5th Julius Nyerere Annual Lecture on Lifelong Learning, UWC.
Posted by Celia Walter | 9 Sep, 2008Topic: 'Love and courage: inciting insubordination'
Venue: Library Auditorium, University of Western Cape
Date: 11 September 2008
Time: 12h00 to 14h30 - You are invited to come for lunch at 12h00
RSVP: Tania Oppel at 021-9593339 or toppel@uwc.ac.za
Ruby Sigila at 021-9592799 or rsigila@uwc.ac.za
by 5 September 2008
Pregs Govender is the author of "Love and Courage, A Story of Insubordination", a personal exploration of an alternative to the power of hate, greed and fear. In the struggle against apartheid, Pregs served as an activist, teacher and trade unionist. In the union movement she served as National Educator before leading SA's first Workers College. She managed the Women's National Coalition, a coalition through which 2 million rural and urban women shaped SA's transition and impacted on the Constitution. Elected ANC MP in 1994, Pregs initiated SA's gender budgeting, which catalyzed similar initiatives globally. She chaired parliament's Committee on Women, which ensured that 80% of women's legislative priorities were enacted. In 2001 her presentation of this Committee's report on HIV/AIDS, broke the silence in the ANC Caucus caused by the President's position. She was the only MP to register opposition to SA's arms-deal in the 2001 Defence Budget Vote itself and resigned in May 2002. Among other awards, Pregs received the first Ruth First Fellowship for courageous writing and activism. She works locally and globally building an alternative politics through writing, policy and education. She chairs the Independent Panel reviewing SA's Parliament and is a member of the Panel of Eminent Persons tasked with developing a global Human Rights Agenda by December 2008. She has two adult children and lives in Cape Town with her husband and youngest child. She practices yoga to sustain her activism.
Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat.