Campus Rape Culture Website Launch - 30th September 2021. Launch of our interactive website: www.campusrapeculture.co.za featuring findings from the URDR's PhotoVOICE 2.0 research project. This explored the drivers of campus rape culture through the eyes of women student researchers. It focused on Stellenbosch University as a concrete case study of this important global issue. A recording of the online launch, in collaboration with the Anti-GBV movement SU, the Equality Unit and the Transformation Unit can be accessed here. Please share using the hashtag #kNOwCRC.
UN Women Prevention Series Launched - September 2021. Check out our two new 'preventing violence against women and girls' research publications for UN Women showcasing their projects around the world with summaries also available in English, French and Spanish - Learning from practice: Exploring intersectional approaches to prevent violence against women and girls and Learning from practice: Engaging Faith-Based and Traditional Actors for VAWG prevention.
Healthy Households and COVID-19 Webinar Series. June-August 2020
The URDR, in partnership with Ekklesia, hosted a series of webinars for local faith leaders entitled ‘Healthy Households’. Each webinar dealt with a different topic relevant to the challenges that development practitioners and religious leaders are facing during the COVID 19 pandemic. They all focus on the South African context. Click on the below webinar titles to access a full video recording of each event.
"Child Protection, Faith Communities and COVID-19" was the third webinar in the series held on Wednesday 5th August 2020 at 1-2.30pm SAST. Expert speakers included the newly appointed Western Cape Commissioner for Children - Ms Christina Nomdo, the director of community based organisation Arise Family SA - Danielle Moosajie, and the URDR's academic expert on Ending Violence against Children and Faith - Dr Selina Palm. PDFs of their presentation slides are also available by clicking on their names. A 2019 scoping study on faith and ending violence against children has also been delivered by the URDR for the Joint Learning Initiative of Faith and Local Communities.
"Churches responding to GBV during COVID-19” was the second webinar in the series on 7th July 2020 at 1-2.30pm SAST. Expert speakers included Daniela Gennrich, Dr. Selina Palm and Dr. Miranda Pillay and it was hosted by Dr Elisabet le Roux. Click here to access the recorded webinar and on the names of the above presenters for the slide deck related to each of their specific presentations. Click here to explore further URDR resources including a number focused on Violence against Women and Faith responses.
"Churches responding to hunger during COVID 19” was the first webinar in the series and took place on the 12th of June 2020. Expert speakers included Minah Koela, Craig Stewart, and Lorenzo Davids and it was chaired by Prof. Nadine Bowers Du Toit
COVID-19 and Faith - 2020
The URDR is well placed, with its history of HIV&AIDS related work and focused research on women and children's vulnerability, to assist organisations and governments to respond effectively to the COVID-19 crisis in ways that leave no one behind.
"The role of faith based organisations in the COVID pandemic." Radio interview with Dr Selina Palm on Cape Talk. Click here to access resources from our partner, the Joint Learning Initiative for Faith & Local Communities with Berkeley University, USA.
“Pandemic: Possibilities for change?” Wisdom for our World webinar. This explores how the COVID-19 pandemic is transforming approaches to global public health, environmental responsibility, ending gender-based violence and the unique contribution of theology. Dr. Will Storrar is in conversation with three scholars including Dr. le Roux.
“Leading in the New Normal of a Pandemic World”, 28th April 2020, Dr le Roux participated in an international webinar by Religions for Peace and the Centre for Theological Inquiry on the intersectional nature of leadership in and beyond a time of pandemic.
Faith and Violence against Children - 2019.
Corporal punishment of children is increasingly commanding public attention with more attention played to the misuse of faith in underpinning social norms that justify these practices, Click here for a 2019 TV interview by Dr Selina Palm exploring the need to challenge this misuse in the South African context and here for a media article by the URDR which offers an alternative approach. However despite these challenges, faith can also play a role in developing the spiritual capital to end violence against children as this March 2020 webinar by Dr Selina Palm, presented as part of the JLI EVAC Hub's webinar series, showcases. The June 2020 online roundtable, the second in the JLI EVAC Hub's webinar series was facilitated by Dr Palm and explores the roles of faith leaders as first responders to VAC in COVID-19 times.
Conference on Christian Social Practices - 2018
From 3-5th July 2018, the URDR co-hosted a regional conference at Stellenbosch University entitled: "Diaconia, community and development: Exploring new theories for social justice and inclusion". The Conference Programme can be found here. This was held in partnership with the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University, Hugenote College and the University of the Western Cape. For more details on the background, aims and emphasis of the conference, click here. Papers explored gender justice, community, politics, environmental sustainability, economic inequality and poverty, the South-North dialogue, citizenship, the role of civil society and faith-based organisations. Dr Le Roux and Dr Palm both presented papers.