Magister Artium - MA / The political participation of women in parliaments is not only important for sustainable development of every country, but it is also crucial for their voices to be heard, as they form at least half of the world’s population. Furthermore, women’s presence in significant decision-making positions represents an indicator of gender transformation and mainstreaming. However, women remain largely underrepresented in parliament and state institutions in Ghana with a current representation of 8.3% in parliament.Against this background, this study evaluates the role of women wings in enhancing women’s representation in parliament, by exploring the gendered social, political and ideological contexts in which they operate and assesses the constraints and challenges to their effective involvement in parliament. Using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the research analyses the activities of three main political parties’ women’s wings in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana by addressing the following key questions: (i) What are the demographic features of members of the women’s wings in Ghana? (ii) What structures and relationships influence women’s participation and advancement in Ghanaian politics? (iii) Do women’s wings attached to political parties have the capacity to advance the agendas of women and gender equality in Ghana or are they constrained by loyalties to male-dominated parties? (iv) To what extent do women’s wings address gendered political structures and ideology within Ghanaian society generally, and Ghanaian politics specifically? (v) Do women’s wings of different parties perform different roles, and reflect different strategies for enhancing women’s public participation? The findings indicated that women’s wings affiliated to political parties are constrained by their loyalty to their political parties resulting in a lack of a clear feminist consciousness.There was also lack of cooperation among the women’s wings which also affected their ability to enhance gender equality in the country. In addition cultural norms and discriminatory practices together with a lack of financial resources were found to be major obstacles to the effectiveness of the women’s wings in Ghana in achieving gender equality and social justice. The study therefore recommends a need for a stronger feminist consciousness and the building of women’s solidarity among and between women’s wings to enable them to address the strategic gender needs of the country and achieve gender equality in Ghana.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Endless debates on the land reform policy and the ‘radical’ proposed strategy of expropriating privately-owned land without compensation had South Africans questioning the effects of the strategy, and the unpopular decision to adjust Section 25 of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Traditional leaders like King Zwelithini Goodwill, leader of the Ingonyama Trust, were reassured that communal land would not be included in the redistribution of land for the public interest– mainly because distributing privately–owned land entrusted to traditional leaders would violate the statutory land laws. What is not addressed in the communal land entrusted to traditional leaders is the protection of women’s right to land in patriarchal communal areas operating under customary laws. This discussion of women accessing rural land has resulted in an increasing number of women gaining opportunities to access and control residential and agricultural land. However, in practice, access to land does not guarantee sustainable use and ownership of the acquired land - rather, temporary access is given. Women’s control and ownership of communal land are dependent on their social networks and affiliations to men in their family and community. This study investigated the ownership of land as a factor of empowerment amongst women living in the rural community of Nqadu, which will be referred to as Nqadu throughout the study, and the existing relationship between traditional authorities and municipal officials in hindering or enhancing the power within the Nqadu women. In addition, the thesis highlighted where the Land Reform Policy and its gender-equality mandate is not upheld in the rural area of Nqadu, it also discussed reasons why it is not upheld and explore how women see the land reform policy as a mechanism for their enhanced and improved livelihood. The aim of this study was not merely to create enlightenment about the imbalances in women’s land ownership and control but to also to investigate women empowerment in relation to land ownership in Nqadu, Eastern Cape. The researcher argues that communal rural practices disregard gender mainstreaming and work as an isolated system apart from the prevailing norms in the legal systems in administering the allocation of land to women. To investigate the effects of the customary laws on the fulfilment of livelihood assets and its impact on the mobilisation of women to own and control land within communal traditional areas, the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) was employed. A mixed-methods approach was used, and semi-structured interviews and questionnaires and secondary statistical data were also utilised to support the qualitative data. To gain enlightenment on development of the tenure status in the Mbhashe local municipality, the municipal officials who are responsible for the land-related issues in Mbhashe were also interviewed. Due to data limitations within the primary statistical data, a greater focus was placed on the strategies used to handle land allocation in Nqadu, which is largely a male dominated traditional councils. In addition, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted alongside the collection of secondary data in the form of statistical data and policy documents, i.e MLM IDP and the DRDLR. Although the policies and programmes tabled by the DRDLR in relation to land reform have initiated conversation and implementation as far as land tenure is concerned, the coordination of the statutory and customary laws and practices are mutually exclusive. The Nqadu women continue to depend on social affiliation and structural relations within their relationships with the Nqadu men. It is advised that local and municipal government’s focus the target population for gender mainstreaming projects and gender-equal policy frameworks on men as much as women. This strategy will reduce the copying mechanism used to remain silent in households or communities that hinder their empowerment. Land reform has aided in the transformation of land from black to white, however, the proportion of women who have complete ownership and control over residential and agricultural land in communal rural areas is has not improved. Women must be provided the same opportunity to control assets like land, if not land reform will continue to be a political mechanism to empower of black people, or create a wealthier class within the black community but not all genders.

Computer Science is an increasingly important topic in K-12 education. Ever since the "computing crisis" of the early 2000s, where enrollment in CS dropped by over half in a five year span, increasing research has gone into improving and broadening enrollment in CS courses. Research shows the importance of introducing CS at a young age and the need for more exposure for younger children and young adults alike in order to work towards equity in the field. While there are many reasons for disinterest in CS courses, studies found one reason young adults do not want to study CS is a perception of it being tedious and lacking opportunities for creativity. Making more creative assignments is one way to try and engage more students who may not feel like stereotypical computer scientists. This thesis focuses in on the effects of creative choice in CS curriculum on students' self-efficacy, engagement/preferences, and performance. It aims to capture the effects of creative choice on a range of K-12 students of varying demographics in order to make CS more accessible for everyone. The first half of the thesis experimentally validates the effects of creative choice in existing 5th grade CS classes. We created two variants of worksheets for the students - creative worksheets and rigid worksheets. After distributing these worksheets, surveys, and quizzes, we found students still feel a sense of ownership with limited versions of creative choice and benefit from a blend of creative and rigid instructions. In addition, student performance was not affected by our different treatments. The second half of the thesis adapted and launched the fifth grade curriculum to a new demographic, teaching the course to Juvenile Hall students. Student surveys and reports from their teacher showed this class had a positive impact and was well received by students and staff. We found students would prefer a longer class next iteration, as this one only extended five weeks. Future work will be needed to experimentally evaluate the specific impact of creative choice in this new demographic.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study set out to investigate the social and institutional factors which impact on the retention and progression of female academics in four universities in Zimbabwe. Drawing on a qualitative research methodology the aim of the study was to understand seeking to unpack the factors that shape the low representation of female academics in occupational spheres, the study finds unequal gender-based patterns in Zimbabwean society as a key condition that finds its way into the four institutions. In this regard, the patterns and shape of gender relations, based on the principles of kinship, become the platform for unequal relations among male and female academic staff. This manifests itself in different ways, including the (negative) role played by the extended kin family in the progression of married women academics to higher level management posts, resistance to women's authority by both men and women, the culture of male domination within institutions which works to the disadvantage of female academics and stereotypical behaviour by men within the institutions stand the social and institutional factors related to the retention and progression of female academics in four institutions in Zimbabwe.

The role of taxation in gender inequality is something that is perhaps not considered earnestly enough. Both in South Africa and within the context of global initiatives such as the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which are aimed at eradicating all forms of gender-based discrimination, the importance of understanding the gender consequences of tax policy, whether intended or not, should not be underestimated. This study seeks to identify whether or not there are any instances where South Africa’s personal income tax laws have an effect which is potentially inconsistent with both the Constitutional right to equality between genders and international gender equality agreements to which South Africa is bound, namely the CEDAW and the SDG. In doing so, determine whether South Africa’s personal income tax legislation should become a focal point in this regard and be one of the pillars that could further be used as a means to uphold and further the cause of substantive gender equity. / Mini Dissertation (MCom (Taxation))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / pt2021 / Taxation / MCom (Taxation) / Unrestricted

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The purpose of this study was to research student perspectives about, and participation in, leadership and service at Catholic female single-sex high schools. This study draws data from a Catholic female single-sex high school in a metropolitan area of the United States. Data collection included school document review, site observation, and interviews of current students (n=10), young alumnae (n=5), mature alumnae (n=5), and current faculty and staff (n=6). The data was analyzed using an adapted theoretical framework of Wenger's (1998) social theory of learning, informed by Lave and Wenger's (1991) concept of communities of practice. This study addresses how the situated experience of the Catholic female single-sex high school affects students' expectations, values, and behaviors regarding leadership and service. The data show that the situated experience of a Catholic female single-sex high school encouraged engagement and interest in leadership and service. Students were empowered to believe that gender should not be an obstacle in seeking positions of leadership or service. However, although the environment was successful in advocating for participation in leadership and service, the social structure, social practices, identity formation, and situated environment tended to reinforce traditional gender-based notions of leadership and service. The culture of the school did not encourage the use of a critical lens to view the inequity that women experience, resulting in student expectations, behaviors, and values that were reproduced from the dominant culture in society. Student relationship to community and Catholicity is also discussed. In order to achieve the benefits of female empowerment advocated by the school, greater emphasis should be placed on identifying and addressing the obstacles to female leadership and service in society at large. There should be continued research to identify effective strategies for empowering female students to participate in leadership and service opportunities in high school, while providing them with a clearer sense of the challenges they will face in leadership and service positions later in life. In this way, the mission of Catholic female single-sex high schools can be more fully realized, which will hasten the day when true gender equity is achieved in the broader social context.

Historical data have demonstrated an underrepresentation of females and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions. The purpose of the study considered the variables of gender and ethnicity collectively in relationship to tenth grade Hispanic females' perception of their self-efficacy in science. The correlation of science self-efficacy to science academic achievement was also studied. Possible interventions for use with female Hispanic minority populations might help increase participation in STEM field preparation during the high school career. A population of 272 students was chosen through convenience sampling methods, including 80 Hispanic females. Students were administered a 27-item questionnaire taken directly from the Smist (1993) Science Self-efficacy Questionnaire (SSEQ). Three science self-efficacy factors were successfully extracted and included Academic Engagement Self-efficacy (M=42.57), Laboratory Self-efficacy (M=25.44), and Biology Self-efficacy (M=19.35). Each factor showed a significant positive correlation (p<.01) to each of the other two factors. ANOVA procedures compared all female subgroups in their science self-efficacy perceptions. Asian/Pacific and Native American females had higher self-efficacy mean scores as compared to White, Black and Hispanic females on all three extracted science self-efficacy factors. Asian/Pacific females had the highest mean scores. No statistically significant correlations were found between science-self-efficacy and a measure of science achievement. Two high-ability and two low-ability Hispanic females were randomly chosen to participate in a brief structured interview. Three general themes emerged. Classroom Variables, Outside School Variables, and Personal Variables were subsequently divided into sub themes influenced by participants' views of science, It was concluded that Hispanic female science self-efficacy was among the subgroups which self-scored the lowest. Asian/Pacific and Native American females fared better than White, Black, and Hispanic female counterparts respectively. Triangulation of interview and quantitative data showed that classroom factors, specifically academic engagement, influenced participant perceptions of science self efficacy the greatest. Suggested further studies on the impact of science self-efficacy and science achievement are discussed. Information gleaned from the continued study of science self-efficacy may influence the ability of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic females to persist in their science preparation and training in an effort to prevent leaving the STEM pipeline at this crucial juncture.

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This thesis analyses discourses about the roles and barriers to access for women to decision-making positions in Israeli sport organisations. In particular it focuses on the exploration of discourses of masculinity and femininity that underpin the relatively recent construction of Israel society and the institutions of sport within it. It is observed that for the most part, Israeli sport organisations are governed by men and have served the interests of forms of hegemonic masculinity. In order to understand and explore the social construction of these gendered discourses in Israeli sport, two innovative and significant policy initiatives toward gender equity in sport were explored through the perceptions and discourses of key actors. These include the establishment of a Volleyball Academy for Young Talented Girls (VAYTG) and the creation of the National Project for Women and Sport (NPWS). The theoretical framework for this thesis is informed by poststructuralist feminism, which provided an alternative way to understand and analyse voices of the (predominantly female) 'other' and thus to explore the historical contextual construction of current discourses of masculinity within Israeli sport organisations and society as a whole. The process of narrative revisions and production of gendered knowledge revealed how discourses produce and reinforce gender inequities in Israeli society, such as the discourse of militarisation or the unique political affiliation system in the sporting arena which continue to implicitly exclude women (and some men) from gaining access to leadership positions in sport organisations. Within this theoretical frame, Critical Discourse Analysis was employed as a methodological approach to analyse how female and male interviewees, all considered to be 'insiders' within their organisations, explained the process of the construction of gendered roles and barriers. Included in the interview data was also the auto-ethnographical accounts of the author, who was a primary actor in the process of developing policy in the two case study initiatives addressed. Dominant discourses of femininity (such as the discourse of sisterhood and of the processes of mentoring), and of masculinity (and how these promote uniformity) were identified as mechanisms for reproducing the gendered reality of sport leadership in Israel. The implication of a critical theoretical approach is that it should be emancipatory in its ambitions and impact, and the study is intended to contribute to enhancing the understanding of how discourse not only reflects but also creates barriers and opportunities so that the construction of such barriers can be challenged in progressive policy discourses.