M.A., Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 1991

Published Article / This article reviews the perspectives on the rights, roles and endeavours of women in the South African work environment. In an attempt to achieve this objective, the article commences with a holistic approach on the evolution of women's rights and roles. The remainder gives perspectives on the South African labour force and finally outlines the importance of South African legislation on the advancement of women. The situation of African women is, in particular referred to, as it was evident during 1995 and earlier that African females were considerably under-represented in various sectors of the workforce. African women were, for example, introduced into the management environment as recently as the 1980s, while supportive legislation only came into place in the 1990s.

MSc(Med), Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2009 / Background: Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication (SC IHDC), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) set up to promote health through media tackled cervical cancer in 2006. The Soul City cervical cancer educational programme was developed and broadcasted on South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC1) television and radio stations across the country. This paper assesses the relationship between exposure to educational programme and knowledge and practise of South African women on cervical cancer. Objective: To investigate if there is an association between exposure to Soul City educational programme on cervical cancer and knowledge and practice of South African women in relation to cervical cancer. Methods: An analytical cross sectional study design was employed. Secondary data from a Soul City study was used and all South African women aged 16 – 65 years who enrolled into the 2006 leg of the study were included. The data was analysed using Stata 9 utilising logistic regression models. Results: There were 1013 women aged between 16 and 65 years in this study and the average age was 35 years. Most women lived in metropolitan areas (53%), were employed (41%), had secondary education (74%) and had knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear (>50%). Lack of knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear was observed amongst rural residents (>60%), illiterate women (>54%), and Black South African women (>54%). Generally, participation in cervical screening was low among these women. The iv majority of women had never been screened for cervical cancer in the past (49%) as well as in the previous 12 months (79%). However, a higher proportion of women aged 30 years and above had been for cervical screening test in the past (59%). Although many women aged 30 years and above had been screened sometime in the past, more than three quarters of them were not screened in the last 12 months. Low uptake of Pap smear in 2006 was observed amongst rural residents (6%), older women (9%), illiterate (4%), Coloured (20%) and Black (20%) South African women. Overall knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear was associated with exposure to Soul City educational programme on cervical cancer through different media more especially television. Women who watched Soul City on television were more likely to have knowledge about cervical cancer (OR = 1.97, and 95% CI = (1.12; 3.47)) and Pap smear (OR = 2.08, and 95% CI = (1.24; 3.47)) than those who did not watch the programme. Participation of women aged 30 years and above in cervical cancer screening in 2006 was not associated with exposure to the Soul City educational programme. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that Soul City educational programme is associated with knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear. There was no evidence that exposure to Soul City educational programme was associated with participation in cervical cancer screening in 2006.

In the mini-dissertation, we consider the potential effectiveness of CEDAW in reaching its stated goal of eliminating discrimination against women. We consider and analyse the potential impact of the Convention in the fight against inequality and discrimination against women, and the research examined CEDAW Committee decisions critically to find out its potential impacts and relevance to African women. This mini-dissertation analyses specific forms of discrimination in three selected African states and, found that: (1) women still suffer discrimination in access to education through low female enrolment and, the restriction on particular areas of study, (3) that in employment, women are discriminated against through inequality in payment, restriction of women from some sectors of the economy and; in lower opportunities for women as compared to men, (4) that in relation to politics and public life, women still are discriminated against and; they cannot easily access public office and are, underrepresented in parliament, cabinet and in the private sector, except in Rwanda where women are well represented, (5) that women are discriminated against in access to health care services including reproductive care which is characterized by lower female life expectancy, lower access to health care services especially in rural areas and; high mortality rate amongst female infants, (6) and that women in marriages and families are still not treated equally with men on issues of divorce proceedings, child support, polygamy and early marriage. We discuss and analyse the instruments protecting women against discrimination at the global and regional levels. We illustrated that the instruments effectively protects women against discrimination but were, inadequately implemented or utilised by women. We concluded as follows; (1) that the instruments effectively protected women from discrimination in education, employment, health care services, family and marital life and; in politics and public life. The issue is the implementation of the instruments by states parties and, (2) that in terms of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, that the problem of reservations by states parties have greatly affected the effectiveness of the Convention. As to the CEDAW Committee jurisprudence, we discovered: (1) that the CEDAW Committee has done enough to protect women against discrimination in all spheres of life with groundbreaking decisions and; all that is required now is proper implementation of decisions, (2) that there are presently no communications to the CEDAW Committee from African women yet, (3) that most communications submitted to the Committee have been declared inadmissible for reasons ranging from non-exhaustion of domestic remedies to the facts occurring prior to the entering into force of the Optional Protocol in the state party complained against and, that most cases were lost on procedural errors, (4) that the Committee is very strong in cases of domestic violence and discrimination in access to health care services. In conclusion, the research identifies a number of weaknesses in the Convention and proposes a range of amendments that would facilities the use of the CEDAW Committee by African women. We also identified the implications of the CEDAW Committee jurisprudence on Africa. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

Black South African (SA) women are disproportionally affected by obesity and insulin resistance, which have been associated with depot-specific alterations in adipose tissue function. This thesis aimed to evaluate the differences in fatty acid (FA) composition and gene expression between abdominal (aSAT) and gluteal subcutaneous adipose tissue (gSAT), and the changes in response to exercise training in relation to body composition, hepatic fat, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, and insulin sensitivity (SI) in obese black SA women. This research evaluated the i) FA composition of aSAT and gSAT, and red blood cell total phospholipids (RBC-TPL) and their associations with body composition, hepatic fat and SI, ii) changes in these FA profiles in response to exercise training and the relationship with changes in systemic inflammation, hepatic fat and SI; iii) effects of exercise training on systemic markers and SAT gene expression of inflammation and oxidative stress; and iv) regional differences in transcriptome profiles of aSAT and gSAT pre- and post-exercise training. Forty-five IsiXhosa women (30-40kg/m2 , 20-35 years) were randomized into control (n=22) or exercise groups (n=23; 12-week aerobic-resistance training, 40-60 min/session, 4 days/week). Pre and postintervention measurements included: anthropometry, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, dietary intake, SI, hepatic fat, systemic markers and SAT gene expression of adipokines, inflammation and oxidative stress, RBC-TPL and SAT fatty acids profiles, and untargeted SAT gene expression analyses. The main findings showed differences in the circulating (RBC-TPL) and stored (SAT) FA composition, which reflected in different associations between these FA profiles and SI. Moreover, the changes in FA composition in response to exercise training were depot-specific, with the changes in RBC-TPL correlating with a decrease in systemic inflammation and hepatic fat. Exercise training alleviated systemic oxidative stress and induced increased gSAT inflammatory genes, reflecting SAT remodelling. These changes coincided with a reduction in gynoid fat and were not associated with increased SI. Furthermore, there were unique depot-specific gene expression signatures relating to embryonic development at baseline and more diverse functional-related processes at post-training. This generated novel candidate genes potentially implicated in the relationship between body fat distribution and metabolic status in obese black SA women.

MA (French), Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / Through a thematic content analysis, this dissertation analyses how Mariama Bâ in So long a letter (1979) and Ken Bugul in Riwan ou le chemin de sable (1999) perceive the image of African women. This work is focused as well on the ambiguity of the situation of these women who are torn between modernity and tradition. Mariama Bâ raises the issue of women’s emancipation as that of complementarities between men and women and not as that of confrontation. She doesn’t conceive African feminism as a requirement of modern times because everything is not admissible in modernity; but believes a controlled evolution of mentalities is necessary for the balance of the society. On the other hand, Ken Bugul questions all the concepts and ideas that have been received so far on the issue of the status of women in Africa. She thinks women can find happiness in a polygamous marriage, and beyond this a way of rehabilitation. She presents “modern” women as victims in monogamous spousal relationships and believes they have lost their cultural identity.

No / FP7

This dissertation draws attention to covert efforts directed at African women that seek to negatively affect the family structure and the historic cultural value systems, thereby destabilizing the African family setting, and destroying the society through a process of depopulation in Etsako in Edo State, and by extension, Nigeria and Africa. The researcher employed the African philosophy of politics and government as the conceptual framework most suitable for this research. The American woman’s knowledge of the African woman was investigated. Equally, the African woman was examined to determine what she thinks of her womanhood role. The findings established that the struggle for political development of the African woman is pregnant with meaning, as it is a vital aspect of some of the covert and overt influence of the West directed at the Africans’ root of existence. Other finding include the following: 1. That the Western World has targeted the entire population of Etsako, Nigeria and Africa by an extension, for a political resocialization that is alien to the people of Africa. 2. That the American woman has limited knowledge of the African woman. 3. That in the effort to adversely influence the African woman, some African American women of the intelligentsia are unknowingly being used to facilitate some of the covert efforts. 4. That the African women appreciates her womanhood roles in the home front and her external relations; and, 5.that the African woman’s political efficacy, from a Western political framework, in the African political systems, will destroy the traditional family structure, the cultural and moral basis of the people. This will further destroy the historic African cultural value systems and, eventually lead to a moral void and the collapse of these societies. Deviant behavior and deliberate depopulation will trigger the collapse. The study, therefore, recommends among other things that to prevent such cultural destabilization, the Etsako people and possibly, Nigeria need to educate and politically socialize their women, from an African socio-cultural political framework. This is a major way by which Etsako and Africa by extension will command Western political respect.

Motivation: The prevalence of obesity is the highest among African women in South Africa. Since obesity is a major cardiovascular risk factor, African women in South Africa could be regarded as a high risk group. However, investigations on obesity-related hypertension are limited in this population group. The associations of body fat distribution and hormones such as leptin and endothelin-1 with cardiovascular function have not yet been determined in these women. It has been determined that endothelin-1 is a role player in the development and/or maintenance of hypertension in various population groups, especially African Americans. Endothelin-1 has also been found to be involved in obesity-related hypertension in non-African population groups. It has been indicated that the obesity-related hormone, leptin, also plays a role in obesity-related hypertension, especially in African Americans. Leptin levels have been found to be higher in obese hypertensive African American women compared to an obese normotensive control group. Since the above-mentioned two hormones playa prominent role in obesity and hypertension in African American and non-African population groups, the lack of data on African women in South Africa serves as motivation to conduct this investigation. Aim: To investigate obesity-related hypertension in African women through the determination of associations between various anthropometric and endocrinological variables with cardiovascular, especially vascular function. Methodology: Manuscripts presented in Chapters 2, 3 and 4 made use of data from the POWIRS (Profiles of Obese Women suffering from the Insulin Resistance Syndrome) I project where African women were selected from a government institution in the North West Province. A group of 98 women were divided into lean normotensive, overweight/obese normotensive and overweight/obese hypertensive groups. Anthropometric and cardiovascular measurements were taken and the lipid profile, leptin and endothelin-1 levels determined. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to show significant differences between groups while adjusting for age. Partial correlation coefficients were used to show associations between various variables while adjusting for age. Stepwise linear regression analysis was also used to show associations between variables. The study presented in Chapter 5 made use of both POWIRS I and II, which are studies including Africans and Caucasians, respectively. The methodology of the two studies was the same. All subjects gave informed consent in writing and the Ethics Committee of the North-West University approved the study. The reader is referred to the "Materials and Methods" section of Chapters 2-5 for a more elaborate description of the subjects, study design and analytical methods used in each article. vii Results and conclusions of the individual manuscripts > Results from Chapter 2 showed that the volume loading effect associated with obesity was present in both overweight/obese normotensive and overweight/obese hypertensive groups, however, the accommodating effect observed in the overweight/obese normotensive group was absent in the overweight/obese hypertensive group due to decreased vascular function. This was confirmed by a high pulse pressure. Decreased vascular functioning was associated with the abdominal skin fold. This suggests that abdominal subcutaneous fat may either be a marker of visceral fat, or may in itself contribute to increased cardiovascular risk in Africans. > Results from Chapter 3 showed a negative result. Plasma endothelin-1 levels were similar for the lean normotensive, overweight/obese normotensive and overweight/obese hypertensive groups. After re-dividing the groups into normotensive and hypertensive, and then into lean and overweight/obese, still no differences could be obtained. Additionally, no correlations could be obtained between endothelin-1 and cardiovascular function in any of the groups. These findings suggest that endothelin-1 is not implicated in obesity-related hypertension in African women. > In Chapter 4, leptin levels were elevated in both overweight/obese normotensive and hypertensive groups compared to the lean normotensive group. However, leptin levels did not differ between the two overweight/obese groups. Even though leptin levels were the same, leptin was directly and positively associated with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure and negatively with arterial compliance only in the overweight/obese hypertensive group, independent of obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and age. > In Chapter 5 the volume loading, as well as the accommodating effect, that is, decreased total peripheral resistance and increased arterial compliance, was present in both African and Caucasian obese groups compared to their lean controls. Even though leptin levels, body mass index and age were similar for both African and Caucasian obese groups, the accommodating effect seemed to be more prominent in the obese Caucasian group, explaining a lower diastolic blood pressure compared to the obese African group. Leptin showed a favourable negative association with diastolic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance in the obese Caucasian group, but not in the obese African group. This may indicate that leptin predominantly exerts pathological influences on obese African women, as determined previously in Chapter 4. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Physiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Motivation: The prevalence of obesity is the highest among African women in South Africa. Since obesity is a major cardiovascular risk factor, African women in South Africa could be regarded as a high risk group. However, investigations on obesity-related hypertension are limited in this population group. The associations of body fat distribution and hormones such as leptin and endothelin-1 with cardiovascular function have not yet been determined in these women. It has been determined that endothelin-1 is a role player in the development and/or maintenance of hypertension in various population groups, especially African Americans. Endothelin-1 has also been found to be involved in obesity-related hypertension in non-African population groups. It has been indicated that the obesity-related hormone, leptin, also plays a role in obesity-related hypertension, especially in African Americans. Leptin levels have been found to be higher in obese hypertensive African American women compared to an obese normotensive control group. Since the above-mentioned two hormones playa prominent role in obesity and hypertension in African American and non-African population groups, the lack of data on African women in South Africa serves as motivation to conduct this investigation. Aim: To investigate obesity-related hypertension in African women through the determination of associations between various anthropometric and endocrinological variables with cardiovascular, especially vascular function. Methodology: Manuscripts presented in Chapters 2, 3 and 4 made use of data from the POWIRS (Profiles of Obese Women suffering from the Insulin Resistance Syndrome) I project where African women were selected from a government institution in the North West Province. A group of 98 women were divided into lean normotensive, overweight/obese normotensive and overweight/obese hypertensive groups. Anthropometric and cardiovascular measurements were taken and the lipid profile, leptin and endothelin-1 levels determined. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to show significant differences between groups while adjusting for age. Partial correlation coefficients were used to show associations between various variables while adjusting for age. Stepwise linear regression analysis was also used to show associations between variables. The study presented in Chapter 5 made use of both POWIRS I and II, which are studies including Africans and Caucasians, respectively. The methodology of the two studies was the same. All subjects gave informed consent in writing and the Ethics Committee of the North-West University approved the study. The reader is referred to the "Materials and Methods" section of Chapters 2-5 for a more elaborate description of the subjects, study design and analytical methods used in each article. vii Results and conclusions of the individual manuscripts > Results from Chapter 2 showed that the volume loading effect associated with obesity was present in both overweight/obese normotensive and overweight/obese hypertensive groups, however, the accommodating effect observed in the overweight/obese normotensive group was absent in the overweight/obese hypertensive group due to decreased vascular function. This was confirmed by a high pulse pressure. Decreased vascular functioning was associated with the abdominal skin fold. This suggests that abdominal subcutaneous fat may either be a marker of visceral fat, or may in itself contribute to increased cardiovascular risk in Africans. > Results from Chapter 3 showed a negative result. Plasma endothelin-1 levels were similar for the lean normotensive, overweight/obese normotensive and overweight/obese hypertensive groups. After re-dividing the groups into normotensive and hypertensive, and then into lean and overweight/obese, still no differences could be obtained. Additionally, no correlations could be obtained between endothelin-1 and cardiovascular function in any of the groups. These findings suggest that endothelin-1 is not implicated in obesity-related hypertension in African women. > In Chapter 4, leptin levels were elevated in both overweight/obese normotensive and hypertensive groups compared to the lean normotensive group. However, leptin levels did not differ between the two overweight/obese groups. Even though leptin levels were the same, leptin was directly and positively associated with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure and negatively with arterial compliance only in the overweight/obese hypertensive group, independent of obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and age. > In Chapter 5 the volume loading, as well as the accommodating effect, that is, decreased total peripheral resistance and increased arterial compliance, was present in both African and Caucasian obese groups compared to their lean controls. Even though leptin levels, body mass index and age were similar for both African and Caucasian obese groups, the accommodating effect seemed to be more prominent in the obese Caucasian group, explaining a lower diastolic blood pressure compared to the obese African group. Leptin showed a favourable negative association with diastolic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance in the obese Caucasian group, but not in the obese African group. This may indicate that leptin predominantly exerts pathological influences on obese African women, as determined previously in Chapter 4. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Physiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.