On November 6, the MacMillan Center hosted Under Secretary General and Executive Director of U.N.-Women Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, to deliver a lecture and participate in a conversation on gender and violence with faculty and students.
An avid proponent of human rights, equality, and social justice, Dr. Ngcuka has a long career in government, civil society, and the private sector, where she has overseen programs on combating poverty and reducing inequalities for girls and women. She was actively involved in the struggle to end apartheid in her home country of South Africa. Dr. Ngcuka served as Deputy President of South Africa between 2005 and 2008, and was the first woman in the country’s history to hold that position. Prior to her Deputy Presidency, she was a coordinator at the World YWCA in Geneva, where she established a global program for young women. She is the founder of the Umlambo Foundation and a Trustee of the Mandel-Rhodes Foundation – both of which support leadership and education in South Africa.
The United Nations estimates that in some countries at least 70% of women have endured violence, either at a familial or societal level. “Violence is the most dehumanizing form of discrimination against women,” noted Dr. Ngcuka. She also argued that while the narrative on gender and violence has predominantly focused on women, it is important for international agencies and academic institutions to engage men in this broader initiative. “Men are an integral part of the solution, and we cannot and should not ignore them.” Key factors involved in moving the agenda on gender and violence forward include promoting a rich culture of legislation and human rights; working collaboratively across fields; and developing robust education systems that do not fall prey to damaging notions of ritual, power, and culture.
U.N.-Women, under the leadership of Dr. Ngcuka, is working with multiple partners and communities across the world to create a common platform for engagement and action through her UNiTE to End Violence Against Women. The campaign has proclaimed the 25th of each month as “Orange Day,” a day to promote awareness and discussion of experiences on how violence against women and girls can effectively be tackled. As a bright and optimistic color, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls. Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and U.N. partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls.
Dr. Ngcuka concluded her presentation by reminding the audience that “it is usually in times of crisis that we have an opportunity to bring about big change. Let us work together and ensure that these issues are part of our past and not our future.”
The event was cosponsored by the Women’s Faculty Forum, Colloquium of Violence, Intervention and Agency, and organized by Professors Catherine Panter-Brick and Louisa Lombard, doctoral student Aalyia Sadruddin, and the MacMillan Center.