The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Mduduzi Manana, MP, will officially launch the 2017 national Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Dialogues at the University of Zululand, kwaDlangezwa Campus in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday, 24 February 2017. These dialogues will be rolled-out to institutions of higher education and training, nationally.

In 2016, the higher education and training sector faced the challenge of incidents of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including rape, sex-for-marks and other forms of sexual harassment which occur in institutions, across its campuses, and endangers the health and wellbeing of students and staff. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Higher Education and Training HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) are continuing to engage students and staff in dialogues to better understand the issues and to pave the way for the rollout of the comprehensive sectoral response.

A diverse group of experts have been brought together into a Technical Task Team to gather and use research and evidence-based best practice to inform a sector-wide strategy to tackle SGBV. The aim is to make universities and colleges – and communities – safer and healthier spaces, and environments where acts of sexual and gender-based violence will not be condoned.

Members of the media are invited to the dialogue as follows:
Date: Friday, 24 February 2017
Time: 09h30
Venue: University of Zululand – KwaDlangezwa Campus, 1 Main Road, Vulindlela, KwaDlangezwa, Empangeni, GPS Coordinates: 28°51'26.7"S 31°50'34.1"E

RSVP and Enquires: Busiswa Gqangeni at Cell: 061 351 2695, Email: Gqangeni.B@dhet.gov.za or Zandile Mashaba at Cell: 081 553 6954, Email: Zandile@usaf.ac.za