A research report submitted to the Faculty of Education, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1991 / This research report explores attitudes and trends in relation to the education of girls in single-sex white secondary English-medium schools in the Transvaal; it identifies the ways in which these have changed and possible reasons for the shifts. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]

Thesis (DTech (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / There are many challenges to girls' education. Each and every barrier is challenging in and of itself. Teenage pregnancy/motherhood is a major cause of schooling disruption. Research shows that about 4 in every 10 girls become pregnant at least once before age 20 (McDowell, 2003). In most cases, teen pregnancy/motherhood has resulted in the discontinuation of education for the girls, leading to the loss of a sustainable future. In South Africa, girls have the right to continue schooling in public schools even after becoming mothers. In the Western Cape, the Education Department introduced the Managing Learner Pregnancy Policy (MLPP) which guarantees pregnant or mothering learners a right to remain in public schools. Despite the MLPP, teen mothers face a number of challenges as learners - they feel marginalised by the schooling system. Consequently, it is not easy for the girls to succeed with their schooling. They experience pressure from teachers, fellow learners, parents and society. In most cases, the teen mothers receive very little support and they are usually misunderstood. Society perceives teen mothers as deviants, failures and irredeemable girls who can contaminate other girls and influence them to behave immorally. Teen mothers are stigmatised. The stigma and discourses that help to construct it are the forces that impact on the schooling processes of the teen mothers. In most cases, responses of educators, parents and communities towards teen mothers are affected by beliefs, values and attitudes situated in the discourses.

This interpretivist study looked at what acted as barriers and what motivated a group offive African women, aged about 30 working at a Durban school, to take up formal learning experiences. Qualitative data, through the use ofsemi structured interviews, on a one-to-one basis was collected. This involved elliciting each woman' account of her educational and work experience, as a learner and a worker. Themes like unemployment ofone or both parents; limitations imposed by the patriarchial culture they come from; gender issues like not valuing educating girls and the diverse role which women play in the lives of a family; domestic violence and abuse; adolescent pregnancy; previous learning experiences; fmancial limitations perpetuated in adult life because ofthe inability to access jobs which allow for the" luxury" ofpursuing educational courses and supporting extended family who live in the rural areas ofKwazulu-Natal or the Transkei surfaced. These themes were evaluated against the tenets ofMaslow's hierarchy ofneeds, Knowles's theory ofwhat comprises ideal adult learning situations; whether Mezirow's suggestion that learning will be precipitated by rethinking the ways people behave; and Tajfels' theory on personal and social identity. Using the perspectives offeminist writers like hooks, Hill Collins, and Magwaza this study looked at the role that culture, class and gender has played in the lives ofthese participants. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

D.Phil. (Engineering Management) / Women play a major role in the society as caregivers, communicators and providers. Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) help to co-ordinate some aspects of rural women’s life, and their future rural economy will be information and knowledge-driven one. Rural women’s participation in decision-making and contribution to the male-dominated ICT environment are of growing importance. This research will guide us to rethink how rural women’s use of ICTs can provide them more opportunities and improve their quality of life. In this research we analyze what constitutes rural women empowerment through the use of ICTs, and provide an overview of empowerment indicators. This research will focus on the provisioning of ICT in rural areas in South Africa and women’s inherent abilities to contribute to the socio-economic status of households using ICTs. The aim of this research is to address the gendered digital divide and empower rural women in South Africa through the use of ICT. If rural women are given the opportunity for capacity building, ICT training and development they will be ready to take the ICT leap in the coming years. The research highlights gender-sensitive issues such as feminisms and women’s development through ICTs. The qualities of the empowered women and the elements of rural women empowerment through the use of ICTs are elaborated. The discussions on various data collection methods suited for feminist research and specifically for ICT for women’s development (ICT4WD) research is presented. The theories, paradigms and African belief systems underpinning women empowerment are carefully analyzed. The research reveals ICT projects used to empower women in many developing countries and throws light on shortcomings of the South African legal frameworks that have implications on rural women empowerment. A theoretical framework is developed for rural women empowerment though the use of ICTs. The framework serves as a guiding principle to revisit the SA B-BBEE legal framework and BEE ICT score-card. Some light will be thrown on the plight of rural women in South Africa and various challenges they face to use and access ICT. We believe this research paves the way to critically think about women’s issues and how to empower the disempowered rural women living in South Africa through ICTs. The research focuses on the effective strategies, through the framework that would contribute to empower the disempowered rural women in South Africa through ICTs.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Impressions and perceptions about Islām, particularly in a world where much of what is known about Islām has emerged from after the tragic devastation of the Twin Towers in New York, are creating huge challenges for Muslims wherever they may find themselves. Women as the more visible believers in Islām are, what I believe, at the forefront of the growing skepticism surrounding Islām. And central to the modern day debates and suspicious regard meted out to Muslim women today is her hijāb (head-scarf). Ironically, it would appear that the same amount of detail and attention that Islamic scholars have devoted to the role of women in Islām and how they are expected to conduct themselves is now at the centre of the modern day debates and suspicious regard. Yet, the debates seldom move beyond what is obviously visible, and so little is known about what has given shape to Muslim women’s being, and how their understanding of Islām has led them to practise their religion in a particular way. This dissertation is premised on the assertion that in order to understand the role of Muslim women in a cosmopolitan society, you need to understand Islām and Islamic education. It sets out to examine and explore as to whether there is commensurability or not between Muslim women and the notion of cosmopolitanism, and what then the implications would be for democratic citizenship education and Islamic education. One of the main findings of the dissertation is that the intent to understand Muslim women’s education and the rationales of their educational contexts and practices opens itself to a plurality of interpretations that reflects the pluralism of understanding constitutive of the practices of Islam both within and outside of cosmopolitanism. Another is that inasmusch as Muslim women have been influenced by living and interacting in a cosmopolitan society, cosmopolitanism has been shaped and shifted by Muslim women. By examining the concepts of knowledge and education in Islām, and exploring the gaps between interpretations of Islam and Qur’anic exegesis, I hope to demystify many of the (mis)perceptions associated with Muslim women, and ultimately with Islām. And finally, by examining how Islamic education can inform a renewed cosmopolitanism, and by looking at how democratic citizenship education can shape a renewed Islamic education, the eventual purpose of this dissertation is to find a way towards peaceful co-existence.

Thesis (M.Ed) Stellenbosch University, 1938. / Bibliography / VOORWOORD: In hierdie verhandleing het ek my dit ten doel gestel om die Geskiedenis van die Opvoeding van Meisies in Suid-Afrika te probeer weer. Daar egter die Kaapprovinsie die voorbeeld vir die opvoeding van meisies in Suid-Afrika gestel het, het ek my alleen tot genoemde provinsie bepaal. Die tydperk in die verhandeling omvat strek van ongeveer 1800 tot 1910, omdat in 1804 vir die eerste keer in die Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika spesiale voorsiening vir die opvoeding van meisies gemaak is. Om die rede het ek my hoofsaaklik bepaal by die wer van Ds. A. Murry en die N. G. Kerk omdat ons e.g. as die baanbreker van gevorderde onderwys vir meisies kan beskou.

DEd / Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational Management

Reproductive health is very important as it shapes a woman's whole life. Currently there are a lot of obstacles which deny women their rights to reproductive health. The aim of this research was to find out what obstacles deny women the freedom to enjoy their reproductive health in order to establish a contribution which can be used by the Department of Health to improve their services. Descriptive research was conducted, using a survey approach. Convenience sampling was utilized. Participants were selected from a sample of people attending the reproductive health clinic at a hospital and a clinic in the Northern Province. The findings indicate that women are not enjoying reproductive health rights due to low educational level, cultural and societal constraints, low socio economic status and the negative attitude of the providers, of reproductive health services. / Contraceptives / Family planning / Health and gender / Health rights / Reproductive choice / Reproductive health / Reproductive rights / Reproductive health care / Women's rights / Rural women / Health Science / M.A.Cur.(Nursing Science)

Reproductive health is very important as it shapes a woman's whole life. Currently there are a lot of obstacles which deny women their rights to reproductive health. The aim of this research was to find out what obstacles deny women the freedom to enjoy their reproductive health in order to establish a contribution which can be used by the Department of Health to improve their services. Descriptive research was conducted, using a survey approach. Convenience sampling was utilized. Participants were selected from a sample of people attending the reproductive health clinic at a hospital and a clinic in the Northern Province. The findings indicate that women are not enjoying reproductive health rights due to low educational level, cultural and societal constraints, low socio economic status and the negative attitude of the providers, of reproductive health services. / Contraceptives / Family planning / Health and gender / Health rights / Reproductive choice / Reproductive health / Reproductive rights / Reproductive health care / Women's rights / Rural women / Health Science / M.A.Cur.(Nursing Science)