College of Wardens' position on gender discrimination and patriarchy

As the College of Wardens at UCT we acknowledge that patriarchy is an oppressive system that unfortunately continues to dominate our society and our university in particular.

We commit to convene and/or take part in educative spaces where we as wardens, through engaged dialogue, can deconstruct our preconceived perceptions of gender discrimination and patriarchy and its intersectional effects on students.

We anticipate that that this will enable us to be open to creative ways of using our position in the residence system to deliberatively challenge patriarchal attitudes and practices including “war-cries” and derogatory serenading songs by male students in our residence system.

We commit ourselves to the creation of safe spaces for our resident students and other stakeholders on campus to engage with us as the College of Wardens, and where possible to be a critical link between such stakeholders and the student residence life to identify strategies for addressing gender discrimination and patriarchy in the residences.

We commit ourselves to reviewing all the residential structures, traditions, rules and policies that entrench gender discrimination within the residence system and to advising the relevant structures including the university management and university Council to make appropriate changes.

In acknowledging the time constraint imposed by the imminent examination period for the end of 2015, we commit to guide our residential student leaders for 2016 to be conscientious in the development of strategic goals and orientation programmes that promote freedom of self-expression and respect for the rights of others, irrespective of their sexual orientation, religious and cultural beliefs.