UCT Sustainability and the SDGs 2022 - Report - Page 18
17
Full gender
equality in all
spheres of life
18
Engaged &
empowered
youth &
children
SDG 5: GENDER EQUALITY
Diversity is a key feature of UCT’s Vision
2030 strategy to ensure that the institution
is inclusive and reflective of South Africa’s
demographic profile in terms of race
and gender. To achieve and support
this diversity, UCT has a wide range of
strategies in place beyond the case studies
in this section. UCT is equally committed
to addressing, through research and social
engagement, gender inequality in local
communities, on the continent and globally.
Building a cohort of black
women researchers in human
evolution studies
The Human Evolution Research Institute (HERI) runs a
programme to address underrepresentation of women,
particularly black women, in the field of human evolution
studies. The programme provides financial support and
assistance to PhD candidates. The institute also runs a
field camp for final year undergraduate students from
two feeder disciplines: geology and archaeology. This
is in direct response to studies that have shown that
fieldwork is a major barrier to participation and retention
in both geology and archaeology.
The aim is to offer young women a positive and enjoyable
field-training experience, ultimately encouraging
their continued involvement in research. Through
this programme, the institute is building a network of
researchers in human evolution for young women to draw
on at all stages of their careers and to ultimately change
the landscape and power dynamics of this research
area in South Africa.
In 2022, there were 18 participants in the threeday field camp, including postgraduates from
UCT and the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
Women in Law (WiL)
Women in Law (WiL) is a student society
started in 2021 at UCT. It aims to provide
law faculty students who identify as women
with a platform and tools to connect with
other female students and lawyers, to
enhance their skills and to give back to the
community as they navigate their law degree
and prospective legal careers.
18 – University of Cape Town
Local Government Women’s
Leadership Development
Programme
This programme, offered by UCT’s Nelson Mandela
School of Public Governance in partnership with
Zenande Leadership Consulting, was launched in 2022.
The programme targets women in council and local
government positions, aiming to enhance their leadership
capacity and amplify their impact as leaders in various
roles in the public sector to improve service delivery
outcomes.
More than 450 delegates signed up for the programme in
2022, although only 80 could be accommodated in the
first cohort. In response to this overwhelming interest,
a range of online webinars and master classes were
developed to reach the wider audience.
Driving positive outcomes for
adolescents in Africa
By 2050, Africa will be home to half a billion adolescents:
Africa’s greatest unrealised asset. Despite the
incredible potential, many will be trapped in cycles of
deprivation and adversity. The Adolescent Accelerators
Research Hub (AARHub), based in UCT’s Centre for
