Symphorosa Rembe

Violation of Women's Rights by Harmful Traditional Practices

Abstract This article reviews harmful traditional and cultural practices which lead to violation of women’s rights in SADC region and measures taken by the Member States to address them. It is based on secondary data collected through review of studies, reports, policy documents and surveys from various data sets from national, regional and international organisations. Traditional and cultural practices investigated include female genital mutilation, child marriage, marriage by abduction and virginity testing. Conclusions drawn from the review indicate that such practices have devastating physical and psychological effects on women. They reinforce the inferior status of women in society and continue to violate their rights and this has serious implications on the achievement of gender equality in society. Although States have put in place legislation and other measures to outlaw harmful traditional and cultural practices on women, these continue unabated due to persistence of cultural attitudes, lack of capacity, resources and commitment among the implementers.

Child and forced marriage as violation of women's rights, and responses by member states in Southern African Development Community

abstract This briefing examines child and forced marriage as harmful traditional and cultural practices which violate the rights of the girl children in the Southern African Development Community region, and assesses measures taken by member states to address them. It is based on secondary data collected through a review of studies, reports, policy documents and surveys from various data sets from national, regional and international organisations. The findings show that the practices have devastating physical and psychological effects on girl children as their rights are violated. They also put girl children at risk of contracting life-threatening and infectious diseases, and may lead to loss of lives. The practices reinforce the inferior status and submissive role of women. Although there are measures in place to outlaw child and forced marriages, the practice continues unabated due to lack of capacity, resources and commitment among implementers. Because culture is a phenomenon which is deeply embedded in the individual or the group, to change or dislodge it may require a process of influencing those who practice that culture through education and mobilisation rather than the instrumentality of legislation or policy alone. Education and mobilisation should operate hand in hand with legislation.

Demographic Variables, Work-Stimulated Stressors and Coping Strategies of Pre-school Educators: A Concept Paper

Abstract This paper reflects on the initial literature reviewed in the course of an on-going research. The motivation resonates from the researchers’ initial findings on the paucity of stress research within the context of early childhood education (ECE) in South Africa. Reviewed literature suggests that information about the events of stress associated with the teachers’ race, age, marital status, gender, qualifications and location of school remains very scanty. No empirical study was found to have jointly taken-up these demographic variables in a single study. Although plethora of literature exists on stress coping strategies among teachers in general, no literature was found on coping strategies among preschool educators. In the absence of data from a single study on the association of stress and teachers’ demographic variables, it would be difficult to reflect on how these variables put together impact on how particular teachers may be coping with stressful events at work.

An Assessment of the Implementation of Gender Equity Policies in Schools in South Africa

Abstract The South African Constitution outlaws all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, cultural origin, age, religion and so forth. The post-Apartheid government of South Africa has put in place policies and programmes to enhance gender equality. In education different policies have been put in place to ensure gender equality at all levels and these are currently being implemented. This study examined the implementation of gender equality policies in schools in South Africa. Data was collected through observation and face to face interviews with twenty-five primary and high school teachers and two district education officials. The study revealed that boys and girls have equal access to the school system. Consequently, the new curriculum and most of learning materials in schools visited are gender sensitive. However, girls continue to be disadvantaged by the fact that classroom practice continue to favour boys and marginalize girls. The school environment does not promote favourable conditions for learning for girls as they are most affected by sexual violence.

Poverty as a Source of Behavioural Problems that Affect the Realization of the Right to Basic Education among Children: A Case Study of Schools in the Eastern Cape - South Africa

Abstract It is evident that although the South African Government has put in place policies and strategies to ensure safe and secure teaching and learning environment, poverty, especially in rural areas, has become a source of behavioural problems among learners that disrupt learning in schools and deny others the right to education. The study examined how poverty in the home influences children’s behaviour problems and how, in turn, it affects access to education among children. This was a qualitative research where data was collected through interviews with 12 primary school learners with behaviour problems from 3 schools in the Eastern Cape, educators, parents/guardians and some members of the community as well as document analysis. The findings showed that children can be forced by poverty to adopt anti-social behaviour including criminal activities which are anti school. This affects access to education as well as safety and wellbeing of other children in schools.

Conscription and Use of Child Soldiers in Armed Conflicts

The child soldier issue in Africa is historically unprecedented both in terms of its scope and almost inconceivable levels of abuse of children. The trend is becoming increasingly apparent with non-state armed groups, most of which operate well outside of, and in flagrant disregard for, any notion of human rights or international humanitarian law. Recent evidence shows that children who start their military engagement in a support role usually graduate to becoming active combatants. Whether children participate directly or indirectly, they are placed in danger.

Female Genital Mutilation: A Human Rights Perspective

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) constitutes all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for cultural or non-therapeutic reasons. The practice remains an extremely complex and culturally sensitive. It involves a broad spectrum of issues such as child health and human rights standards. FGM constitutes an unacceptable violation of the rights of the girl child and adult women to their natural sexuality. International human rights covenants underscore the obligations of the United Nations member States to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, including the rights to non-discrimination, life and physical and mental integrity. Despite the outlawing of the practice in many countries, it is still prevalent in Africa. Various human rights instruments have the potentials to prevent, stop and eliminate the practice by holding perpetrators responsible and accountable.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Peer Academic Support Programs in South African Higher Education Institutions: A Case of One University in the Eastern Cape Province

Abstract The high failure and retention rates at universities despite peer academic support programs has necessitated the need for the present study to investigate how monitoring and evaluation is carried out to support the facilitators of these programs. The study adopted a qualitative approach, collecting data from a sample of 12 participants made up of program coordinators and peer academic facilitators. The results indicate that there is monitoring and evaluation of these programs by program coordinators and peer facilitators. This is achieved through observation during sessions, unannounced visits and support to facilitators. However, the structures and mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation are not strong enough to enhance effective implementation of the programs. It is concluded that although there are good peer academic support programs at this university under study, there is need for rigorous monitoring and evaluation as well as support by more qualified personnel.

Primary School Teachers' Preferences on the Implementation of Continuing Professional Development Programmes in Malawi

Abstract The study is an analysis of views of Primary School teachers in Zomba Rural Education District in Malawi on their preferences as regards the implementation of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes. The concern of the study was that despite the Government of Malawi putting in place structures to facilitate the implementation of Continuing Professional Development for primary school teachers, teachers have not improved their classroom practices. This study used a mixed method design that collected both quantitative and qualitative data through questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. In total, 798 teachers, representing 47% of teachers in the district, responded to the questionnaire. The researchers conducted 34 focus group discussions with teachers from various schools and held interviews with 34 head teachers. The study focussed on aspects of CPD implementation such as mode, venue, duration, time of the year, organization, form of recognition, and nature of the CPD programmes. Quantitative data were analysed using a software package known as Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) while the analysis of the qualitative data involved clustering common themes and writing stories and ranking the responses. The results show a gap between preferences of teachers and the way CPD programmes are implemented in the district. This calls for collaboration between CPD programme organizers and teachers.

Teacher Work Related Stress in Early Childhood Education: Some Coping Strategies

Abstract This paper employed a multiple case study design to establish the coping strategies used by early childhood development (ECD) teachers to cope with work-related stress. Unstructured in-depth interviews were used to obtain data from eighteen participants. Data were analysed qualitatively. Findings revealed that teachers draw from different coping mechanisms for sustenance and support in the events of stress. The teachers resorted to improvisation in order to acquire resources; relied on divine intervention from God; drew from external support systems such as the family and the church; and applied physical exertion such as gardening and strolling along the beach as ways to avert and manage stress. It was also found that some teachers resigned themselves to their fate and allowed stress to dominate with little or no alternatives on how to cope or manage stress. It is therefore suggestive that there are evidence-based training and development needs for ECD teachers that will enable them deal with numerous inevitable stress incidences. On the basis of these findings, a number of recommendations have been made.