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Unisa marks Pan African Women's Day with a powerful call to action
The Unisa Women's Forum proudly commemorated Pan African Women’s Day 2025 with a dynamic and thought-provoking virtual event centred on "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations". The occasion not only celebrated African women’s contributions to liberation and development, but also sparked serious reflection on justice, equity and economic redress for the continent.
Renowned legal expert, international speaker and activist, Dr Pearl Kupe, delivered the keynote address – a powerful and unapologetic call for the empowerment of African women and a renewed focus on reparative justice. Drawing from her extensive experience in law, negotiation and policy, Kupe stressed that true justice goes beyond symbolic apologies.
"Don’t just say sorry – bring back the bicycle," she declared. "Acknowledgement alone is not enough. We need tangible restitution: financial, emotional, social and structural."
Kupe spoke at length about the disproportionate impact of war, injustice and economic exclusion on women and children, and urged institutions such as Unisa to take the lead in shaping the continent’s reparations agenda.
She urged the university’s women, particularly its academics, researchers, legal experts and policy makers, to unite to form a dedicated platform to feed into the African Union’s reparation strategies.
She continued: "Unisa has the intellectual capital, the legal knowledge and the research capacity to influence real change. Why shouldn’t a women-led initiative from this institution help shape the African Union’s reparations framework?"
Her keynote, anchored by real-world African case studies – including the Herero-Nama genocide in Namibia, Zimbabwe’s land reform negotiations, and the restitution of the Benin Bronzes – provided context and urgency to the call. Dr Kupe stressed that Africa’s resources, cultural heritage and dignity continue to be exploited, and that it is time for justice to be pursued in strategic, united and measurable ways.
The event also served as a moment of reflection for the internal Unisa community on the university’s role in shaping a more just, decolonised and equitable Africa.
Prof Khanyisile Mbatha, speaking on behalf of the Unisa Women’s Forum, described the event as a moment to "reclaim the narrative of African women". At the same time, programme director Dr Nomsebenzi Malele closed the session by calling on the Unisa community to follow through on Dr Kupe’s challenge, "not with lip service, but with action".
With strong participation from both staff and students, the event left attendees inspired, energised and reflective – a fitting tribute to the spirit of Pan African Women’s Day.
As Unisa continues to champion thought leadership on the continent, Dr Kupe’s message lingers: Justice must be served – not spoken. And the women of Unisa are ready to lead the charge.
* By Dr Vuyokazi Sigaqa, Unisa Women’s Forum Executive Committee Member
Publish date: 2025-09-04 00:00:00.0
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