CELEBRATING WOMEN | SIOPSA OLD SITE

SIOPSA WOMEN’S MONTH 2020

Celebrating Women through the lens of work Psychology

View the Women’s Month Lauch video featuring Dr Ruwayne Kock, Executive member Transformation and Dr Sane Muleko, Exeucitve member Brand and Communication.

Background

Each year on 9 August, South Africa celebrates Women’s Day. We honour more than 20,000 women who marched in protest of the pass laws. One of the most iconic phrases sung at the march was: “you strike a woman; you strike a rock.”

During Apartheid, black people were required to carry passes designed to restrict their movements. If they were found to not have their passes, police would arrest and sentence them to prison. On 9 August 1956, thousands of women from different racial and cultural backgrounds marched to the Union Buildings to deliver petitions to the Prime Minister. Lead by extraordinary women such as Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Helen Joseph and Sophia de Bruyn, women fought for a non-racist and non-sexist South Africa.

What makes this day so important in South Africa’s history?

It was diverse. There were women of all races and backgrounds; black women, Indian women, domestic workers with their white employers’ babies on their backs. It also went against what was expected of women at that time. They refused to be quiet and sit back while the brutal Apartheid system tore their families apart.

Sophia de Bruyn, one of the few living marchers of that day, wrote on Twitter that she is disappointed in the little progress made since then. In South Africa, rates of violence against women are so high that it is normalised in society.

“Personally, I feel that as a country we tolerate and normalize many things we shouldn’t. Even though we have one of the most inclusive constitutions, government and civil organizations can only do so much”, says Sophia.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequentially lockdown that South Africa finds itself into, to deal with this pandemic, has once again illustrated that gender-based violence amongst women are still a reality in our country.  This is evidence from the many incidents reported of domestic violence incidents where women and children were the main victims, and many of them fatal.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made a strong appeal to society to support these individuals and to stand up strongly against these inhumane acts of violence that threatens the human rights of both women and children in South Africa.

CELEBRATING INSPIRING SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN

IT’S A WRAP BUT FAR FROM OVER – THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTED OUR WOMEN’S MONTH CELEBRATIONS

Continue reading about all te wonderful initiatives driven by the SIOPSA members and Executive Team.

It is important that we celebrate inspiring South African women and remain positive that we can end inequality, discrimination and violence.  SIOPSA is in full support in taking the lead and supporting all initiatives to help fight as did the brave women in 1956.

This month, SIOPSA would like to show our support as we celebrate women in the context of work.

  • During the month of August, we celebrate Women in South Africa with women’s day on the 9th of August
  • This is not an exclusively female campaign but male and female IOP’s take hands to celebrate women and stand against inequality and gender-based violence

SIOPSA and IOP as a profession has great representation of females. However, through the lens of organisational psychology, we need to have a voice on women in the workplace. Also, through thought leadership in Diversity and Inclusion, we need to light the way.

The International Labour Organisation Covid-19 impact report for June 2020, highlights a disproportionate impact on women workers. It states: “Since the Covid-19 crisis is disproportionately affecting women workers in many ways, there is a risk of losing some of the gains made in recent decades and exacerbating gender inequalities in the labour market. Women account for a large portion of workers in front-line occupations, especially in the health and social care sectors. Furthermore, women in domestic work have been highly vulnerable to containment measures”.

We invite you to join us as we celebrate and campaign for greater equality and empowerment in the context of work.

SIOPSA Women’s Month events

We have dedicated 2  online webinars to stimulate dialogue amongst leading women in our community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The SIOPSA I/O Psychology You Tube channel host several interviews from women in our community and how they approach IOP to impact the work place.

 

  • We need to light the way – view the launch video, featuring Dr Ruwayne Kock and Dr Sane Moleku here
  • Is Unconscious bias hindering women in their career – Dr Natasha Winkler-Titus took part in this Women in Leadership Webinar series discussing the bias challenges women experience in their work live. You can watch this webinar again, access the link, register and type in SIOPSA as your organisation. To listen to this webinar, click here
  • Manoko Ratala (Director) and Candice Booysen,PhD (Director) are the two phenomenal women being celebrated in our third and final video this month; who share how being an IOP shapes the several roles that they take up. Their last words of wisdom gives us more to think about as Women’s month slowly draws to a close. To meet Manoko and Candice, click here.
  • As a continuation to celebrating our diversity as IOP women, we meet Bianca van Heerden (IOP master’s student) and Taboka Kombanie (IOP intern & CEO of a NPO) on a more personal note; who share the different roles they take up and the way being an IOP shapes those roles. To view Taboka and Bianca’s video, click here.
  • Being an IOP brings with it a set of multi-faceted skills that can be, and are used in all settings where work is performed in all its different forms. Add to that the multiple roles that woman play in society, you have a true celebration of diversity!  In this video clip below, you will meet Neo Mmamathuba (IOP Lecturer) and Sharene Koopman (HR Executive) on a more personal note, who share the different roles they take up and the way being an IOP shapes those roles. Meet Neo and Sharene here.

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MUCH NEEDED  INSPIRATION

Showcase IOP Women in Siopsa and SA

VIEW a gallery of brave woment conquering the obstacles in not only the work place, but in their communities, their homes and their own personal endeaviours.  Meet the women here

This month SIOPSA support and introduce projects that serve the women in our country. 

 

  1. A call for mentorship
  2. A call for women in IOP impact
  3. Mina-Cup Foundation

 

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