College of Human Sciences

Institute for Gender Studies

The Institute for Gender Studies at Unisa is an interdisciplinary research institute, located in the College of Human Sciences.

What do we do?

We are committed to raising awareness about gender issues in the Southern African context.

Why do we do it?

We believe that raising awareness about gender is the only way to make progress towards eliminating GBV (gender-based violence), homophobia and transphobia as well as discrimination against women in the workplace and the political arena. We further believe that education about gender is an effective way to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women.

How do we do it?

  • We promote scholarship as a way of changing society in Southern Africa to make it more gender equitable.
  • We foster theory-led multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary research into all aspects of gender studies.
  • We co-ordinate research projects into, for example, gender and representation; gender and ODL; gender and technology.
  • We also co-ordinate an interdisciplinary Honours programme in Gender Studies.

Contact us

Head: Prof. Deirdre Byrne
Telephone: +27 (0)12 429 4940
Fax: +27 (0)12 429 3346
Email: byrnedc@unisa.ac.za, genderstudies@unisa.ac.za