreign or domestic investment into South Africa to the tune of US$100bn. High Commissioner Marks reflects on her career noting the importance of possessing a strong set of values and principles to find ways to influence and impact on the world to make it a better place. We note some of the work she has been involved in regarding gender equality, such as mentorship programmes that she introduced into the Department of International Relations and Co-operation – to lift as you climb, and bringing sister to sister solidarity groups of women from different countries together. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Ms Vuyiswa Tulelo. We discuss some aspects in her portfolio, such as strengthening inter-country relationships, promoting investment for South Africa, fulfilling civic duties for South African immigrants living in New Zealand, and serving as a role model – not just for South Africa – but Africa too. In our conversation about women in leadership, High Commissioner Tulelo remarks that having a female head of state does not guarantee gender parity across the board. Changing the discourse and empowerment of women comes from socialisation in the home, the influence of education systems on youth, from women driving change within themselves and using their voice to speak up for the collective. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, who was the 6th President and the First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius. She takes us through her three lives of scientist, entrepreneur and president. We talk about some of the attributes she introduced into her term of office, which fuelled her drive to empower youth to embrace science and technology tools and become job creators not job seekers. We differentiate between women in leadership and women in power, with the latter being the catalyst to drive effective change to enable women on the continent. The number of women in power continues to erode, which means the base line is constantly reset and critical mass cannot be attained to drive meaningful change. Women have a responsibility to be role models and help one another for the betterment of womenkind. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Daleen Alexander (head of undergraduate affairs at the Department of Psychology) Dr Jaishika Seedat (head of the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology), and Dr. Simangele Mayisela (head of transformation), from the School of Human and Community Development at WITS University. In this two part series we consider some of the interventions that can be used to counter gender discrimination, such as moving past self-limiting beliefs; developing passion, vision and perseverance; creating unity amongst women for support; promoting mentorship; implementing policies to achieve transformation; and ensuring equal access for opportunity. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Daleen Alexander (head of undergraduate affairs at the Department of Psychology) Dr Jaishika Seedat (head of the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology), and Dr. Simangele Mayisela (head of transformation), from the School of Human and Community Development at WITS University. In this two part series we firstly consider some of the factors that contribute towards gender discrimination, such as: children introduced to genderised roles in childhood; sexualised stereotyping and expectations of women and men to perform particular tasks; cultural norms and the history of the country impacting on behaviour; insufficient knowledge of one’s rights and poor enactment of protective policies. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to the newly appointed President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), who is the organisation’s first female president, Ms Zingiswa Losi. We highlight some of COSATU’s objectives to unite workers, promote international solidarity and liberate workers, especially women from poverty, inequality and unemployment. We discuss Ms Losi’s appointment as an important milestone in women’s leadership and her intent for more women to occupy strategic positions in their respective trade unions and society in general. We reflect on pivotal moments that shaped her development and contributed to her career path. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof. Nasima Carrim, from the Department of Human Resources at the University of Pretoria. Prof. Carrim’s research interests include diversity management; specifically topics related to culture, religion, gender in management, identity and intersectionality. We discuss some of her ethnic identity studies covering generational attitudes towards traditional and modern value systems and the impact on women’s professional career development. We reflect on her research into Indian female breadwinners and cultural power in their families. We unpack some of the factors that impede women’s ascent up the corporate ladder, such as underdeveloped networking skills. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Daleen Alexander, who heads up undergraduate studies at the Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand. Dr Alexander has a dual career as an academic and practitioner in psychology with specific interests on the impact of gender on people's career trajectories as well as career conflict experienced by women from diversity backgrounds. We unpack some of the psychological aspects that hinder women’s career progress, such as socialisation that perpetuates gender role stereotypes; real as well as perceived biases; and poor self-efficacy. We remark on the importance of developing self awareness, as well as drawing on internal motivation and external support to overcome challenges. Tune in for more…

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This week on Womanity-Women In Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communication Ms Pinky Kekana. We discuss the importance of ICT in South Africa’s future and the role of government to facilitate access to 21st century technology across society to optimise businesses, generate new employment opportunities, revolutionise content platforms, transform the communication space, and promote equitable participation in the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). New technology will replace dated methods of working, which necessitates digital literacy, coding and e-learning programs for both young and old. The Deputy Minister shares some of the factors that have contributed to her development, from family support to a network of friends who mutually pushed one another to excel. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Vice-President of the Pan African University and Dean of the Mamelodi Campus University of Pretoria - Professor Nthabiseng Audrey Ogude. We discuss some of the intrinsics of the institution’s anchor strategy which inextricably links the future of the community of Mamelodi with that of the University’s Mamelodi campus. One arm of this strategy is to implement interventions that stem the cycle of poverty, for instance by focussing on education and broadening academic pathways for members of the community. Prof. Ogude describes the Pan African University as a human capital initiative with five regional specialised research nodes. Governance, Social Sciences and Humanities in Central Africa; Basic Sciences in East Africa; Life Sciences in West Africa; Water and Energy in North Africa; and shortly Space Sciences will be created in South Africa. We address some of the factors that contribute to women in leadership, including the need for people to recognise potential leaders and encourage their growth into leadership roles; the need for individuals to shadow leaders; the importance of exercising leadership effectively in whatever sphere one occupies; and to have a supportive environment particularly in the home. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Deputy Minister of Transport - Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga – who shares some of the factors that contributed to her pursuit of a career in politics, which ignited in childhood, stemmed from the recognition of deep social injustices and a need to fight the system which rendered the black population unable to fully access resources and participate meaningfully in the economy. The Deputy Minister relays some of her experiences as a young nursing student participating in ANC youth league structures to spread party communications to households, citing an occasion where their mission was to ensure that black students enrolled for matric subjects at higher grade not standard grade, in order for them to attain matric exemption and university admission. We also discuss the South African Network for Women in Transport which concerns breaking barriers for women to enter the transport sector and the myriad of career opportunities available in this field. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, as well as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, and Vice-President of Namibia’s ruling party SWAPO - who retraces some of the steps in her enduring political career. We discuss the liberation movement in Namibia and its strategic focus areas post independence, on education, health, housing and agriculture. The Deputy Prime Minister shares some of the inroads that Namibia has made regarding women’s rights and their empowerment, including the national gender policy, pay parity and holding leadership positions across the public and private spectrum. We remark on the need to change stereotypical attitudes about gender roles to alter perceptions of women’s capabilities. The Deputy Prime Minister reminds us that the future is female. Tune in for more…

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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…

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This week we talk to award winning musician Wanda Baloyi. We discuss some of the landmarks in her career, which started osmotically when she accompanied her father to studio, but officially launched with her debut group Ghetto-Luv to her latest upcoming project that delves into her roots. We recognise the important role musicians play in society as influencers, sometimes positively, other times negatively, but maintain that the interpretation of the message rests in the ears of the listener. We note the imperfections and disparity that persist for women, emphasising the need for women to find social and economic independence in order to gain their voice. Wanda reflects on the instrumental role her mother has played and the values she instilled of hard work, independence and respect for the person next to you. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Former President of Liberia – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. We discuss some of the qualitative achievements that her administration accomplished during her tenure, such as maintaining peace, giving women a voice, and hope to a nation that was in despair. In terms of women in leadership President Johnson Sirleaf remarks that women are always under the microscope, that most environments have been dominated by male leadership, yet women have demonstrated determination to lead in all levels of society: at home, in the church, in business, in politics etc… She further emphasises, that societies where women have been given the opportunity, are societies that succeed. We recap some of her contributions that led to her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of her years of work with women, such as her 50, 500, 5000 program: to construct or repair 50 schools, train 500 teachers, and award 5000 bursaries to school girls. We also discuss her agenda for the future, part of which includes establishing a centre for women who aspire to leadership and developing women in the economic sphere to move their business to scale through access to technology and finance. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of Tunisia to South Africa - Narjes Dridi. We discuss the challenges as well as achievements that Tunisian women have experienced in their journey to empowerment, tracing back to the first queen of Carthage (ancient Tunisia), circa 800BC. Ambassador Dridi emphasises the paradigm shift of 1956 which led to a modernisation of culture in Tunisia with the introduction of Acts for the emancipation and empowerment of women. This legislation gave women the right to divorce, to vote, to receive an education, to work, abolished polygamy, raised the legal age of marriage to 18 etc… As a result of this enabling legislation, today women in Tunisia account for 34% of parliament, 43% of judges, 40% of doctors and 50% of pharmacists. Importantly this type of legislation cannot be allowed to regress, and further progress must allow for the protection of the gains women have made and the advancements to come, for an empowered women is also an empowered man. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of Mexico to South Africa - Ana Luisa Fajer. We discuss some of the milestones in her three decade career as a diplomat with a special interest in Africa that began during her tertiary studies. We consider the impact that gender parity legislation in political parties had in Mexico’s 2018 general elections, after its introduction just four years earlier. We discuss women’s participation in the labour force, remarking on prevailing inequalities experienced by women, which impacts on their earnings, types of roles and advancing up their respective career ladders. We remark on the role of education as a tool of empowerment for women, not only in the formal sense but also informally on the home-front to readdress social and culture perspectives of women to advocate for gender equality. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Maryna Steyn – Head of School: Anatomical Sciences Faculty of Health Sciences WITS University. We discuss her work in forensic anthropology, which primarily involves the analysis of human remains and identification of individuals. We reflect on some of her notable cases and the applications of technology to advance the discipline. For example, progression in craniofacial recognition techniques investigated the identity of Mbuyisa Makhubu vs Victor Vinnetou; developing criteria for ageing applications in living people to determine if they are over or under the age of 18, has had significant implications in the judicial system as well as migration and refugee status. We recall her studies of skeletal remains from Mapungubwe, a 1000 year-old archaeological site in Limpopo. We note the rising feminisation of the medical students and emphasise the importance of building a talent pipeline of women to feed into leadership posts. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the incoming Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town - Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng. We discuss some of her strategic plans for the university when she assumes office, particularly in the areas of transformation and the university’s role in Africa to deepen its links with the continent. We discuss some of the barriers hindering women’s advancement in leadership, such as being judged against a different set of criteria in comparison to men, and competing under circumstances where the goalposts keep shifting. We underscore the need to change limiting perspectives around academic subjects like mathematics and science and instead emphasise the usefulness if these disciplines in society to encourage people to study these fields, which have a profound impact on the world. Prof. Phakeng shares details about the adopt-a-learner foundation that she established to help students from townships and rural areas to attain tertiary education. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Telecommunications & Postal Services Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams. She previously served as the Deputy Minister of the Department of Communications from 2014 to 2017. She has been a member of several portfolio committees including Communication and Defence, and has been a member of parliament since 2009. She discusses some of the developments she has undertaken in her portfolio to improve Internet connectivity and device accessibility in rural schools; empowerment initiatives to encourage women to pursue careers in ICT; and the 2019-2030 plans to build an army for South Africa to thrive in the 4th Industrial Revolution. We discuss the role of education and networking as important tools to advance women. The Deputy Minister shares her personal journal from humble beginnings to managing a vital portfolio that will form a critical part of the country’s future economy, forms Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Nicole Ferreira-Dill, principal dancer of the Joburg Ballet. She shares insights into this classical art-form through her personal experiences and journey to the pinnacle of her career. We discuss the dynamics of training to perfect performances, collaborating with a company comprising of dancers from different countries and cultures (South Africa, Australia, Cuba, Brazil etc…), channelling different energies onto the stage, developing mental stamina and physical strength. We recognise that ballet is a predominantly female profession, with ballerinas taking the lead role in performances, which contrasts to other mixed gender occupations, where men typically occupy the principal role. We discuss the importance of support structures during challenging periods and celebrating successes in pursuit of one’s dreams. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Professor Helen Rees – Founder and Executive Director of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute of the University of Witwatersrand. The institute’s core focal areas encompass HIV, sexual and reproductive health and vaccine preventable diseases. Prof. Rees highlights some of the developments in the vaccination of pregnant women to transfer immunity to their babies, as well as new HIV prevention technologies such as the use of anti-retroviral drugs to prevent HIV. Prof. Rees remarks on some of the awards that she has received in recognition for her contribution to national health policy and global health. Prof. Rees reflects on aspects of South Africa’s transformation noting some of the challenges she experienced in a mixed race marriage in the struggle against Apartheid. On issues of women’s advancement she notes there should be a more concerted effort towards establishing global and national movements to ensure that women’s voices are heard, that their issues are addressed, and their presence in leadership grows. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka about UN Women’s activities in five priority areas to advance gender equality, which include increasing women’s leadership and participation; ending violence against women; engaging women in peace and security processes; enhancing women’s economic empowerment; and making gender equality an essential part of national development planning and budgeting. Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka, draws attention to campaigns such as HeforShe which encourages constructive masculinity for men to stand up for women, as well as Impact 10x10x10 where heads of state champion a gender issue of their choice, for instance the President of Malawi is focussing on child marriage; ultimately these campaigns seek to get men to take responsibility in the fight against gender inequality. We mention the role of technology as a game changer in the innovation stakes, but remark that efforts must be undertaken to ensure equal access to prevent a digital divide. Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka also shares some highlights of her address for the 9th Thabo Mbeki Africa Day lecture on gender equality and women empowerment. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Dr. Tomoko Kitagawa who is visiting South Africa with a lecture series called “The Lady Samurai”, The Role of Women in the Diplomacy during the Unification of Japan. We discuss the application of Dr Kitagawa’s work for women in contemporary society recognising the contribution of their consultative and diplomacy skills in peacemaking and negotiating. We consider economic empowerment of women noting that women must be given the space to work and realise their full potential. Dr Kitagawa remarks that household economics need a makeover, where traditionally unpaid work, such as child rearing and home cleaning, becomes paid work, and thus creates economic opportunity. Education has taken Dr Kitagawa around the world; we emphasise education as a key enabler for women’s development and contend that it should be incorporated into every women’s schedule, even if this means embarking on part-time learning to balance multiple commitments, in order to acquire essential knowledge and new skills.

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This week we talk to Professor Judith Bruce who is the Head of the School of Therapeutic Sciences at WITS University about some of the complexities of managing the many different disciplines clustered under the School of Therapeutic Sciences in such a way they maintain their individual identities. We discuss literacy as a vital tool in people’s lives for earning potential and highlight the importance of a conducive environment for girls to excel in their learning paths. Prof. Bruce remarks on the influence that female leaders have on the career aspirations of women, but the number of women in leadership roles is far below critical mass. The intersection of patriarchy, poverty, gender are often impediments to women rising into leadership roles. However, today’s female leaders cannot passively wait for things to change, they have to develop self-reliance and agency to make things happen for themselves and in the process take other women forward with them. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Professor Heidi Abrahamse who is the Director of the Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Johannesburg and holds the DST/NRF SARChI Chair for Laser Applications in Health. Professor Abrahamse is leading efforts to investigate the field of phototherapy with specific emphasis on Low Intensity Laser Irradiation (LILI) or Photobiomodulation (PBM), Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Phyto-Photodynamic Therapy (P-PDT) and Stem Cell Therapy. We discuss some of the applications of laser therapy to treat cancer tumours, pain relief and wound healing (particularly in diabetes) and its growing role in clinical practice. We reflect on the positive outcome that transformation efforts have had on the opportunity space for women, allowing them to develop and achieve on an equal footing to men across the spectrum. We note the importance of mentors and role models to aid the development of women in their career paths. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Ms Safiatou Ndiaye, the Ambassador of Senegal to South Africa and 10 other countries in southern Africa about women in politics. We discuss some of the traits women need to develop, such as resilience, courage, strength of character and self-confidence, to endure the challenges of politics. We acknowledge that gender power dynamic discrepancies still prevail within political parties, which can sometimes make it difficult for people to accept female leaders. We remark on the ability of politics to effect positive change, noting for example in Senegal that now: gender parity has been attained in parliament; women and men pay the same tax rates; and women have the right to pass their nationality on to their children. We reflect on the roles of female leaders and the need to continue their legacy into the future to keep striving for the betterment of society.

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This week we talk to Professor Daynia Ballot who is the Head of Clinical Medicine at Wits University; this school hosts nine major departments (Family medicine, Paediatrics, Surgery, Internal medicine, Radiation sciences, Neurosciences, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Psychiatry). Prof Ballot shares some of the responsibilities in this position, and few of her research interests, in particular studying babies born with very low birth rates (less than 1500g) and associated risk factors in order to develop interventions to help their survival. She remarks on the importance of caring mothers to support and nurture their infants during this period. In our discussion on gender equality Prof Ballot highlights the need to win hearts and minds to accelerate change and recognises the role that men play in this endeavour; she also suggests that work spaces could be more accommodating to women with children, for example by offering child care facilities. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Veronica McKay executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of South Africa (UNISA). This institution is responsible for producing half of South Africa’s educators and over one-third of all tertiary graduates in the country. We discuss some of the educational initiatives that Prof. McKay has been involved in, such as the South African Literacy Campaign, Kha Ri Gude (meaning Let Us Learn), which targeted 4.7 million adults to become literate, and empowered them not only with knowledge but self-confidence, grit and resilience. We acknowledge humanity’s capacity to unlearn dogmas and re-evaluate the way that we think about issues. We consider how this ability has aided the progression of women’s rights in the workplace, highlighting the education sector by way of example. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Sarah Gravett, the executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg. We discuss some of the work that the university undertakes with respect to developing educators who are not only well-equipped to teach, but also possess a strong social responsibility to their wards. We address the need to improve perceptions of foundation level teachers who are instrumental in shaping young minds. We acknowledge that in the knowledge era, information is freely available and teachers are no longer the “sage on the stage”, they have to be enablers that show students how to use knowledge creatively and productively. We reflect on some of the prevailing gender gaps in society, such as pay imbalances and barriers to career advancement for women. We raise awareness of the fact that some women are still constrained by cultural expectations and ingrained patriarchy, which prevents them from embracing opportunities. We emphasise that successful women have a duty to empower other women and support them in pursuit of success. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Roze Philips, the Managing Director of Management Consulting Africa at Accenture. We discuss some aspects of her career and her drive to bring global capabilities into the continent with an emphasis to uplift and empower women into leadership positions. We consider the role of leadership and quotas as intervention mechanisms to drive equality across all levels of an organisation, with a long-term perspective on generating value to multiple stakeholders as opposed to a short-term focus on shareholders only. We remark on the responsibility that individuals who break through glass ceilings have to pull others up with them. We also highlight the importance of ordinary people taking actionable steps and making meaningful contributions to society. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation - Ulla Tørnæs. We discuss some of the factors that motivated her career in politics and some memorable milestones. Minister Tørnæs notes that a key priority for her ministry is to express the voice of the millions of women and girls around the world who are either not able to express their voice, or enjoy equal rights and opportunities for equitable economic participation. We highlight aspects of the World Bank’s We-Fi initiative to facilitate access to capital for female entrepreneurs. We also discuss the SheDecides movement, which aims to mobilise a strong political voice for women to have access to family planning and contraception facilities, and have the ability to make their own decisions about their reproductive rights. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to multi-award winning actress, singer and songwriter Nondumiso Tembe. We discuss some of the forces that helped to shape her career in the performing arts, ranging from supportive parents, to developing self confidence, and a passion for emotive storytelling. We hear about some of the characters that she has played and her desire to tell stories about real, relatable, multi-dimensional, dynamic, complicated women; and her deliberate choice not to undertake work that perpetuates negative stereotypes – whether about women or Africans. We talk about the role of education to fine tune one’s craft and aspire for excellence. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Lilianne Ploumen, a Dutch politician with the Labour Party, currently serving as a member of parliament in the Netherlands, she was the former Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Netherlands and is the founder of SheDecides. We discuss the role of education (formal and informal) and an appetite for continued learning as a ticket for a better future. We unpack the purpose and milestones of the SheDecides movement which in less than year has garnered support from more than 60 countries across the globe to amplify women’s voices. We also talk about the steps of putting in motion a bill to close the gender pay gap in the Netherlands, which makes employers responsible for paying equal salaries their employees for work of equal value, irrespective of gender. Tune in for more…

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This week in recognition of International Women’s Day, today, 8th March 2018, celebrated under the theme, “Press of Progress”, we reflect on some of the catalysts that have driven, and are driving women’s rights. In today’s panel we are joined by to Ms Lilianne Ploumen, a Dutch politician with the Labour Party, currently serving as a member of parliament in the Netherlands, she was the former Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Netherlands and is the founder of SheDecides; and Ms Marisa Gerards who is the Ambassador of the Netherlands to South Africa. We discuss some of the recent movements like SheDecides, HeforShe, MeToo, Not in my name, that focus on issues of inequality, power differentials, unequal pay, sexual harassment, gender based violence and improving solidarity amongst all to advance equality. Men and women live on the planet together, they should run it together. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to multi-award winning actress, singer and songwriter Nondumiso Tembe. We discuss some of the forces that helped to shape her career in the performing arts, ranging from supportive parents, to developing self confidence, and a passion for emotive storytelling. We hear about some of the characters that she has played and her desire to tell stories about real, relatable, multi-dimensional, dynamic, complicated women; and her deliberate choice not to undertake work that perpetuates negative stereotypes – whether about women or Africans. We talk about her recent role as Joyce in the revival of King Kong and reflect on re-enacting an important part of South African cultural history depicting lives and sentiment of the era. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Jane Raphaely Chairperson of Associated Media Publishing, which publishes both internationally acclaimed, and South African brands, ranging from Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, WOW, House and Leisure, Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding, H&L Renovations, H&L Food, SA Lingerie to Cosmo on Campus. We discuss some of the pivotal movements that have gathered momentum in the last 12-months to advance women’s rights of equality and empowerment, such as MeToo, SheDecides, HeforShe, and Impact 10x10x10. We mention the rise of alignments, like those established between Marie Claire and Business Women’s Association to develop action plans for women heading up companies to jointly target issues that are holding women back, moving from merely talking about problems to taking resolutions. We recognise that justice for women requires men to be part of the delivery and not the problem. In closing we acknowledge that positive changes for women are not only possible but probable. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to 2017 MTV Africa Music Award pop /R&B vocalist Shekhinah Donnell. We discuss some of the highlights in this young musician’s career, the inspiration behind her music and her creative process. We address some of the challenges that women encounter in the entertainment industry, which impinges on their development, for example, noting the need to promote more female artists as headline performers. We remark on the responsibilities of becoming a role model for girls and being a brand ambassador for the country and continent. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Lulu Gwagwa, CEO of Lereko Investments, Chairperson of Aurecon Africa and non-executive director of FirstRand, Massmart and Sun International. We discuss some of the milestones in her career, like serving on the committee that decided South Africa’s current provincial boundaries; developing policy to transform the construction industry; and managing a R609 million job creation process. Dr Gwagwa’s work addresses issues of spatial equality and highlights the social as well as economic importance of infrastructure. We consider the low numbers of women occupying senior and executive positions in the corporate sector and explore potential interventions, notably sponsorship as a purposeful mechanism to promote talent. We emphasise the importance of education, role models, support structures, affirmation and self-belief as building blocks for success. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Sonja De Bruyn Sebotsa, who is a non-Executive Director of RMB/RMI Holdings & Co-founder of Identity Partners. Our discussion focuses on economic empowerment of women. We acknowledge the time, sacrifices and effort that were invested to ensure South African women attained their political freedoms, but in order to fully maximise those rights they need economic access. We discuss the business case for greater representation of women in the corporate sector particularly in leadership and decision-making roles - notably more diverse companies outperform less diverse organisations. Women who are seated at the table are positioned to open the doors for other women to access organisations. We recognise male champions who are committed to make the world more equal, especially those who have ambitions on behalf of their daughters to live in a world with no limits. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Linda Manzini, who is a non-Executive Director of Nedbank and founder of Lima Business Solutions. We discuss some of the thinking behind her decision to become an investment banker, including being able to unlock economic growth in various sectors and financial inclusivity via financial services - as the engine room of the economy. We consider some of the issues that women confront in leadership roles, which for the forerunners can mean navigating unchartered territories, overcoming cultural stereotypes and perceptions of inadequacy as they push new frontiers. We highlight tools to overcome these challenges, for example, coaching, mentoring, support and opening the door for more women to take a seat at boardroom tables. Ms Manzini further suggests creating a union of women, as a platform for women to stand firm, support one another, and continue developing. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Ipeleng Bogopane-Zulu. We discuss some of the Deputy Minister’s past and present accomplishments, as well as her future plans involving integrated development and sustainably changing communities. We discuss several programmes underway in the department like: food for waste, recycling, early childhood development, positive parenting, establishing shelters for men etc…The Deputy Minister shares a few factors behind her success, such as being motivated by hardships in her personal journey as a woman with a disability, establishing a group of trusted individuals to serve as a sounding board and support system, and changing environmental barriers to enable people to flourish. Tune in for more…

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South Africa has many young achievers that are truly reaching for the stars, we revisit the stories of three young ladies who featured on Womanity in 2017. Dr Ncumisa Jilata who at the age of 29 became Africa’s youngest Neurosurgeon; Dr. Adriana Marais who is a Theoretical Physicist and aspiring Extraterrestrial with ambitions to rocket off to Mars. and former Miss South Africa 2017 and current Miss Universe, Ms Demi-Leigh Nel Peters, who have all dreamed big and manifested those dreams into reality. Tune in for more.

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This week we reflect on episodes of the past year with a compilation of some the show’s memorable segments on women in leadership, starting with Ms Phuti Mahanyele the Executive Chairperson of Sigma Capital, and former Chief Executive Officer of the Shanduka Group, one of South Africa’s leading investment holding companies. We raise concerns about the perceived regression of women in executive roles, and postulate measures to raise the number of female executives, such as instating gender quotas and celebrating successful businesses with women in executive roles to acknowledge the positive performance of entities with women occupying leadership roles. Secondly, Professor Penelope Andrews, the Dean of the Faculty of law at the University of Cape Town, raises various impediments as barriers to women’s advancement and remarks that eradicating racism is easier than eradicating sexism against women; which may be blatant or benign, and perpetuated by women, as well as men, as they attempt to hold on to outdated stereotypical expectations of women. We note that female leadership makes a difference in the lives of girls and women, particularly when it comes to directing and influencing policy. Lastly, Margaret Hirsch, COO of Hirsch’s Homestore highlights some of the responsibilities associated with business ownership. and shares some tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, such as cautioning against taking out loans, working while others are sleeping, the importance of exercising mind and body, working hard, building networks and social capital, and embracing lifelong learning. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba. We discuss key milestones in her career, ranging from women empowerment programmes in horticulture to a roadmap for community moral regeneration that nurtures responsible citizenship. We review some of the opportunities and challenges arising from the fourth industrial revolution in relation to women’s participation in the economy. We remark on the loss of low skilled repetitive jobs in the retail sector and others, where women will be the biggest casualties. On the other hand, we consider the possibilities of prosperity through innovation and embracing technology, all the while emphasising that we must prepare and educate our youth to ready their skill sets for the future. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the High Commissioner of India to South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho – Ms Ruchira Kamboj. We discuss some of the work underway to grow inter-country relations in political, economic, trade, defence and cultural spheres, for example, the ‘Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation’ program, which aims to enhance skills in Africa. We highlight some of India’s endeavours to actively empower women, such as public programs like ‘Educate the girl child, save the girl child’; attending to inadequate sanitary infrastructure in rural areas to provide more toilets, which has dramatically reduced school dropout rates amongst teenage girls; to the all women crew circumnavigating the globe in the naval sailing vessel Tarini. We emphasise the symbolism of female achievers who have proven that boundaries can be pushed in any industry and in doing so serve as valuable role models. We note that effecting equality is neither linear nor time bound, but requires persistence, influence and continued action amongst both men and women. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation - Nomaindiya Mfeketo. We discuss how she developed her political consciousness under the tutelage of staunch ANC members from an early age, the impact of Apartheid on her life; and key highlights in her career, from roles in local government dealing directly with communities to managing people’s expectations of transformation in the process of building a new non-racist democracy in South Africa founded on equality. We emphasise that gender equality is not just for educated women, but for every woman. We consider the women empowerment efforts underway from regional players, like SADC (Southern African Development Community) and IORA (The Indian Ocean Rim Association), and how this extends to conflict resolution and stability on the continent. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to multi-award winning South African Musician Toya Delazy, who talks about her musical roots and the emergence of her unique genre of jazz electro hiphop. We discuss the inspiration behind her creativity, and acknowledge that contemporary artists “feed” off their surroundings – capturing current moods and moments in their music. We consider the debilitating effects of women abuse and the need to continue campaigning to raise awareness of this issue via bodies like UNICEF. We highlight some of Toya’s other endeavours, from voicing the first black Powerpuff Girl for Cartoon Network; to her role as champion for UNICEF’s Generation 2030 agenda to uplift African children as the future leaders of our continent; to being a descendent of Zulu royalty and the humility required for people in positions of authority. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Stergomena Tax, the Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Our conversation encompasses outcomes from 37th SADC Summit themed, “Partnering with the Private Sector in Developing Industry and Regional Value Chains”, with industrial development being a core focus of SADC’s developmental integration agenda to drive sustainable economic growth, create employment and reduce poverty. Agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, energy and pharmaceuticals were identified as priority areas to involve the private sector for effective industrialisation. We discuss women in leadership and the need for women to showcase their achievements and highlight their strengths. We review some of the developments emanating from SADC’s gender programmes, which aim to accelerate progress in the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Zou Kota-Fredericks. We discuss the human settlements portfolio in respect to women, not just from a beneficiary perspective but as economic participants in the human settlements value chain. Whether this is women directly working in the construction space to build infrastructure, or owning companies operating in this sector or those employed by peripheral departments that contribute to achieving the goals of human settlements i.e transport, town planning, etc.... We emphasise the importance of getting more women into the work place stressing the role of quotas to help level the playing field. Additionally, we speak about elements to help capacitate women, such as access to finance, developing their skills set, improving their education and implementing gender positive legislation. We raise the issue of transforming cultural stereotypes surrounding women which may prevent them from realising their full potential and for there to be greater acknowledgement of the domestic unpaid work performed largely by the female population to keep households running.

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This week we talk to the High Commissioner of Uganda to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe – Ms Barbara Nekesa Oundo about some of the priorities in her office, including an emphasis on commercial diplomacy to realise economic integration between the countries in her portfolio, in part through the alleviation of trade and infrastructure barriers to boost intra-Africa trade. High Commissioner Oundo acknowledges a few of Uganda’s interventions to promote female empowerment, such as its affirmative action provisions for women; allocating proportions of budgets to contribute to empowering women; developing gender sensitive policies and education initiatives for girls. We note that despite prevailing cultural, traditional and religious expectations of women, particularly in rural areas, through their perseverance and resilience women have the ability to succeed and demonstrate their capability. Tune in for more…..

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Deputy Secretary – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), Penny Williams discusses highlights from the recent Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) session in Durban, which pragmatically addressed aspects like security, stability, sustainable development, prosperity and women’s empowerment in the region. We discuss the complexities surrounding gender equality in different regions around the world, acknowledging that although it is a multifaceted issue, cultural reform and education are two leading drivers for positive change. Ms Williams shares a few practical interventions that are improving gender equality and women’s empowerment, such as ‘Male Champions of Change’; men actively sponsoring women and nominating them for roles; not succumbing to the trap of presenteeism; and the passive physical inclusion of women in the work environments reflected in boardrooms named after women or photographs of female personnel. PENNY WILLAMS DR A GONEOS-MALKA - SMALL.JPG — JPG (3.8 MB)

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This week’s broadcast covers the 10th Pan African Parliament’s Annual Women’s conference in October 2017, which was held under the theme “Role of Parliamentarians in promoting international and regional Human Rights instruments, especially those related to Women and Youth, Peace and Security, and Female Genital Mutilation in order to achieve the Demographic Dividend”. We feature, BALEKA MBETA Speaker for the National Assembly and Chairperson of the African National Congress; BABIRYE VERONICA KADOGO is Member of Parliament in Uganda; and HAIDARA AICHATA CISSE Chairperson of Pan African Parliament’s Women Caucus. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Ipeleng Bogopane-Zulu. We discuss some of the Deputy Minister’s past and present accomplishments, as well as her future plans involving integrated development and sustainably changing communities. We discuss several programmes underway in the department like: food for waste, recycling, early childhood development, positive parenting, establishing shelters for men etc…The Deputy Minister shares a few factors behind her success, such as being motivated by hardships in her personal journey as a woman with a disability, establishing a group of trusted individuals to serve as a sounding board and support system, and changing environmental barriers to enable people to flourish. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by South Africa’s first female Judge President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Mandisa Maya. We discuss her role and intent to diversify the bench to ensure that women are adequately represented in the South African judiciary. Justice Maya raises concerns that globally women still do not receive equal treatment in the work place, particularly in regard to pay and position, even if they are more qualified than their male counterparts. She mentions that legislation in South Africa, like the Employment Equity Act, exists to counter these types of injustices and emphasizes that people must use the courts for vindication. Women need to become more visible in the workplace and their contributions must be acknowledged; and those in positions of authority have a duty to uplift other women. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba. We discuss key milestones in her career, ranging from women empowerment programmes in horticulture to a roadmap for community moral regeneration that nurtures responsible citizenship. We review some of the opportunities and challenges arising from the fourth industrial revolution in relation to women’s participation in the economy. We remark on the loss of low skilled repetitive jobs in the retail sector and others, where women will be the biggest casualties. On the other hand, we consider the possibilities of prosperity through innovation and embracing technology, all the while emphasising that we must prepare and educate our youth to ready their skill sets for the future. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Diane Hildebrandt, who is the co-Director for the research Unit MaPS (Material and Process Synthesis) at Unisa, South Africa. We discuss some of the prominent features in her role to improve process efficiency by developing systems that are cheaper to build, cheaper to operate and less harmful to the environment, as well as her work on converting biomass from household and farming waste into energy. We highlight some of the gender challenges that she encountered in her scientific career, primarily stemming from pervasive stereotypes dictating society’s conventional expectations of girls and women. We note the need to promote creative applications of mathematics in schools to encourage girls to take up the subject as a precursor for a career in the STEM disciplines and the job market of the future. We acknowledge that for Africa to develop we need to have highly trained engineers and scientists to compete in the global village. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the High Commissioner of Kenya to South Africa, Lesetho and Swaziland, Ms Jean Njeri Kamau about some of the key responsibilities in her role, which is primarily centred around maintaining bilateral relationships between Kenya and her three designated countries, with an emphasis on trade, relationships, culture and education. High Commissioner Kamau reflects on the journey of activism taken by women to attain equal citizenship in Kenya, as well as access to decision-making positions in the public sector to advance gender equality, which was formally legislated in Kenya’s revised constitution in 2010. Affirmative action initiatives have managed to bring more women into organisations and create new opportunities for others. We note that culture, tradition and religion can be contentious because they touch people and communities personally, however discriminatory practices cannot be used as excuses to make women subordinate. Ultimately safeguarding women’s rights is everybody’s responsibility and requires robust public commitment. Tune in for more…..

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This week, in recognition of Heritage Day on 24th September, Womanity Women-in-Unity presents a compilation featuring three guests who discuss heritage and the contribution of arts and culture to society. First we hear from Professor Natasha Erlank, who is an historian at the University of Johannesburg; we discuss some historic moments of importance for women and how history transitions into heritage. Next, Professor Nombeko Mpako, the Acting Director of The School of Arts at the University of South Africa and Chairperson of Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology, talks about the the role of art education in youth development and concludes with an overview of some of South Africa’s successful female artists. Lastly, multi award winning singer, composer and performer Dr. Sibongile Khumalo, who is a practitioner of the Arts, addresses contributions of the arts towards humanity; emphasising cultural, social and educational contexts. Tune in for more…

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This week, in our heritage series, we talk to Professor Nombeko Mpako, who is the Acting Director of the School of Arts at the University of South Africa and chair of the Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology. We discuss the skills contribution of the Arts to human development, such as constructive thinking, imagination, empathy, confidence and creativity, which align to the World Economic Forum’s projected set of skills for the workforce in 2020. We note that although the Arts are compulsory subjects in school curricula, fulfilling this mandate is hampered by inadequate resources. We discuss the work of renowned female artists as well as the meaning and the objectives behind their work. We remark on the role of education and highlight the University of South Africa’s objectives to transform and afford recognition to Africanness; to embrace African knowledge, African ways of knowing and African ways of teaching to expand and expose Africa’s wisdom to the world. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Natasha Erlank, former head of the Historical Studies Department at the University of Johannesburg in our first series for Heritage month. We discuss recent poignant moments in South African history for women, highlighting the country’s transition into democracy and the march of over 20,000 women to the Union Buildings in 1956 in protest against the pass laws. We note that recorded history is typically made by the victors, and the way in which events are remembered is influenced by who is in power. We consider how history is converted to heritage as artefacts (tangible or intangible) that humanity leaves for successive generations; and discuss institutional heritage, remarking for example, how the regular re-enactment of religious rituals transmits memory through institutional experience. With respect to equality we draw attention to the need for re-energise meaningful support of the gender movement both through civic society and the state. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of Venezuela to South Africa, Ms Mairin Josefina Moreno-Merida. We discuss a few of the responsibilities in her current role, and the more significant collaborations in the continent with particular emphasis on education, from primary to tertiary level; and the mining sector to contribute to the development of individuals for economic prosperity. Ambassador Moreno-Merida highlights some of Venezuela’s gender equality successes, including the country’s pro-women legislation which is designed to protect women, the mandatory child care facilities in government ministries, generous maternity benefits, and the establishment of a Ministry for Women. We draw attention the necessity of support structures and enablers to help women achieve their goals. Tune in for more… 2017-08-31 WOMANITY AMB VENEZUELA DR A MALKA.jpg — JPG (373.0 KB)

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This week we talk to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Mauritius, who doubles as the SADC National Contact Point, Ms Usha Dwarka-Canabady. We discuss a few highlights from the 37th SADC Summit, themed, “Partnering with the Private Sector in Developing Industry and Regional Value Chains”. The central focal point was on the eradication of poverty by greater collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society. Governments need to emphasise empowerment, particularly of women, to help alleviate poverty, but at the same time still preserve the dignity of impoverished individuals. We reflect on trade opportunities and barriers in the SADC region, and the benefits of working with partners to commercialise offerings. We note an increasing feminisation of government services across the world; however recognise that women do not invest sufficient time into developing their professional networks. We discuss the value of formal education to advance women, and its role as a tool to change outmoded mentalities that perpetuate negative stereotypes.

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This week we talk to Dr Mahlatse Kgokolo - Head of Dermatology at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital/ University of Pretoria. We discuss some of the requisites in her position and specialisations in rare skin conditions, like Xeroderma Pigmentosum. We address the importance of setting strategic targets for long-term success and the need to provide support and appropriate guidance for aspiring young professionals. In terms of leadership we acknowledge the strength of team dynamics and leveraging individuals’ talents for the competitive advantage of the group. We discuss the merits of senior women mentoring less experienced women and for people to optimise their various platforms to benefit and impart wisdom to others. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr. Evelyn Moshokoa - Head of Urology at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital/ University of Pretoria. We discuss key aspects in her portfolio and a few of the factors that led her to study the male dominated field of urology. We emphasise the importance of nurturing and offering career guidance to young people to steer them in appropriate directions and assist them with the practical know how to realise their dreams. Additionally, we draw attention to the short-sightedness of the education system regarding its policies towards pregnant school goers, making the point that girls must attain an education, regardless of circumstances, to be able to make a success of their lives. We debate the impact of culture and tradition in modern society, acknowledging its positive and negative elements, and the difficulties modern professional females experience as they navigate between old and new worlds of community and self. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr. Ncumisa Jilata, who is Africa’s youngest neurosurgeon. We talk about her motivations for pursuing a career in neurosurgery, ranging from being fascinated by the central nervous system at high school, to the current shortage and hence market demand for this specialisation in South Africa. We note some of the challenges that young female doctors encounter, and the importance of building self-confidence to overcome both patient doubt and colleagues second-guessing prognoses. Dr. Jilata believes that it is possible to achieve gender equality in her lifetime, starting with changing mind sets, fostering women empowerment movements and encouraging the private, public and academic sectors to work together, as a triad to help bridge gender gaps. We emphasise the importance of strong female role models both in the professional space, at home and the community at large, to demonstrate there is nothing women cannot do. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Debra Meyer the executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg about her responsibilities in this position, as well as the drive to increase the proportion of women in science, not just the student cohort but senior faculty members too. Prof. Meyer highlights some of the unique aspects of science, emphasising the contributions that scientists make to humanity through landmark discoveries e.g. HIV vaccines. We remark on the strength of South Africa’s pro-gender legislation and constitution, but raise concerns over the lack of universal implementation, and urge women to speak up when they have been affronted. Prof Meyer reflects on a few pivotal moments in her life, from being one of 10 siblings who all attained tertiary qualifications despite their disadvantaged background, her resourceful parents, to prominent women who influenced and nurtured her talent to excel. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to musician Moonchild Sanelly, who at heart is a niche performer. We discuss her fusion of musical influences to forge a unique sound; blending jazz, hip hop and kwaito, accompanied by a ‘Xhonglish’ narrative that addresses topics women experience on a daily basis – from eating disorders, to love and assault. Moonchild Sanelly shares some of her personal experiences, highlighting the need for greater empathy and support from people in authority to assist victims of abuse, particularly women. We consider the power women exert when they form united fronts and strive to achieve positive change. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho - Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen. We discuss some of the responsibilities in her current role, at political, cultural and trade levels; as well as Turkey’s focus on Africa and its philosophy to support African solutions for African problems. We consider the positive effects of gender legislation to close gender gaps and drive equality. We remark on the role that women have played in society in pursuit of democracy and upholding political freedoms. We acknowledge that women are multi-faceted, capable of adopting several roles simultaneously i.e. mother, wife, business women etc…and are adept at multi-tasking. Tune in for more

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This week we talk to Professor Penelope Andrews, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Cape Town. We reflect on some of her motivations to pursue a career in the legal profession to personally make a meaningful difference in society; notably the combined effects of political will to end apartheid and witnessing the daily impact apartheid had on people. Professor Andrews remarks that eradicating racism is easier than eradicating sexism against women; which may be blatant or benign, and perpetuated by women, as well as men, as they attempt to hold on to outdated stereotypical expectations of women. We note that female leadership makes a difference in the lives of girls and women, particularly when it comes to directing and influencing policy. We highlight the positive correlation between a country’s level of affluence and its gender equality status. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Margaret Hirsch, COO of Hirsch’s Homestore. We speak about the birth of Hirsh’s and a few of the catalysts behind various milestones in its journey. We discuss how Hirsch’s contributes to entrepreneurship in South Africa by helping individuals establish their own businesses and highlight some of the responsibilities associated with business ownership. Margaret shares some tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, such as cautioning against taking out loans, working while others are sleeping, the importance of exercising mind and body, working hard, building networks and social capital, and embracing lifelong learning. We emphasis the necessity of education and programmes like “Girls With Dignity” to supply sanitary pads to disadvantaged school girls so they don’t miss school when menstruating. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to reigning Miss SA 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel Peters about the pageant, how it has impacted on her life and some of the responsibilities that come with being Miss SA. We discuss some of the women’s empowerment work Demi is involved with, from Cell C’s Take A Girl Child to Work programme, which other country delegates, the likes of Miss Botswana and Miss Namibia, have adopted for their home countries, to Demi’s own forthcoming “unbreakable” initiative aimed to help women and girls stand up for themselves, protect themselves and be respected. We consider women in leadership, acknowledging that the right decision may not be the popular choice, and for female leaders to be courageous and speak up for people who may not have a voice to do so. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to multi-award winning Afropop musician Nhlanhla Nciza from Mafikizolo. We reflect on factors that have shaped her career in the music industry, from her parents, to education, to iconic musicians like Brenda Fassie. We also discuss how events in her life and broader community serve as the inspiration behind her song writing. We recognise the impact of positive female role models on both girls and boys, be it women who serve the public in prominent positions or mothers who instil strong values and morals in their children. However, we emphasise the need for more women to participate in leadership roles, particularly in rural areas, where some women are still undermined. We acknowledge that today women have access to more opportunities than before and encourage them to pursue their ambitions. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms. Phuti Mahanyele, Executive Chairperson of Sigma Capital, and former Chief Executive Officer of the Shanduka Group, one of South Africa’s leading investment holding companies. We discuss some of the milestones in her career and she shares a few of her life lessons, like hard work, thriving in competitive environments and leadership. We raise concerns about the perceived regression of women in executive roles, and postulate measures to raise the number of female executives, such as instating gender quotas and celebrating successful businesses with women in executive roles to acknowledge the positive performance of entities with women occupying leadership roles. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to award-winning, international best-selling, author Ms. Lauren Beukes. We discuss a few of the catalysts in her career, from winning the Arthur C Clarke award, to tackling social issues with a feminist slant as well as some of the driving forces behind her success – 10% talent, 10% luck, 80% hard work. We consider the role that the media plays with respect to gender and racial parity, framing both male and female perspectives of women. We remark on the idea of broken masculinity as traditional gender stereotypes become less and less relevant in the 21st century. We highlight the responsibility that women have to other women to help each other achieve their dreams. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to renowned South Africa author and performer Dr Gcina Mhlophe, who has been writing and performing on stage and screen for over 30 years. We discuss landmarks in her career, her efforts to preserve the art of storytelling as a means of keeping history alive and to wake up stories in other people, as well as her work to promote literacy and reading in rural areas. We remark on the detrimental effects that inadequate infrastructure has on women from public transportation to health care. We note the need to profile the successes of women to inform the general public. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the High Commissioner of Seychelles to South Africa Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, who shares some of the responsibilities of her role, including participation in decision-making forums and raising awareness of minority groups’ rights. We discuss female leadership, extending beyond political and economic sectors to the home front, as well as the challenges some women experience between their public and private lives. We discuss the empowerment of women across four dimensions firstly education, secondly access to basic healthcare, thirdly fulfilling basic needs and fourthly by promoting the gender agenda amongst the male population. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Afropop entertainer Kelly Khumalo. We discuss the journey of her career so far and its future trajectory; fuelled by a passion to sing, remaining spiritually grounded and exercising the discipline to continue working and re-working for success. We consider the powerful influence musicians exert on society, and the responsibility they have to their fan base. On the personal side we consider some of the challenges that single working parents face, including continuously juggling multiple roles - a daily reality for many mothers in Africa. We remark that gender does not determine a person’s capability nor does it preclude people from fulfilling their dreams. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Rosemary Capa – Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development and Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC). We discuss key priorities of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development in its efforts to address poverty and inequality, especially amongst society’s vulnerable groups – such as women, children and people with disabilities. We consider some of the interventions that have been put in place such as the establishment of the minimum wage, food security programmes in rural areas, early childhood development, and supplying girls with sanitary pads to restore their dignity and confidence. We acknowledge that role of education to empower women and the need to encourage and embrace female leadership Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by RnB, African Jazz singer Maleh. We discuss evolutions in her career, from the importance of identifying one’s sense of purpose in life to focussing energies and realising dreams. We consider the role musicians play in society in terms of “speaking” through the medium of music on behalf of those that do not have a voice or platform to express themselves. Maleh shares her journey of womanhood, highlighting her heritage of a line of women who have dedicated their lives to the development of their communities, and her efforts to inspire young woman to pursue their personal ambitions. We remark on education as a necessity to understand business and attain success irrespective of career choice. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Afro Soul singer Amanda Black. We discuss the power of music and lyrics to sway people’s perceptions, and consequently the tremendous influence musicians exert on the public. Amanda relays the important role of education in her career, to perfect and master her craft, emphasising the necessity of study to better understand your field in pursuit of excellence. We note the need for women at the top of their industries to mentor and nurture younger women starting out to help them overcome challenges; and we highlight some of the characteristics associated with positive female leaders. We also discuss issues of identity, confidence, self-respect and self-belief for women to constructively take control of their futures. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Nomalungelo Gina – Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, and Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC). We discuss key priorities of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in relation to improving the quality of education, specifically in mathematics and science subjects; and the need for the state to provide inclusive education that caters for learners with special needs to ensure equal opportunities for all. We highlight the importance of educating the girl child, as well as offering basic education to women who may not previously have had an opportunity for schooling, to be aware of their rights, to better manage fertility rates, to improve health care and alleviate poverty. We also remark on the detrimental effects of teenage pregnancy and comment on some social interventions to prevent the exploitation of young women. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Phumuzile Ngwenya-Mabila – Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform, and Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC). We discuss key priorities of the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform in relation to: land reform and development, improving service delivery in rural areas, land redistribution and female beneficiaries. We consider gender transformation in the workforce and tools to acceleration this process, such as legislation and education. We acknowledge that careers options for women have diversified, emphasise that people must actively seek out opportunities, and note the need for women to support other women to help them prosper. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Joanmariae Louise Fubbs – Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC). We discuss some of the goals of the Department of Trade and Industry, such as the acceleration of employment through industrialisation, small business development and entrepreneurship; prioritising intra-Africa trading; enabling broad based black economic empowerment. Collectively Africans need to upgrade and develop Africa for its sustainable future. We acknowledge the role of education to develop women, and highlight that female leaders are as capable as their male counterparts. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Cecilia Julin, the Ambassador of Sweden to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia. We discuss some of the responsibilities in her current role, at a political and economic level, and highlight a few regional programmes Sweden supports in Southern Africa, such as AIDS prevention, energy initiatives and climate issues. We consider the positive effects of gender legislation to achieve equality and alter gender stereotypes, for example, the right to 480 days of parental leave in Sweden, which is shared between a child’s parents, promotes the view that child rearing is as much a father’s duty as it is a mother’s. We reflect on the importance of education to advance women, remarking on the need to focus on developing skills in science and technology, which increasingly shape global society. Tune in for more…

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“This week we are joined by Ms Nozabelo Ruth Bhengu, Chairperson of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, and member of Parliament of the South African ruling party, the African National Congress. We discuss some of the committee’s responsibilities in the development of small business, as well as, its role in the country’s National Development Plan towards the radical social economic transformation by the year 2030, as women represent the greatest number of entrepreneurs in the “Survivalist” and “Micro” categories. Tune in for more”.

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This week we talk to Ms Jane Raphaely Chairperson of Associated Media Publishing, which publishes both internationally acclaimed and South African brands, ranging from Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, WOW, House and Leisure, Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding, H&L Renovations, H&L Food, SA Lingerie to Cosmo on Campus. We discuss some the childhood experiences that Ms Raphaely’s encountered during the Second World War and her determination to escape poverty and be in control of her own destiny. We highlight the transformative effects of education, particularly tertiary education as a springboard to propel individuals beyond what they thought possible. We reflect on female leadership and persistent inequalities, remarking that women leaders need to systematically attract followers to bring about lasting change. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Safiatou Ndiaye, the Ambassador of Senegal to South Africa. We reflect on her 30 year career in politics and some of the responsibilities in her current role, such as fostering greater economic trade between Senegal and South Africa (particularly in the commodities space) and promoting cultural relations between these two nations. We discuss some of the challenges that handicap gender parity objectives, like traditional cultural aspects and religious considerations. In spite of these pressures Senegal has managed to achieve one of its gender goals - for girls to attend high school. The next step is for these high school graduates to pursue tertiary education and go on to develop professional careers as economically empowered women. We acknowledge the sacrifices that female leaders have made and their responsibilities as role models and mentors for successive generations . Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Dr Adriana Marais, theoretical physicist and aspiring extraterrestrial - as one of the 100 Mars One Project astronaut candidates in the running to move to Mars in 2026. We discuss some of her work in quantum mechanics and the depths of discovery made possible by this field, for example applying the perfect efficiency of the inner workings of photosynthesis to human energy technologies. We acknowledge the importance of science to the future of the world, the prominence of STEM based positions in 2020 and the acceleration of scientific progress in Africa. We highlight some of the opportunities available to women for further study via specific bursaries and grants available exclusively to women. We discuss some of the logistics required to send humans to live on Mars more than 200 million kilometres away from earth and how she envisages living life on another planet. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Machwene Rosina Semenya – Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC). We discuss some of the responsibilities of the committee, such as collaborating with other portfolios, passing legislation and providing a space to engage with civil society on matters of interest. Ms Semenya acknowledges components that still hinder women’s progress in society, like patriarchy, and importantly how to overcome these barriers through legislation and education across the gender divide to enable women to perform meaningful roles in society on an equal standing to their male counterparts. We also reflect on the value of female role models to inspire women to rise above their challenges. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Julia Raphaely CEO of Associated Media Publishing, which publishes both internationally acclaimed and South African brands, ranging from Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, WOW, House and Leisure, Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding, H&L Renovations, H&L Food, SA Lingerie to Cosmo on Campus. We discuss the challenges of transforming an established business to thrive in a radically changed world, striking a balance between keeping the foundation business healthy and simultaneously investing in the future. We reflect on the positive implications for female employees working in a business that was started by and is run by women – glass ceilings do not exist, nor does gender inequality or pay disparity. We consider important traits for women in leadership roles such as confidence, strength of conviction and clarity of focus to make decisions that benefit the business. We emphasise the value of education and mentorship to nurture young women in their careers and urge them to remain hungry to learn, to keep an open mind and try new opportunities. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Nonzwakazi Cekete, the editor of Move!, South Africa’s biggest women’s weekly magazine, with a readership of almost 2.4million people. We discuss her rise up the career ladder in media, diligently working her way from the bottom to the top and building a strong personal brand in the process. Nonzwi takes her role as editor responsibly, she is acutely aware of the influence Move’s content exerts on its audiences - dispensing much needed expert advice across various platforms to the Move! community. We acknowledge the power of education to open opportunities for women to advance. We note that inequality still persists in the workplace, especially where remuneration is concerned. To breach gender gaps women have to fight harder, be more vocal, market themselves and equate their worth to currency when they negotiate their contracts . Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Pnina Fenster, the editor of Glamour magazine. We discuss some of the operational challenges experienced by contemporary editors of women’s magazines in the 21st century, and the depth of responsibility Ms Fenster has to her readers in pursuit of making women’s lives better. In our discussion on attaining gender equality we reflect on the ability of humankind to change; by changing individuals communities change. We remark that women have made significant strides, and today exercise more power than ever before, despite the women’s liberation movement being relatively young. Political equality is one milestone, but economic equality is sorely needed to empower women sustainably. We remark that women and men tend to be judged differently because of their gender, instead of their competence, and legislation is needed to prevent prejudices. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Jackie May, the editor of Marie Claire magazine, which celebrates 20 years of publishing in South Africa this year. We discuss some of the responsibilities that come with an editor’s portfolio, including being primary caretaker of the brand and custodian of the content disseminated across its multiple platforms. We consider some of the positive dynamics for women working in predominately female environments and companies that are run by women. We highlight some of the factors that still hinder women’s progress in the work space that need to be overcome, such as equal pay, fostering greater confidence and utilising legislation to protect their rights and interests if they feel affronted. We stress the importance of academic education and social awareness to equip people to contribute meaningfully to their lives and society as a whole. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Suzy Brokensha, editor of Fairlady and Lose It magazines. We discuss the sustainability of magazines and their future as they compete against multiple media sources for consumer attention, and the pursuit of niche communities of interest, remarking on pop up publishing as a mechanism to quickly fill open gaps in the market. We consider the democratisation of media, and highlight cautionary consequences of confirmation bias that may lead to a more disperse and disintegrated society by reinforcing individuals’ myopic beliefs. We acknowledge that women in the workforce tend to be judged differently to their male counterparts and are prone to more ad hominem attacks than men. We remark on the need for women to negotiate their salaries and understand their value before embarking on a job. In the quest for gender equality we raise the importance of male-to-male influence to topple gender inequality. Tune in for more…

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This week we reflect on episodes of the past year with a compilation of some the show’s most memorable segments. The High Commissioner of Canada, Ms Sandra McCardell, remarks on women’s inherent leadership capability and the need for women to support other women – reminding us of Madeleine Albright’s quote, “There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other.” Staying with the theme of female leadership, the Ambassador of Norway, Ms Trine Skymoen, relays details of the current financial loss Sub-Saharan Africa incurs as a result of women being excluded from economic participation; she also shares some of the successful policy interventions undertaken by Norway to drive gender equality in the corporate sector. Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, currently the Special Gender Envoy at the African Development Bank and former Minster of the Republic of South Africa, highlights the impact of infrastructure deficits in Africa on women and the opportunities for women to take up vital roles to build and sustain the continent. Former Minister of Human Settlements and current Member of Parliament Ms Cornelia September stresses the importance of education as a primary tool to shape and grow the Africa of today and the future. Helen Zille, the Premier of the Western Cape, former Mayor of Cape Town and former leader of the Democratic Alliance, illustrates that true female empowerment and the freedom for women to make autonomous decisions is only possible with education. Ms Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, South Africa’s Ambassador to Egypt and previously South Africa’s first Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, calls upon women to unite and lift others as they rise. Professor Vicky Crittenden reminds us that everyone has the potential to make a valuable contribution to society. Closing the show is renowned South African business woman Dr. Judy Dlamini, who imparts invaluable life tips based on some of the factors that she attributes to her success. Tune in for more…

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This week we reflect on episodes of the past year with a compilation of some the show’s most memorable segments. Renowned business woman Dr. Judy Dlamini relays aspects of the pioneering research she produced in her doctoral thesis on successful women in business, highlighting five key levers that lead to sustainable empowerment. Terry Volkwyn, CEO of Primedia Broadcasting, talks about the challenges she encountered when she elected to go against socially determined gender stereotype roles and shares some of the mottos in her life. Mrs Wendy Ackerman, co-Founder and honorary life president of Pick n Pay stores, highlights what it takes for women to smash through glass cubes, let alone glass ceilings, in pursuit of their careers, in part by refuting nonsensical policies and in the process securing more rights and benefits for female employees. Olympic long distance runner Elana Meyer emphasises the importance of positively nurturing self-belief to achieve success. Captain of the South African national ladies cricket team Mignon du Preez talks about some of the drivers to her success. Jacqui Hlongwane, programme manager and curator at SABC 2, reminds us of the power women possess to change outcomes of not only their lives but those in their community and our continent. Closing the show is the High Commissioner of Jamaica Ms Cheryl Kay Spencer with a message of resilience to rise above struggles – nothing is impossible. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Cheryl Kay Spencer, the High Commissioner of Jamaica to 19 countries in Southern and East Africa. We discuss her career in foreign affairs and some of the responsibilities in her current role, such as debunking myths and misconceptions of Jamaica, expanding trade relations, elevating sports activities and promoting cultural relations between South Africa and Jamaica. We address gender equality interventions such as quality education for girls and adolescent females, teaching women to be economically productive and independent, promoting women’s rights, enacting gender legislation, and the need for male champions to support and push the agenda for gender equality. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Helen Zille, the Premier of the Western Cape (former leader of the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's opposition political party, and former Mayor of Cape Town). We discuss the Premier’s views on women empowerment and gender equality legislation, highlighting education as a key enabler for women to achieve liberation, economic freedom and make autonomous decisions - including the choice to have children or not, and who to partner with in their lives. We recognise the negatives of pervasive gender stereotypical roles and the impact motherhood has on women advancing their careers if they do not have adequate support structures. We address globalisation, diversity and acceptance of otherness as key strengths to navigate our global village. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ms Jacqui Hlongwane, the Programme Manager for SABC2, who provisions content for the station’s 50 million viewers. We discuss the influencing effects media has on society, highlighting the responsibility media practitioners have to curate appropriate material for their audiences across multiple genres. We address some of the gender challenges women experience in the workforce and how to overcome them. We reflect on the need for individuals to take ownership of their potential for the benefit of their communities and society at large to positively rebuild Africa. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Victoria Crittenden, Professor of Marketing and Chair of the Marketing Division at Babson College USA. We address female entrepreneurship through direct selling, highlighting some of the benefits it yields, such as financial independence, empowerment choices and self confidence. Success in the direct selling space is dependent on entrepreneurs engaging with their customers. Social media is increasingly replacing the traditional door-to-door physical contact approach. Therefore, for women to increase their odds of success they need to master their social media skills to build client networks and accrue social capital. We discuss education as a tool to overcome poverty, the value of role models and women in leadership. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Carol Ann Benn, a renowned South African surgeon who specialises in breast health. We discuss several movements underway in healthcare, namely reducing the focus on a vertical approach to educate patients directly about their bodies and health concerns, applying a multidisciplinary approach to provide holistic healthcare to patients, tailoring treatment to the individual and making healthcare professionals and facilities more accessible to people. We highlight the importance of further education and self-learning to empower people, as well as the need for mentorship to develop and support people in their careers. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Professor Dianne Manning, Deputy Dean for Education in the Faculty of Health Science at the University of Pretoria. We discuss some of the demographic changes that have transformed the composition of health science graduates with a notable bias in favour of women as an outcome of empowerment and not being excluded from opportunities to study disciplines of their choice. We emphasise the contribution of education to build competence and the function of role models to improve women’s economic possibilities. We remark on the need for continuous improvement by building upon the knowledge of giants who have preceded us. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to South African Paralympic and World Championship gold medallist Ntombizanele (Zanele) Situ. We discuss some of Zanele’s many achievements through her three decade long career, how her journey into competitive sport evolved out of her love for sport, how sport helped her understand herself more and equipped her to manage her disability. We consider some of the motivations behind Zanele’s success, such as constantly stretching herself to attempt new challenges, to appreciate support structures and her motto of “If you can dream it you can do it”. We also reflect on the need for parents to invest into their children’s upbringing for the betterment of them and society. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to South African Paralympic and World Championship gold medallist Ilse Hayes. We discuss some of her career highlights and underlying drivers for success. A few of her motivating factors include: self belief to be better than yesterday; setting tangible goals; being present - focussing on the here and now; strong support systems - in family, coaches and peers; as well as striving for personal intrinsic values rather than extrinsic rewards. She elaborates on some of her role models, expressing how they have influenced and shaped her life. We consider the parallels between lessons learnt on the track and their applicability in corporate environments, such as time management or adapting behaviours in the face of uncontrollable elements to manage optimal outcomes. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to 2016 Olympic Gold 800m champion and multi-medallist Caster Semenya. She gives insight into some of the factors that have contributed to her achievements, touching on “Team Cobra”, her strong support networks, the importance of creating a positive environment to breed success with like-minded people, and education. We consider some of the elements required to help strengthen women’s sport including establishing a sports network for women spanning the sporting spectrum, optimising sports management and sourcing appropriate sponsorships. We also discuss her career plans as an international athlete and life after competing on the track to focus on sports development to nurture upcoming athletes. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Judy Dlamini, founder and executive Chairperson of the Mbekani Group and former Chairperson of Aspen Pharmacare Limited. Her previous board engagements include Anglo American Discovery Holdings, Woolworths Holdings and others. We consider her successful transition from the medical profession to corporate finance, epitomising the philosophy of lifelong learning. We contemplate female leadership in business, the pervading inequalities as well as interventions like quotas, legislation, and the need for men to embrace and encourage gender transformation to achieve equality. We also discuss her doctorate thesis concerning the intersection of race, gender and social class in women CEOs career advancement and gender transformation in leadership. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Judy Dlamini, founder and executive Chairperson of the Mbekani Group and former Chairperson of Aspen Pharmacare Limited. Her previous board engagements include Anglo American Discovery Holdings, Woolworths Holdings and others. We consider her successful transition from the medical profession to corporate finance, epitomising the philosophy of lifelong learning. We contemplate female leadership in business, the pervading inequalities as well as interventions like quotas, legislation, and the need for men to embrace and encourage gender transformation to achieve equality. We also discuss her doctorate thesis concerning the intersection of race, gender and social class in women CEOs career advancement and gender transformation in leadership. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Clara Nzima the Head SABC 1, South Africa’s largest national public broadcasting television channel. We discuss key highlights in her career and some of her award winning productions, her proactive stance to consciously develop women in the workforce, and her sense of responsibility towards succession planning to build institutional memory. We address some of the gender challenges women encounter in corporate environments and the positive evolution of policies to improve their rights. In the media space we emphasise the importance of portraying women in a positive light in story lines and news features, due to the influence media has on understanding, shaping and sustaining cultural and social perceptions. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Terry Volkwyn the Chief Executive Officer of Primedia Broadcasting who is charged with running four commercial stations and integrating several initiatives that scale across the brand platforms. We discuss some of the challenges female leaders encounter in corporate environments; the need to encourage women to seek out opportunities in business and hold their ground; how to enhance inherent feminine traits like intuition through substantiation; and the dynamics of work life balance. We touch on the negative impact of pervading social stereotypes which influence people’s perspectives of gender roles and counter the advances of equality. We address the importance of active citizenship and taking responsibility, as individuals, for driving positive change in society. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the High Commissioner of Canada to South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Lesotho and Namibia - Sandra McCardell. We consider some of the dynamics affecting women in leadership positions. In the professional space female leaders are often judged differently to male counterparts. In the family environment the female expression of authority tends to be inherent; children are taught to listen first and foremost to their mothers who bring a sense of caring and collegiality. We acknowledge the complexity of family influences on women’s lives and the importance of implementing legislation to support women’s rights - women aren’t equal until all women are equal. Women need to believe in their values as human beings and carry that strength forward, enabling themselves through education and attaining financial independence. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr Brigalia Bam, former Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa, former Chancellor of the Walter Sisulu University and Nelson Mandela University. Dr Bam relays some of the challenges in the journey of building South Africa’s democracy - unpacking the efforts to register South Africans on the voters role, reaching people in rural and urban areas, co-ordinating the infrastructure required to facilitate voting, motivating political parties to work together, and captivating the spirit of the people in South Africa to embrace the freedom to vote. We reflect on the effects of having more women in decision making roles in parliament. Women in these institutions have the power to change the conditions of other women. Conditions of poverty, gender based violence, poor health, inadequate education, disempowerment and economic injustices are detrimental to the well-being and progress of women. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Prof Cina van Zyl, former Chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, Transport, Tourism and Logistics Management at the University of South Africa. We discuss some of the barriers and enablers to women’s scholarly development and research in Higher Education. We emphasise that women need to learn how to work the respective organisational systems they find themselves in, create and negotiate their own workable career strategies, be creative in their time management and prove their worth through their outputs – aiming to be indispensible. A one size fits all approach is a one size fits none. Good networks are vital for success and women need to start building them at the beginning of their careers, meeting senior executives and fostering these relationships in the long-term and drawing upon this social capital when the time arises. “Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it.” Tune in for more…

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This week we talk about the national Safe Ride campaign, an initiative launched between Sonke Gender Justice and the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), with the support of the Danish Embassy in South Africa. Our guests, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to South Africa Ms Trine Rask Thygesen, Ms Nonhlanhla Skosana, Community Education and Mobilisation Manager at Sonke Gender Justice and Ms Memory Madikgoe from the Women’s Desk of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) unpack the details of this campaign, which is aimed at preventing and responding to the abuse of women and girls at the hands of taxi personnel. We discuss the psychological and physical impact of gender based violence on the individual in her private and public life. Women’s rights are human rights and the integrity of these rights must be upheld by all members of society. There is a need to change pervasive cultural thinking and attitudes to women by engaging with men. In the Safe Ride initiative men are regarded as critical partners, to help create safe travel for girls and women. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to two pioneering University of Johannesburg researchers, who were recently honoured at the 2016 Women in Science Awards - Professor Catherine Ngila and Professor Esther Akinlabi. We discuss changes in the demographic composition of the technology and science arena, with increasing representation of women in both the professional and academic space. They share their motivation for pursuing careers in science, which stemmed from excelling academically as a means to escape poverty and cultural constraints that were imposed on girls and women in rural areas. However, women still lag behind in senior management, we address the need for women to believe in themselves more, to compete, to own their success and nominate themselves for top positions. A combination of positive exposure, encouragement and support will help girls and women advance in their chosen paths. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the University of South Africa (UNISA) Women’s Forum Chairperson Dr. Marinkie Madiope. We discuss the merits and flexibility of distance learning institutions as well as the use of e-learning tools to educate and empower individuals, extending from urban to rural environments. Both formal and informal forms of education are key enablers to empower women; contributing to self-development - building confidence and assertiveness; or economic independence via entrepreneurial skills and the ability to access resources. We address the role of the UNISA Women’s forum to promote women issues and afford women opportunities to learn from role models, and the future of this forum to broaden its mandate to service female stakeholders in the wider UNISA community. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to South Africa’s International Women’s Springbok Rugby Sevens award winning player Chané Stadler. Women’s Sevens Rugby is a growing sport, and the South African team is on the ascent to success, recently proving their world class performance by winning both the Hong Kong and Rome tournaments on the international circuit. We discuss some of the strategies used to strengthen team cohesion both on and off the field. At the individual level we consider the importance of a positive attitude and confidence for a person to achieve their ambitions and overcome negative setbacks, emphasising that women must believe in themselves more. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of Switzerland – Ms Helene Budliger Artieda, who is the Ambassador to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesetho, Swaziland and Mauritius. We discuss Switzerland’s emphasis on economic development and trade arrangements with the SADC region as well as Switzerland’s strategy to partner with countries for progress. Specific efforts include a focus on vocational educational training and small medium enterprise development to contribute to sustainable economic growth in Africa. We compare the state of gender equality in Switzerland to countries in Africa, noting the differences and the demands placed on women forcing them to multitask and make choices which often compromise their career development as they prioritise their family responsibilities. We note that the important role that men play in gender equality by supporting and advocating women in the workplace. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Mrs. Mashego-Dlamini the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform in the Republic of South Africa. We discuss aspects of her career, her work as an anti-apartheid activist and involvement in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We address some of the economic initiatives the department has established for women, specifically in arts, crafts and clothing to uplift women and promote trade. We consider the dynamics of gender equality and the importance of developing education programs for both girls and boys. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Mignon Dupreez, the captain of South Africa’s ladies national cricket team. She shares some of the responsibilities associated with captaining the national cricket team, from an internal perspective preparing the squad to externally promoting - not just the game of cricket but women in sport. She emphasises the importance of embracing the opportunity to be a role model to positively influence young girls and encourage them to reach for their dreams, and demonstrating by example that it is possible to break through barriers and build a legacy. In terms of women’s leadership we consider the innate qualities women possess and should apply in their leadership roles rather than adopting male leadership styles. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Bongiwe Msomi, Vice-captain of South Africa’s ladies national netball team. She shares some of her experiences as an international sportswoman representing South Africa. We discuss personal attributes of dedication, passion and perseverance on an internal level and on external level some of the robust support structures that contribute to building successful sporting careers. Bongiwe reflects on serving as a role model to inspire other young women and encourage them to pursue their goals. We remark on the need for women in sport to receive greater recognition for their contributions to help elevate the status of women’s sports and raise its appeal amongst a broader public. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi - African Development Bank Special Envoy on Gender (former Minister of Public Service and Administration & former Minister of Welfare and Population Development in the Republic of South Africa). The focus of the conversation is on infrastructure in Africa. We discuss some of the continent’s infrastructure challenges, current projects underway to develop roads, water systems and solar energy, the need for private and public sectors to unite forces to accelerate progress. We consider the role of women as downstream beneficiaries and upstream providers in new infrastructure programmes. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of Norway, Trine Skymoen, who is the Ambassador to South Africa, Botswana, and Madagascar. We discuss Norway’s development programmes in Africa that focus on empowering women, emphasising the political, moral and economic benefits behind this initiative. In terms of gender equality we stress that both men and women must take responsibility to achieve gender equality. Some of the factors that contribute to gender equality include: shared parental responsibility; ensuring girls and boys receive the same level; instituting quota systems (in 2006 Norway introduced legislation stating that companies listed on the Norwegian stock exchange required a minimum of 40% women); role models (to date Norway has had two female prime ministers). Tune in for more…

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This week in part 2 of Womanity’s commemoration of youth month through education we feature conversations from guests who have demonstrated the impact that education has had on their lives and the role of education in South Africa. Ms Bathabile Olive Dlamini - Current ANCWL President and South Africa’s Minister of Social Development; Ms Mary-Ann Lindelwa Dunjwa - Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Health; Prof Cheryl de la Rey - Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria; Ms Yvonne ‘Pinky’ Nkwenkwezi Phosa – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Higher Education & Training; Ms Mmamoloko Tryphosa Kubayi – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services; Ambassador Sheila Sisulu - Chancellor of Walter Sisulu University; Ambassador Elisabeth Barbier – Ambassador of France to South Africa; Ms Thoko Didiza - former Minister of the Republic of South Africa, currently House Chairperson in the Parliament of South Africa; Ms Zolani Mahola lead singer of Freshlyground; Ms Mildred Oliphant - Minister of Labour. Tune in for inspiration.

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In South Africa, the month of June is celebrated as Youth Month, to remember the youth who lost their lives during the Soweto uprising on 16th June 1976. This year, today 16th June 2016, marks the 40th anniversary of this occasion, which is commemorated under the theme “Youth Moving South Africa Forward”. Our youth require many components to move our nation forward, but arguably one element stands out above the rest and that is education. In recognition of the positive effects of education, Womanity has compiled a special programme that features extracts from previous guests who have demonstrated the impact that education has had on their lives and how South Africa has advanced as a result of it. Ms Buyelwa Sonjica - former Minister of the Republic of South Africa; Ms Angie Motshekga - Minister of Education; Mrs Zoleka Lebelo - Principle of Alexander High School; Ms Thoko Didiza - former Minister of the Republic of South Africa, currently House Chairperson in the Parliament of South Africa; Prof Irma Elof, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria; Dr Sibongile Khumalo award winning musician; award winning Afro-soul vocalist and songwriter Lira; Moshidi Motshegwa - actress, producer and director; CEO and founder of BBES International Bisila Bokoko. Tune in for inspiration…

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This week we talk to Lilan Du Plessis and Marizen Marais from South Africa’s ladies national hockey team. They share some of their experiences as sportswomen representing South Africa internationally. Support networks are emphasised as enablers, ranging from family, friends and fans to institutional structures like universities that flexibly accommodate the demands of a sporting career with a student’s academic obligations. They remark on some of the non-tangible dynamics of team sports which contribute to building successful teams, and the need for greater profiling of sportswomen to mainstream women’s sport in its own right. They share insights into what inspires them and correspondingly dispense their own words of advice. Tune in for more

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This week we talk to Lilan Du Plessis and Marizen Marais from South Africa’s ladies national hockey team. They share some of their experiences as sportswomen representing South Africa internationally. Support networks are emphasised as enablers, ranging from family, friends and fans to institutional structures like universities that flexibly accommodate the demands of a sporting career with a student’s academic obligations. They remark on some of the non-tangible dynamics of team sports which contribute to building successful teams, and the need for greater profiling of sportswomen to mainstream women’s sport in its own right. They share insights into what inspires them and correspondingly dispense their own words of advice. Tune in for more

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This week we talk to Refiloe Jane and Sanah Mollo from South Africa’s ladies national soccer team - Banyana Banyana. They share some of the responsibilities they carry as role models to aspiring young ladies both on and off the soccer field; noting that women should support each other more, empower themselves and be the change they want to see. They elaborate on the work that goes into becoming world-class sportswomen, representing South Africa, on their journey to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They share insights into what inspires them and correspondingly dispense their own words of advice. Tune in for more..

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This week we talk to Elana Meyer, former South African long-distance runner and Olympic medallist. We discuss some of the factors that contributed to her success in athletics, effectively tools of life. These range from discipline, dedication, persistence, external enablers and a driving passion for people to pursue their chosen paths. We consider elements that contribute to gender equality; such as socialising girls to believe in themselves and the possibility to do anything, as well as the need for women who have walked the road to success to share their journey with younger women, serving as role models to assist youngsters in road forward. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Wendy Ackerman Co-founder and Life President of Pick n Pay Stores. We discuss her commitment to employees’ benefits and welfare, for instance women are entitled to 9 months maternity leave, at 75% of their salary, and guaranteed their position when they return to work. We remark on the choices working women are required to make through evaluating their personal circumstances and electing to either develop a career or pursue a standard 9-5 job. We consider the need for women to improve work/life integration, to cultivate support structures, and the role of flexi-time options. We reflect on gender equality both in the working world and on the home front. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to South Africa, Ms Trine Rask Thygesen. We discuss the progress of gender equality, remarking on the positive gains female leadership has made in the public sector, notably governments in some Nordic and African countries, in contrast to significantly lower levels in the private sector across the globe. In consideration of gender gaps, issues of unconscious bias, diversity, assertion, professional networking are addressed. We highlight the forthcoming Women Deliver conference which takes place in Copenhagen Denmark from 16-19 May. It will host the world's largest conference on the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women in the last ten years with delegates from 150 countries. The main aim of the conference will be on how to implement the Sustainable Development Goals with respect to women, emphasising maternal, sexual, and reproductive health rights. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to South Africa, Ms Trine Rask Thygesen. We discuss the progress of gender equality, remarking on the positive gains female leadership has made in the public sector, notably governments in some Nordic and African countries, in contrast to significantly lower levels in the private sector across the globe. In consideration of gender gaps, issues of unconscious bias, diversity, assertion, professional networking are addressed. We highlight the forthcoming Women Deliver conference which takes place in Copenhagen Denmark from 16-19 May. It will host the world's largest conference on the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women in the last ten years with delegates from 150 countries. The main aim of the conference will be on how to implement the Sustainable Development Goals with respect to women, emphasising maternal, sexual, and reproductive health rights. Tune in for more….

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This week we speak to Dipuo Peters, the Minister of Transport of the Republic of South Africa. We unpack some of the challenges in the transport industry affecting gender transformation and how to attract more women into this sector, particularly in leadership positions in both private and public entities. We consider the role of advocacy platforms in the transport sector like Women in Rail and South African Network for Women in Transport, women’s access to finance, flexi-time options, mentoring, the importance of adequate support structures to allow women to succeed in their choice of career, and establishing quotas to encourage more women to participate in different modes of transport (aviation, land or sea). Additionally we discuss gender equality - propelled by legislation, and women’s self-empowerment through education and up-skilling for advancement. Tune in for more…

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This week we speak to Dipuo Peters, the Minister of Transport of the Republic of South Africa. We unpack some of the challenges in the transport industry affecting gender transformation and how to attract more women into this sector, particularly in leadership positions in both private and public entities. We consider the role of advocacy platforms in the transport sector like Women in Rail and South African Network for Women in Transport, women’s access to finance, flexi-time options, mentoring, the importance of adequate support structures to allow women to succeed in their choice of career, and establishing quotas to encourage more women to participate in different modes of transport (aviation, land or sea). Additionally we discuss gender equality - propelled by legislation, and women’s self-empowerment through education and up-skilling for advancement. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Judge Monica Leeuw, the first female appointed Judge President in South Africa, who currently occupies the role of Judge President of North-West High Court in South Africa. Judge Leeuw highlights some of her responsibilities as Judge President, she expresses her wish that people across the breadth of the country have access to justice and that cases in the court system are finalized expeditiously. Additionally Judge Leeuw reflects on her starting point in the legal field, recalling her time in university as a young law student, when there were just two women in her class studying law and the difficulty thereafter for women to secure positions for articles. Subsequently through the development of South Africa’s legal system and the formation of the new constitution women are no longer hampered by prejudicial constraints. Legislation promotes equal rights and the empowerment of women. But in order for women to advance further they need to empower and support one another. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Justice Sisi Khampepe, a Constitutional Court Judge of South Africa, a position she has held since 2009. She is one of eleven judges charged with the duties of upholding the law and the constitution in South Africa. Justice Khampepe reflects on her early career as a young candidate attorney confronting the injustices of apartheid on a daily basis; and her efforts to defend the rights of workers against unjust laws and unfair employment practices, such as reducing the cumbersome requirements imposed on hawkers seeking licenses to trade, and challenging the 24 hour dismissal notices that were imposed on temporary workers without fair hearings. She also shares some of her experiences as a Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Commissioner and the atrocities that were committed, “where the pigment of your skin mattered more than the humanity of your heart”. In respect of gender equality, Judge Khampepe reiterates that the South African constitution is deliberately gender conscious and it rests upon all citizens to ensure that anyone can advance to the upper echelons of society, so women at all levels of leadership should be vocal and fight to ensure that parity is achieved. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Judge Mahube Betty Molemela, the first female Judge President of the Free State High Court of South Africa. Judge Molemela describes her role as Judge President and the independence of the South African judiciary to deliver quality justice. Gender ratios in the legal system, like most sectors in society, are not at parity levels. To a large extent this stems from a history of patriarchy as well as apartheid which precluded women. Today women have many more career opportunities, partly attributed to legislation and the efforts of their female predecessors who have paved the way for equal opportunity. Despite this, women the world over are still underrepresented in key positions and the number of females occupying leadership roles is not where it should be, however progress is being made and gender transformation must continue to advance. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Fazila Dahall, who has been an Executive Producer at Channel Africa (SABC), for both English and French programmes for over thirty years. Reflecting on her career as a journalist we discuss some of her encounters and escapes in war stricken territories, from Pakistan to Afghanistan, in circumstances and territories where the life of a woman holds very little value. We discuss some of her award winning work in Algeria, as well as her social responsibility commitments with the Akbaraly Foundation of Madagascar, which is dedicated to fighting female cancers, bringing life-saving health services to impoverished women in rural communities. We reflect on female leadership in Africa, noting that women represent more than 50% of the continent’s population yet their progress at the socio-political table is much slower than it should be after fifty years of political independence. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya: Former Minister of Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities; former President of NEHAWU, and currently South Africa’s Ambassador to Egypt. We discuss some of the challenges she experienced in her role as first female president of NEHAWU, overcoming gender stereotypes to prove that women possess the attributes to be competent capable leaders. Yet this capability still tends to be overlooked in the corporate sector. We reflect on the birth of the Progressive Women’s Movement as an important milestone in South Africa’s history to unite women along common issues, and stress that women must continue to embody one voice and speak out about issues that affect them; politically, socially, legally and economically, to make meaningful contributions for the betterment of society. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Sofia Simba, Tanzania’s Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children. We discuss the fact that governments across the African continent generally have good polices with respect to women, but challenges of underfunding negatively impact on resource availability and the implementation of policies. We acknowledge that the African Union has made agri-businesses a focal point amongst women and is putting in place mechanisms for mechanised development for farming practices. However, for women to succeed commercially, greater access to financial resources is necessary. Part of this endeavour requires women to be more educated with literacy and numeracy skills and aware of their rights in society. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Elsie Coleman – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development. We discuss some of the portfolio committee’s roles relating to unblocking impediments to job creation in South Africa, such as the provision of adequate social infrastructure like water and sanitation services that have a significant impact on households, particularly for women. We debate women’s empowerment in the workplace stressing that whilst legislation may encourage women to participate in the workforce they still need the requisite skills to perform the functions expected of them, and skills support is not always readily available. However, by self-educating, being assertive and focussing on set targets leads to fulfilment. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Thandi Cecilia Memela – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women in The Presidency. We discuss some of the portfolio committee’s responsibilities to ensure that women are economically active, whether they own a small business or are employed by large enterprises, and amplifying this message across the African continent. On the one hand we reflect on archaic practices such as primogeniture and other traditional laws that prevented women from inheriting and owning property, and on the other hand remark on positive legislation which strives for equal rights. In pursuit of equality there is a need to change mindsets of both men and women and socialise future generations to respect and value one another irrespective of gender. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Yvonne ‘Pinky’ Nkwenkwezi Phosa – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Higher Education & Training. We emphasise that education is at the centre of development for South African society and the country’s economic productivity. Concerted efforts are underway to reduce poverty and create jobs via collaborations between industry and government. One example is an artisan program that is tied to infrastructure development projects and promotes entrepreneurship. We discuss the advantages of e-learning, particularly amongst women in order to flexibly incorporate education and learning into busy schedules and open new doors of possibilities. In the working world, we underscore the importance of focus, hard work, perseverance and the impact of legacy projects as testaments of success. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Xoliswa Tom – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Arts & Culture. We discuss some of the Department of Arts and Culture’s roles in preserving heritage, promoting the performing arts, documenting societal practices in film and facilitating the role out of libraries to empower disadvantaged communities. We consider enabling factors that help women achieve success in their careers ranging from legislation to cultivating a supportive environment fostered by both male and female colleagues. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Mary-Ann Lindelwa Dunjwa – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Health. We consider some of the work the Department of Health has undertaken to reduce the maternal mortality rate through specific programmes. One example being “MomConnect”, the m-health initiative available to pregnant women throughout South Africa via their mobile phones. We emphasise the need for women to know their rights, empower themselves through education and to be assertive. Collectively these skills and characteristics help unravel traditional gender stereotypes that negatively impact on women’s efforts to succeed in their respective career paths. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Ms Dikeledi Phillistus Magadzi – Parliamentarian, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport and member of the ANC National Executive Committee. We discuss Transport’s broad remit extending from maritime and aviation to road and rail; highlight career options available to women in this traditionally male-biased sector; and stress the need for women to widen their scope of thinking when considering their choice of profession and not restrict it to female typecast roles. When considering factors of success we emphasise the importance of a positive state of mind, seeking out achievers and modelling their behaviour, and making meaningful differences in others lives. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Ms Lumka Yengeni – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Labour. Our conversation centres on labour issues particularly legislation and the implementation of it. We discuss the introduction of the national minimum wage in South Africa; amendments to the labour relations act to ensure all people are equal before the law – to help overcome discriminatory practices; and transformation in the workplace – with respect to women accessing and occupying senior positions. We highlight the need for education and continuous training to up-skill and empower women in the workforce. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Ms Mmamoloko Tryphosa Kubayi – Parliamentarian and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services. In parliament she has served on the: Portfolio Committee on Basic Education; Portfolio Committee on Higher Education & Training; Standing Committee on Appropriations. We discuss the role of ICT as the backbone to the economy and the role of broadband to enable the country’s population, especially rural women, from basic telephony to e-learning, e-health, e-government etc...We look at the challenges encountered by women in leadership and the efforts needed to succeed in both the public or private; and the responsibility that successful women have to mentor upcoming competent cohorts of women in the workforce. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Nocawe Noncedo Mafu – Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC) and Member of the ANC’s National Executive. We discuss some of the intricacies of the human settlements’ portfolio and the integration of other departments to realise its work. Ms Mafu remarks on the progress of women’s empowerment but warns against complacency; highlighting the importance of overcoming patriarchy through positive efforts of both men and women. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Cornelia September who has been a Member of Parliament for the African National Congress (ANC) since 1999 (former Minister of the Human Settlements, former Chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry and a former trade unionist). We discuss some of the instrumental trade union work she was involved in regarding the transformation of unions and salary negotiations for the predominantly female textile industry. We underscore education as an enabler for success, which should be accessible to all. We emphasise that an individual’s achievements are usually the outcome of enabling factors combined with human support structures and sacrifice. Tune in for more…

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In today’s programme, on this last day of 2015, Womanity shares some of the words of wisdom, messages of hope and inspiration from guests on the programme. Minister of Science and Technology South Africa, Naledi Pandor; Professor Cheryl De La Rey Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria; Mrs Kile Kwinane: Chairperson and interim National President of South African Women in Construction; Ms Nora Fakude: Executive Director Buscor; Dr. Elsa Springolo: Nuclear Medicine Specialist; Ms Radhia Msuya: High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania to South Africa; renowned South African swimmer and Olympic gold medallist Ms Penny Heyns; Ms Thoko Didiza: former Minister of the Republic of South Africa, currently House Chairperson in the Parliament of South Africa; Commissioner Thoko Mpumlwana: Deputy Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality in South Africa; Ms Lira Kohl: Afro-soul vocalist; Ms Zonke Dikana: Afrosoul singer and songwriter; Ms Nambitha Mpumlwana: actress and humanitarian; Professor Rudo Mathivha: Head ICU Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital & WITS University; Ms. Thandiswa Mazwai: South African musician; Ms Buyelwa Sonjica: former Minister of the Republic of South Africa; Ms. Gladys Bogoshi: Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital; Professor Beatrys Lacquet: Deputy Vice-Chancellor-Information, Knowledge and Infrastructure Management at the University of Witwatersrand; Rosie Motene: South African actress, producer and director; Moshidi Motshegwa: actress, producer and director; Keabetswe Motsilanyane (KB) multi-talented entertainer; Hlubi Mboya: South African Actress and AIDS Ambassador; Professor Sonya T. Smith Howard University, USA; Minister of Labour of the Republic of South Africa, Mildred Oliphant. Tune in for inspiration…

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This week we reflect on episodes of the past year with a compilation of some the show’s most memorable segments. Sophie Ndaba, actress, business woman and philanthropist epitomises hard work in her rise from living in an orphanage to fulfilling her dreams, guided by the belief that – faith is the substance of things not seen yet hoped for. South Africa’s Queen of Gospel, Rebecca Malope tells us how fear fuels her drive to succeed. South Africa’s minister of Basic Education Angie Motsekwa recalls the strong influence of her mother on her upbringing - particularly her education. Judith Sephuma shares the inspiration behind her songs and the evolution of her music - singing a few bars from her recent album. Prof. Hlengiwe Mkhize the Deputy Minister of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services emphasises that there needs to be greater economic leadership and economic inclusion of women. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Chairperson of the African Union highlights the resilience and rise of African women succeeding in all spheres of life. In the last segment of the show we reflect on women in the business sector, starting with Ms. Nonkululeko Gobodo, the Executive Chairman of Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo, who emphasises that women bring unique attributes to the workplace & must be afforded the opportunity to carve a place for themselves. Next Bisila Bokoko a pioneering business leader, who focuses on establishing global alliance partnerships for businesses looking to enter new international markets considers how women juggle multiple complexities in their lives. Tune in for more…

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This week we reflect on episodes of the past year with a compilation of some the show’s most memorable segments. World renowned singer and humanitarian Yvonne Chaka Chaka gives her philosophy on sharing to empower others. South Africa’s Minister of Social Development Bathabile Olive Dlamini, who has been involved in Social Development since 1994 gives her perspective on gender equality and the struggles women have endured to achieve equal rights. Continuing with the theme of gender equality, Dr. Susan Tager Chief Executive Officer of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre provides her view of the fact that equal rights do not equate to women and men being the same. Professor Irma Eloff, Dean for the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria, highlights how to overcome gender challenges stemming from stereotypical gender-biased thinking. First Officer Annabel Vundla of South African Airways who has flown numerous heads of state and had the privilege of flying one of South Africa greatest icons Nelson Mandela, offers her perspective of factors needed to help women advance, as well as her experience as a role model in aviation. Award winning South African singer Zahara talks about her achievements and shares her special experience with Nelson Mandela, giving a short rendition of the song she sang for him in Qunu. Captain Jane Trembath, who has had an outstanding career as a pilot, discusses women in leadership, followed by multi-award winning Afro-soul vocalist Lira, who speaks about her personal journey of ‘being the change you want to be in the world’. We close today’s show with South Africa’s Minister of Women Susan Shabangu discussing the empowerment of women to enable their success across all sectors of society. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Faith Muthambi, the Minister of Communications. We consider the multiple functions of the media, as a platform to disseminate and access information, as an influencer - and in that capacity the importance of women being appropriately portrayed in the media as a reflection of society. We remark on the capability of social media to empower women through greater connectivity and across geographies. We discuss the transformative effects of education as a tool to radically change people’s lives and the Minister shares her personal story. We address the effects of role models and stress that successful women have a responsibility to help other women succeed. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Prof. Hlengiwe Mkhize - Deputy Minister – Telecommunications & Postal Services (former Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development Department and the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training). We discuss some of the Telecommunications & Postal Services Department’s gender empowerment interventions: such as rolling out nationwide access to broadband, emphasising the effects of connectivity as an enabler particularly in the rural environment and the economic opportunities it affords women; the Department’s Techno Girl’s project that focuses on promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and placement with companies. We emphasise the need for more women to occupy leaderships roles in the private sector. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi - African Development Bank Special Envoy on Gender (former Minister of Public Service and Administration & former Minister of Welfare and Population Development in the Republic of South Africa). We discuss on the recent report made by the African Development Bank titled “Women Board Directors of Africa’s Top Listed Companies”. This encompassed the 12 largest African economies and 307 stock exchange listed companies categorised according to large, mid and small cap. Africa is leading emerging markets with 12.7% representation of women on boards. The case has been made that companies with more diverse boards tend to perform better, thus more needs to be done to increase the representation of women on boards. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ambassador of the Republic of Poland - Anna Raduchowska–Brochwicz . We discuss the positive impact of having a high representation of women within the political landscape, in particular reference to the South SADC region, with respect to proving women’s capabilities to deliver in high profile demanding roles. We note that the tipping point for critical mass is 30% representation. However, to attain gender equality requires a multi-stakeholder approach, one that entails formal and civic education, appropriate socialisation in early childhood to counteract gender typecasting, legislative efforts by government, encouraging women to become financially independent. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Dr. Bernadette Lahai Vice President of the Pan African Parliament & Minority Leader of Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) in the Parliament Of Sierra Leone. We review the role of the Pan African Parliament’s Women’s Caucus, which aims to mainstream gender issues in the Pan African Parliament agenda. The scope of the Women’s Caucus encompasses women’s education – formal as well as functional literacy, reproductive health and rights, hereditary rights, land rights and ownership and driving the ratification and signing of important gender related protocols. We emphasise that distinctions continue to be drawn with a different set of rules applying to men and women, which will be overcome as women continue to break barriers to demonstrate their capabilities. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ambassador Sheila Sisulu - Chancellor of Walter Sisulu University. Our conversation acknowledges the significance of education for women to empower themselves, but emphasises the importance of appropriate infrastructure to enable women to contribute to the economy, particularly for those raising young families with a pressing need for affordable, quality, safe schooling for their children. We address issues of gender socialisation, women in leadership and legislative compliance. We discuss factors of success, from competitive siblings, to family guidance, and the multiple enablers that play their collective role in the pathways to an individual’s achievements. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Professor Sonya T. Smith Howard University - Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Shirley Motaung Assistant Dean Research & Innovation Tshwane University of Technology, who actively encourage women to pursue subjects within the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Our conversation focuses on female leadership, from driving gender transformation within academic institutions and other professions, to enabling networks that help to equip women for career advancement (role models, mentors and sponsors), to legislation and constitutional laws which promote gender equality, and the importance of male champions to support gender agendas within organisations. Tune in for more....

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This week we talk to Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Marisa Gerards, who is the Ambassador to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesetho and Swaziland. We discuss the historic relationship of the Netherlands with South Africa, its role in the anti-apartheid movement and more recent developments through co-creation initiatives that promote shared learnings between the two states. We address issues of women’s empowerment through some of the programmes the Netherlands has initiated for women in Africa, such as FLOW - Funding leadership opportunities for women, and stress the importance of mentorship and role modelling to build confidence and guide women for career success. We note that culture is not static, that discriminating practices can be overcome, and encourage women to use the legal route when necessary. Tune in for more…

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This week we speak to award winning South African actress, producer and director Moshidi Motshegwa. We discuss her journey to success, from discovering her calling for acting at a young age to continuously nurturing her talents. We consider some of the elements required to help women navigate their careers and overcome resistance in male dominated environments and the importance of lifelong learning to remain relevant in your profession. We contemplate the persistence of gender discrimination and acts of violence against women, in spite of the rights women have been afforded through enabling legislation, and review the role of society with regard to raising children to respect one another - irrespective of gender. Tune in for more.

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This week we talk to award winning gospel singer Rebecca Malope. We discuss some of her career highlights, the hardships she endured on her road to success, as well as enabling factors, some of which include her enduring faith, fear of failure and key female influencers - good women who have made a mark in the history of humanity. We stress the importance of education as a tool for young women to improve their lives and those of their families. We highlight the need for women to support each other in their endeavours and to help one another to succeed. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ambassador Brigitte Öppinger-Walchshofer, who is the Ambassador of Austria to South Africa. We reflect on key milestones in her 32 year long career particularly her African assignments. We weigh up the importance of women in the workforce as meaningful contributors to their national economies. We consider that the basis of equality between the genders starts off with equal chances commencing with primary education. However to promulgate equality gender roles need to transform, there must be greater co-operation amongst men to participate in gender equality initiatives and more stringent implementation of the numerous pieces of equality legislation that already exists. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ambassador Elisabeth Barbier, who is the Ambassador of France to South Africa. We reflect on the progress of women’s rights globally and on a country specific level, comparing, for instance, South Africa’s Women Empowerment and Gender Equality legislation, which aims for 50:50 parity, to France’s goal to achieve quotas of 40% women on the boards of companies nationwide by 2017. We consider some of the interventions applied to encourage more women to remain in the workforce and achieve better balance between home and work responsibilities – such as flexi-hours, working from home, using mobility devices…We stress the importance of education and encouraging girls to think big and not confine themselves to gender stereotype careers. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Ambassador Martha Cecilia Pinilla-Perdomo, who is the Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to South Africa and Non-Resident Ambassador of Colombia to Botswana and Namibia. Ambassador Pinilla-Perdomo highlights the strong participation rates of women in the Columbian economic and political community, but emphasises the need for more women to enter leadership roles. Women view challenges and resolutions differently to men, their perspectives are vital, especially on issues that concern women directly, which play out in policy-making. Education is a fundamental driver of transformation and many women are the primary custodians of their children’s education, they have the responsibility of raising the minds of the future. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Major General Katoki Catherine Motlhabane Chief Director of Human Resource Management in the South African National Defence Force. We consider some of the challenges for women working in a male dominated environment, the necessity of proving their worth through competency and some of the interventions underway to achieve the defence force’s transformation objectives of 30% women and 70% men throughout its ranks. Major General Motlhabane highlights the opportunities available to individuals pursuing a military career and the support provided by the Defence Force for self-development to further capacitate their employees. Tune in for more.

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This week we talk to Brigadier General Marthie Visser Director of Corporate Staff Services South African Air Force. We consider the contributing factors of gender transformation in the South African Air Force during her 42 year long career. This includes enabling policies to address gender mainstreaming, equality, sexual misconduct and maternity benefits. Gender transformation is an ongoing journey where policies and processes are continuously adapted and adopted to accommodate more women in the military across the ranks. “Achieving success as a woman doesn’t necessarily mean beating men at their own game women can win and be successful on their own terms using the natural abilities they already possess”. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to South African Afrosoul Musician Simphiwe Dana. We discuss the inspiration behind her music and source of her longevity in the entertainment industry. Beyond music, Simphiwe Dana uses her voice to exercise change, as a social activist focused on education, the poor, the dispossessed and feminism. She shares her views on patriarchy as being heavily intertwined with culture and the need to overcome this mindset to further empower women. We also discuss her role as convenor of the African Union’s re-imagined creative hub that considers how arts, culture and heritage contribute to African Union’s Agenda 2063.

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This week we talk to legendary South African actress Lillian Dube. We reflect on her career - past and present and life lessons along the way. We also discuss her extensive community work particularly regarding women’s health in areas of HIV, Cancer and Depression and her current project to raise 70,000 school shoes for children annually. We consider the many opportunities available to women today and emphasise the need for continuous skills training to empower themselves to be independent financially and the importance of women supporting each other to lift as they rise. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Admiral Emily Masanabo the Director of Navy Transformation in the South African Navy. We discuss elements that shaped her career development and led to her accomplishments, emphasising the importance of women breaking through glass ceilings to open the way for others to follow in their footsteps. Admiral Masanabo highlights the combined benefits of education and mentorship to capacitate women with the requisite expertise. We address gender equality in previously male dominated sectors and some of the interventions underway to overcome inequality, including driving gender transformation from the bottom up in the Navy. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Keabetswe Motsilanyane, renowned South African performing artist. We discuss a few of her career highlights and in the process consider some of the factors that contribute towards longevity in the entertainment industry, particularly for young performers growing up under the spotlight, such as, nurturing talent, having robust support systems, developing self-confidence and remaining grounded in an ever evolving environment. We raise the issue of gender stereotyping in terms of behavioural expectations and emphasise the need for women to become more assertive, rise above their challenges and take responsibility for their career paths. Tune in for more…

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National Police Commissioner: Riah Phiyega This week we speak to the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service Ms Mangwashi Victoria “Riah” Phiyega, the first woman to lead the police in its 100 year history. Our conversation covers women breaking glass ceilings in male dominated environments, occupying positions that were previously reserved for men and the effects these female role models have on opening greater possibilities for upcoming cohorts of women. We address aspect of gender parity in the South African Police Service throughout its ranks and the contributing role of institutional organizations like the Women’s Network towards gender development in South Africa as well as the SADC police services. Tune in for more…

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In our fifth episode on the 25th AU Summit, we speak to Malawi’s Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati. We underscore the value of educating women, and Minister Kaliati remarks on the use of education as a vaccine for the prevention of HIV and AIDS, as well as a tool for the economic empowerment of women. We also stress the importance of educating men about the issues that affect women. We elaborated on the progressive legislation Malawi has in place to protect and empower women covering gender based violence; marriage, divorce and family relations; rules and heritance; child protection and justice; gender equality etc… We reflect on women in leadership across the spectrum and the positive effect of role models. Tune in for more…

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In our fourth episode on the 25th AU Summit, we speak to Prof. Nkandu Luo: Minister of Gender and Child Development for Zambia. Her previous ministerial posts include: Chiefs and Traditional Affairs; and Local Government and Housing Trade. We discuss various campaigns that she has launched to promote women’s development in Zambia as well as recondition gender perspectives through high impact initiatives. These include: mentorship programmes for women in the workplace, linking young women to businesses, the launch of a women’s bank, promoting financial management and up-skilling women etc... We discuss the need for a paradigm shift, for women to start thinking big and outside the box to take advantage of accessible resources and assert their economic independence. Tune in for more…

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In our third episode on the 25th AU Summit, we speak to Dr. Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Botswana. Her previous ministerial posts include: Works, Transport and Communications; Trade, Industry, Wildlife and Tourism; Communications, Science, and Technology; and Education.We discuss Botswana’s controversial stance not to subscribe to gender quotas nor to ratify SADC’s gender protocol. However, this decision has not curtailed women from being appointed to key positions like ministers, judges, auditor generals, etc…in Botswana. We remark on the progress Africa is making with respect to women’s development in comparison to the rest of the world and how increasing women’s to resources will help move to the next level. Tune in for more…

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In our second episode on the 25th AU Summit, we speak to Mrs Zainab Hawa Bangura, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and former Minister of Health and Sanitation as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Sierra Leone. We discuss some of the highlights in her career, particularly the work in her current position to combat sexual violence against women in conflict countries. We address the importance of progressive men occupying leadership positions, who are supportive of empowering women by driving both policy reform and cultural shifts. We acknowledge the multiple roles of women in society and their capacity as change agents to positively transform their families, communities, country and continent. Tune in for more

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This week marks our first episode on the 25th AU Summit, under the theme "Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa's Agenda 2063". We speak to Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Chairperson of the African Union on key outcomes of the summit: the transformation efforts underway to better enable women working in agriculture; emphasising the need to deliver on gender quotas across the board to move towards 50:50 parity; the launch of the African Union Foundation; and the plans for the African Union to become self-reliant. Additionally we address women in leadership, overcoming patriarchy, eradicating poverty through education and more.

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This week we speak to Sophie Ndaba, award winning actress, businesswoman, philanthropist and charity patron. We discuss some of the factors contributing to her success, under the mantra, “faith is the substance of things not seen yet hoped for”, and acknowledge the incremental value that every endeavour contributes to an individual’s future development. We consider the importance of mentorship to support young women’s progress in their career paths and emphasise that a person’s background does not dictate their future. Tune in for more…

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Bisila Bokoko: CEO and Founder of BBES International

This week we speak to Bisila Bokoko pioneering business leader and philanthropist. Our conversation highlights some of her endeavours, such as promoting literacy in Africa by establishing libraries in rural areas throughout the continent and her vision to publish the rich oral narratives of African history. We address women’s leadership and entrepreneurship, emphasising the need for women to promote themselves, to take pride in their achievements and become more assertive in the business world. We discuss discipline, faith, dreams, role models and education as key factors that shaped Bisila’s path to success. Tune in for more…

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This week we speak to Xolile Tshabalala - award winning South African actress and director about her passion for storytelling, both in front of and behind the camera. We address some of the pervasive stereotypes affecting women in the entertainment industry and how to alleviate these issues through empowerment. Our discussion examines the importance of role models to build confident, independent young women and we emphasise the value of education as a tool to longevity for sustainable employment. Tune in for more…

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This week we speak to Rosie Motene - award winning South African actress, producer and director about her career highlights and philanthropic work. Our conversation addresses the need for more women to occupy leadership roles in the entertainment industry and the positive effects this has on other women across the industry value chain. We consider the importance of consistent dialogues to deal with women’s issues and advance these causes, as opposed to bursts of short-lived albeit well intentioned initiatives. We also discuss her involvement with POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse) spanning across victims and perpetrators to stop violence against women and girls in Africa. Tune in for more…

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This week we speak to South African actress Hlubi Mboya. Our conversation covers some of her career highlights, touching on her iconic role as Nandipha Sithole, a character living with HIV, which led to Hlubi becoming an ambassador for HIV AIDS in pursuit of social justice to de-stigmatise the disease. Her charitable endeavours across the continent include working with youth, particularly young women, promoting education as a tool to succeed. We touch on the need for greater inclusion of women throughout the film and entertainment industry, both in front and behind the scenes, and the role media plays through its portrayal of women in disseminating viewpoints. Tune in for more…

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This week we speak to Mildred Oliphant, the Minister of Labour of the Republic of South Africa. Our conversation highlights the role of employment equity legislation to support the gender perspective, in particular the issue of equal pay for work of equal value; the monitoring of its implementation and some of the punitive measures in place for companies that disregard its application. We discuss women’s self-empowerment through education and skills training to advance or change their career prospects. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms Thoko Didiza House Chairperson in the National Assembly of Parliament in the Republic of South Africa (former Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs as well as former Minister for Public Works - RSA). Reflecting on the political gains and rights that women in South Africa have today we retrace the journey of women’s movements, with the mobilisation of the women’s coalition, the necessity of women to work collectively to advance their interests and to establish measures that ensure current achievements are built upon. In the process instruments have been established as well as progressive legislation to support women. We consider some work place dynamics from system changes to leadership styles in pursuit of diversity and greater inclusion of women in the economy. Tune in for more

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This week we are joined by multi-award winning South African musician Zahara. We discuss some of her career highlights and humanitarian work in her role as ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital and her Blooming Flower Project which helps young girls. We consider some of the factors that contribute to her success as well as the values that keep her grounded in her career, and Zahara shares a touching experience of singing for Nelson Mandela in his Qunu home. We reflect on the importance of education for young women and the need for them to take control of their own lives and to persevere with their dreams through hard work. Tune in for more…

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This week’s programme features Nonkululeko Gobodo, she is the Executive Chairman of Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo the largest black audit and accounting firm and the fifth largest in South Africa. We discuss some of the challenges women have to contend with in male dominated professions and the need to derive more equitable solutions to allow women to make their contributions to society and the economy. We address the importance of dreaming big and fulfilling ambitions through perseverance. In leadership we acknowledge that gender stereotyping must be overcome by employees to accept the characteristics of strong women leaders; the responsibility leaders have towards their employees’ livelihoods; the significance of pursuing growth and new directions to remain competitive and prevent stagnation. Tune in for more…

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This week’s programme features Professor Beatrys Lacquet The Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Information, Knowledge and Infrastructure Management at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and Professor of electrical and electronic engineering. Our conversation touches on the need to socially de-stigmatise stereotypical traditional gender career streams to encourage more women to enter fields that in the past have been male dominated. We address supportive structures, stressing the importance of mentors to steer people through challenges they many encounter during their careers. We highlight some of the opportunities to pursue a profession in engineering and the academic pre-requisites to do so. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by multi-award winning South African musician Thandiswa Mazwai. We discuss some of her experiences straddling old South Africa with new South Africa and their influence, together with other elements, on her work and the process of developing her unique sound. We reflect on the importance of women becoming more assertive in their careers by transitioning from a tendency to occupy background positions to foreground roles. We remark that through increasing the visibility of empowered women other women are encouraged to empower themselves. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Ms. Gladys Bogoshi the Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. We discuss some of the challenges and virtues of operating public health facilities and her experiences as a female CEO in this sector. Whilst women have proven their professional capability, they still have to navigate soft issues such as, managing home lives and organising children by activating support systems to assist with these aspects to help them excel in their careers. We remark on the importance of identifying career choices early on in life, in order to strategically build a career path with an end goal in mind. Tune in for more…..

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This week we are joined by the Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to the Republic of South Africa Ms Josefina Pitra Diakite. We discuss some of the landmarks in her ambassadorial career, representing Angola across the world and managing the image of a country in conflict. We consider the role women played in the Angolan liberation movement and the impact this had for the recognition of women’s capabilities, particularly in positions of leadership, both on the work and home front. We also address the current efforts underway to restore moral values in society, promoted under the theme of Angola’s 2015 Women’s month, celebrated annually in March, “Angolan Women Together For The Restoration Of The Values In Society”. Tune in for more…..

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This week we are joined by Professor Christina Lundgren, Academic Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology, at the University of the Witwatersrand, and clinical head of Anaesthesiology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. We discuss some of the pioneering work in her career and factors contributing to her success. Although the ratio of female to male anaesthetist specialists has increased at the bottom of the pyramid women are under-represented in higher echelons of the discipline. We consider role models, mentorship and succession planning as mechanisms to encourage female leadership. Tune in for more.

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This week we are joined by Professor Lufuno Rudo Mathivha, Head of Department for the Division of Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Unit Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and the University of the Witwatersrand. We discuss aspects of her career, particularly overcoming gender challenges, and the responsibility of female professionals who occupy leadership roles to iron out obstacles to smooth the way for future generations of women entering the work place. We reflect on some of the structures in today’s society, like relationship networks and flexible working hours, which make it possible for women to have successful careers and family lives. Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by Ms Buyelwa Sonjica who served as South Africa’s Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs (2009-2010), Minister of Minerals and Energy (2006-2009), Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry (2004-2006), Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (2003-2004), and currently Independent Non-Executive Director of Kumba Iron Ore.

We discuss the importance of the South African constitution’s founding principle of non-sexism to guide enabling legislation for the full emancipation and economic participation of women in society. To further advance women’s issues requires strategic collective leadership with representatives from all spheres of society. We remark that empowering women is an economic imperative, powered by education and aided by sharing knowledge of best practices for success, and reflect on the positive evolution of culture towards women in response to social effects, overriding oppressive practices. Tune in for more…

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This week’s programme features South African jazz and Afro-pop singer Judith Sephuma. We review some of the highlights in her career, underlining the importance of a solid foundation, built upon education, and being future focussed for success - to constantly push boundaries and be part of your discipline’s evolution. We discuss the inroads women have made in the work front as entrepreneurs or corporate players and the positive impact career mothers have on developing aspirant children. Tune in for more…

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This week’s programme features South African jazz and Afro-pop singer Judith Sephuma. We review some of the highlights in her career, underlining the importance of a solid foundation, built upon education, and being future focussed for success - to constantly push boundaries and be part of your discipline’s evolution. We discuss the inroads women have made in the work front as entrepreneurs or corporate players and the positive impact career mothers have on developing aspirant children. Tune in for more…

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This week’s programme features multi award winning singer, composer and performer Dr. Sibongile Khumalo. Our discussion addresses contributions of the arts towards humanity; emphasising cultural, social and educational contexts. We highlight the outcomes of arts education towards cognitive development and life skills. We consider the multidimensional characteristics of women that should be embraced rather than suppressed as women assert their identities and pursue their choices in life whilst overcoming gender stereotypes. Tune in for more...

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This week we are joined by Patricia Colbert, Senior Gender Advisor - UN World Food Programme and Leigh Hildyard, Regional Gender and Protection Advisor for Southern Africa - UN World Food Programme. We discuss some of the complexities of humanitarian aid, from determining vulnerable groups in crisis stricken communities to securing donor funding. We highlight projects, like the World Food Programme School Feeding project, which tries to improve education prospects for girls and the Purchase for Progress pilot, which aims to advance the commercial prospects of smallholder farmers, especially women. We consider the importance of women in leadership, across private and public sectors, to ensure that women’s needs are priorities and recognise that the women who occupy positions of power are role models that inspire other women to achieve their personal goals. Tune in for more...

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This week we are joined by Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi - African Development Bank Special Envoy on Gender (former Minister of Public Service and Administration & former Minister of Welfare and Population Development in the Republic of South Africa). We discuss past social injustices and the present struggle for economic development in Africa, as well as the need to overcome inequalities in society to ensure inclusive growth for men and women. To promote greater economic inclusion of women, criteria for finance applications should be re-evaluated, institutions should look more creatively and flexibly at what the asset base for women could be, not only fixed assets. Empirical evidence asserts that boards which include women yield greater profit margins. We discuss quotas as measures to breakthrough gender imbalances in the private sector and highlight empowerment legislation as a mechanism to create space for women in the private sector. Tune in for more...

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This week we are joined by Ms Thoko Didiza House Chairperson in the National Assembly of Parliament in the Republic of South Africa (former Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs as well as former Minister for Public Works - RSA). Reflecting on the political gains and rights that women in South Africa have today we retrace the journey of women’s movements, with the mobilisation of the women’s coalition, the necessity of women to work collectively to advance their interests and to establish measures that ensure current achievements are built upon. In the process instruments have been established as well as progressive legislation to support women. We consider some work place dynamics from system changes to leadership styles in pursuit of diversity and greater inclusion of women in the economy. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by South Africa’s Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu. Our conversation delves into the importance of female leadership addressing the critical role it has played and continues to exert in shaping South Africa across social, political and economic spheres. We highlight some of the factors that advance the interests of women, both socially and economically, such as legislation and empowerment through education and upskilling, but note on a cultural level that women need to identify ways of dealing with patriarchy to break traditions that hinder their progress. We also discuss the Ministry’s “365 Days of Activism” an inclusive yearlong campaign opposing violence against women and children.Tune in for more….

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This week we are joined by South Africa’s Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini. We discuss the evolution of social development in South Africa to fight poverty, with initiatives like grants, accessible education, early childhood development and efforts to radically transform the lives of ordinary women who bear the brunt of poverty. The struggle for gender equality is multi-faceted - we raise practical gender issues of water and electricity provision, the importance of understanding legislation and making laws work in women’s favour, as well as the need for greater involvement from men in the common pursuit for gender equality. Additionally, we reflect on past gender achievements such as establishing the Commission on Gender Equality, 50:50 representation in the ANC and the Progressive Women’s Movement, and remark that for future progress women should be united in support of key issues. Tune in for more….

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This week we talk to Zolani Mahola lead singer of Freshlyground. We review some of the landmarks in her musical career and the reflective nature of musicians’ work, which tends to mirror social, political and cultural experiences. We acknowledge that patriarchal beliefs affect the way some men perceive women and as a result may hinder women’s progress; these issues need to be confronted to change perspectives. In terms of career development we look at the role of positive support structures, self belief and ambition as important factors for success. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Nambitha Mpumlwana an award winning actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, philanthropist and charity patron. We discuss her work in these areas and the different responsibilities required to satisfy various stakeholders’ expectations. We consider the importance of social and community contributions, like helping to bridge generational gaps between grandparents supporting grandchildren orphaned by AIDS; the importance of nurturing children into informed responsible adults; and empowering women to take charge for their lives whilst consciously shaping the way they are represented in society to influence perceptions. Tune in for more.

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This week we talk to award winning Afro-soul vocalist and songwriter Lira. We discuss some of her career highlights and factors contributing to her success. In the process we reveal evolutions in music industry over the last decade, with musicians becoming increasingly independent and owning more elements of the industry value chain; we reflect on turning challenging circumstances to your advantage by adjusting your perspectives of situations; we emphasise the enabling effects of education as an enduring and indispensible tool for personal progress; we acknowledge the importance of female role models and mentors to inspire young women to fulfil their goals. Tune in for more…

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This week we talk to Natalie du Toit renowned South African Swimmer and Paralympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist. We discuss a few of the milestones in her career and factors that contributed to her success, particularly turning challenging situations into positive outcomes to fulfil her dreams. We emphasise the need to persevere and power though difficult periods. We caution against stereotyping individuals; these external perceptions can be impediments to fulfilling peoples’ potential and limiting their possibilities. We highlight knowledge sharing and mentoring as important elements to aid women’s professional development and much more…

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This week we are joined by Zonke Dikana, renowned South African Afrosoul singer and songwriter. We discuss a few of the landmarks in her career thus far and plans for the future. In the process we consider some of the elements that contribute towards building a successful career in music, such as, mentorship, strong support systems with knowledgeable guardians, being self-assured and confident. We acknowledge the multi-faceted roles that women play in society and emphasise the need for women to encourage and motivate other women to overcome any limitations (social or self-imposed) and fulfil their aspirations. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Penny Heyns, renowned South African swimmer and Olympic gold medallist. We discuss personal characteristics that contribute to a successful mindset and apply to all domains, from sports stadia to corporate boardrooms. Qualities include being purpose driven, optimistic, self-motivated, self-managed, adaptable, resilient, and willing to take risks. The road to success is not an easy journey, but each person must decide what he or she wants out of life, find their talents, use them, embrace the opportunities that they are presented with wholeheartedly and help others to do the same. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Louise Carver, renowned South African singer and songwriter. We discuss a few of her career highlights and in the process consider some of the factors that contribute towards longevity in the music industry, particularly for young performers growing up under the spotlight, such as, nurturing talent, having robust support systems, developing self-confidence and remaining grounded in an ever evolving environment. We raise the issue of gender stereotyping in terms of behavioural expectations and emphasise the need for women to become more assertive, rise above their challenges and take responsibility for their career paths. Tune in for more…

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This week we are joined by Mrs Zoleka Lebelo, Principal of Alexander High School and Mrs Thandi Magwaza, Head of Life Orientation Department at Kwabhekilanga High School. Our conversation considers the roles of different stakeholders in high school education, stressing the need for greater collaboration amongst interest groups to actively participate in learners’ education, to help ensure that school systems produce knowledgeable resourceful adults who contribute positively to society. This entails building adequate support structures, providing comprehensive guidance on subject choices, developing life skills, mentoring, promoting self-confidence etc…We emphasise that education is a tool through which people can overcome stereotypes and better their lives no matter what, and much more…

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This week we are joined by renowned musician and humanitarian Yvonne Chaka Chaka. We discuss some of her career highlights and the contributions of music and musicians in social causes, such as campaigning for freedom and equality, whether in the course of South Africa’s own liberation struggle or other global issues. We address aspects of her humanitarian work, as a Goodwill Ambassador for Malaria in Africa, and the effects of sustainable initiatives designed to empower disenfranchised women on the continent. We raise the topic of knowledge and education as critical elements towards women’s development, emphasising lifelong learning, and much more…

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This week we are joined by air traffic controllers Ramona Abrahams and Kagiso Bokaba from Air Traffic Navigation Services. They offer their insights into some of the enabling factors that contribute towards women’s career development in pro-active organisations that promote transformation, empowering women to thrive in gender balanced environments (such as internal and external support systems, training and development programs etc). We discuss the importance of nurturing female leadership; encouraging knowledge exchange by creating reciprocal teaching and learning cycles; exposing women to new career opportunities, and much more…

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This week we are joined by Captain Jane Trembath and First Officer Annabel Vundla from South African Airways, who relay some of their achievements on their ascent through the ranks of the predominantly male dominated world of aviation. Our conversation highlights various global attitudes towards women occupying leadership positions and the necessity of navigating gender dynamics in different cultural contexts across the globe. We discuss the significance of role models to inspire upcoming generations of women to consider new possibilities for their futures; emphasise the importance of confidence, self-belief and discipline to fulfil individuals’ ambitions, and much more…

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This week we are joined by Dr. Nadine Broeze and Dr. Carla Norval specialist surgeons with a primary interest in oncological breast surgery. We consider how gender challenges, experienced by young female professionals, can bring out qualities of determinism, competitiveness and focus for work excellence. All round success is the outcome of negotiating between personal and professional commitments. We discuss managing breast cancer through individualised treatments that are tailored to restore patients’ physical and emotional wellbeing in their recovery; stressing the importance of early detection. We highlight the need for accessible affordable healthcare solutions for women, irrespective of their socio-economic status, and much more….

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This week we are joined by Dr. Yasmin Adam who heads up the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in Africa. We acknowledge the successful transformation of equitable gender ratios in medicine, as a product of the quota interventions medical schools put in place and the positive impact this has had on female leadership in hospital environments. A further development has been the growth of female medical specialists, particularly in the Obstetrics & Gynaecology discipline. We also consider the long-term effects of the South African government's HPV vaccine campaign to vaccinate school girls for the prevention of cervical cancer in later life; and much more.

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This week we are joined by Dr Susan Tager, Chief Executive Officer of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. We highlight the tremendous commitment individuals undertake to become medical specialists and the resources that are invested to realise these ambitions. We examine the evolutionary nature of women’s career paths to adjust to various lifestage changes they encounter, for instance pregnancy and child rearing, and the importance for women to renegotiate their terms of office to satisfy their professional and personal needs. We also consider the perspective of gender differences as strengths, which should be leveraged to foster work environments that are more conducive to women; and much more…

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This week we continue celebrating Women’s Month in South Africa and speak to Angie Motshekga, South African Minister of Basic Education and President of the African National Congress Women’s League. Our conversation highlights the fortitude displayed by politically active women in early resistance movements leading to the formation of the ANCWL, and the evolution of ANCWL into its present structure; one which supports the emancipation and liberation of women both inside and outside the ANC. We discuss life-stage and circumstantial factors that impact girls’ education value chains, stretching from primary to tertiary level, and spill-over effects into their career choices, progress within organisational hierarchies; and much more...

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This week as we continue to celebrate Women’s Month in South Africa, we are joined by Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa. Our conversation reflects on the progress women have made in South Africa, particularly in the political arena and touches on several elements to promote gender equality in the private sector. This includes the Women’s Charter of 1954, as a guiding strategy, and more recently the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill; the capability of women to unite collectively for causes, irrespective of their political allegiances; extending the role of women in government to support women in the private sector. Looking to the future, we emphasise the numerous opportunities that are now available for women, as a result of past efforts that were undertaken to strive for women’s rights, and much more…

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This week marks the beginning of Women’s Month in South Africa, and we are joined by Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, South Africa. Our conversation emphasises the importance of education to help women attain their independence and access to greater opportunities for themselves and their families. We discuss the progress women have achieved in governance across the continent, as well as the need to persistently build on these gains and develop a pipeline of future female leaders. We address the impact of science and technology in shifting Africa’s position from one of customer to supplier and the mechanisms to empower women pursuing careers in science and technology fields, and much more…

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This week marks the beginning of Women’s Month in South Africa, and we are joined by Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, South Africa. Our conversation emphasises the importance of education to help women attain their independence and access to greater opportunities for themselves and their families. We discuss the progress women have achieved in governance across the continent, as well as the need to persistently build on these gains and develop a pipeline of future female leaders. We address the impact of science and technology in shifting Africa’s position from one of customer to supplier and the mechanisms to empower women pursuing careers in science and technology fields, and much more…

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This week’s programme features Prof Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria to discuss the game changing nature of university education for self development and societal benefit. This conversation touches on gender transformation within the university system, particularly amongst increased female enrolments across various disciplines, which has been one of the markers of South Africa’s success as a democracy. Other aspects of the discussion address: legislation as an enabling function to promote equality; the need for more female role models in diverse positions and industries; the importance of nurturing talent and leadership for the future that is contextually relevant to address the local and regional landscape, and much more…

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This week we talk to Her Excellency Radhia N. M. Msuya High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania to South Africa. Our conversation highlights gender transformations that have occurred in governance in Africa, particularly Tanzania; overcoming pervading stereotypes of gender roles; the role of legislation as a mechanism to counter obstacles that hinder women’s progress and development and much more….

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This week’s show features Dr. Elsa Springolo, a Nuclear Medicine Specialist, who was one of the first qualified practitioners in this discipline in South Africa. Our conversation addresses various transitions that have occurred in the medical field in relation to women pursuing a career in medicine. We debate some of the challenges working women face, how they negotiate and fulfil multiple roles in their lives, and some of the enabling characteristics the help realise their ambitions, and much more…

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This week’s show features Major General Masego Yvonne Botsheleng, Head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS), South African Police Service. Our conversation focuses on women in the police service. Some of the points raised in this discussion include the role of the FCS and various interventions that have been developed to support and encourage women to pursue careers in the police service and much more….

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This week’s programme features Mrs Kile Kwinane: Chairperson and interim National President of South African Women in Construction and Mrs Nora Fakude: Executive Director Buscor. This is the second of a two part series that addresses women in the construction and transport sectors. Our guests share their personal journeys into these respective industries, they discuss how they overcame some of the obstacles that confronted them as well as the way forward for more women to enter the construction and transport industries, and much more…

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This week’s programme features Mrs Kile Kwinane: Chairperson and interim National President of South African Women in Construction and Mrs Nora Fakude: Executive Director Buscor. This is the first of a two part series that addresses women in the construction and transport sectors. Our guests share their personal journeys into these respective industries, they discuss how they overcame some of the obstacles that confronted them as well as the way forward for more women to enter the construction and transport industries, and much more…

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In this week’s programme we discuss the Southern African Development Community Gender Protocol with Magdeline Mathiba –Madibela: Head of SADC Gender Unit and Ntombi Mbadlanyana, Gender Links South Africa. We examine some of the deciding factors that led to the formation of the Southern African Development Community Gender Protocol; the extensive networks that ensure the implementation of the protocol throughout the region and monitor its adherence; and the way forward for the gender development in the region post 2015, and much more…

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This week’s programme features Mrs Alet Beyl, Attorney for the University of Johannesburg Soweto Law Clinic and Ms Louise Bick, Director Werksmans Attorneys and head of Pro Bono Law. We discuss recent legislative developments affecting women, like the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill and the processes of implementing new legislation. Some of the points raised in this discussion include the challenges of hybrid societies and the need to acknowledge the co-existence of customary and country law; the various roles the pro-bono legal system plays as advisors and mediators, as well as litigators; the necessity for pro-active education to inform people of their legal rights and recourse and much more …

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This week’s programme features Ms Marthe Muller, Chief Operations Officer for South African Women In Dialogue and Dr. Zanele Ndaba from WITS Business School. Our conversation considers paid and unpaid labour contributions of women towards productive societies. Some of the points raised in this discussion include the value of unpaid work efforts, various challenges women experience upon re-entering the workforce after periods of absence, building economically responsible and sustainable workforces, and much more …

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This week’s programme features Ms Ntsoaki Mamashela, Director for Employment Equity the Department Labour, South Africa and Prof. Deirdre Byrne, Head of the Institute for Gender Studies at University of South Africa. Our conversation focuses on women in the work force. Some of the points raised in this discussion include legislation in the workplace that was designed to protect female employees’ rights, various work creation initiatives, skills development and much more …

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This week’s programme features Advocate Joyce Maluleke, special advisor to the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities on South Africa’s Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. We examine some of the deciding factors behind the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill; specific aspects of the Bill, such as attaining at least a minimum of 50 percent equal representation and meaningful participation of women in all decision-making positions and structures; and how the Bill will be implemented throughout public and private sectors, and much more

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This week’s programme features Professor Irma Eloff, Dean for the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria. Our conversation touches on the roles of teachers, students, institutions, education systems and education itself, as a tool for women’s progress and development. In part of this discussion we contemplate some of the challenges women face in the work place and explore solutions to overcome these obstacles, and much more…

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This week’s programme features the Deputy Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, Dr. Pregs Govendor. Our discussion highlights various responsibilities of government to facilitate, protect and promote women’s rights. We examine the implications of resource access, the distribution of services, and policy formulation in relation to uplifting women’s lives, and much more…

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In this week’s show Commissioner Thoko Mpumlwana, the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality in South Africa, joins us to unpack some of the visible and less visible deterrents of gender equality, like patriarchy, tradition and poverty. We explore the role of various interventions, such as legislation and cultural reform, to overcome barriers of equality and much more.