Using transformative pedagogies for the prevention of gender-based violence: Reflections from a secondary school-based intervention

abstract

This article describes an initiative aimed at addressing gender violence, and in particular sexual violence. Implemented in 2014 in a township secondary school in Durban, the initiative involved six peer educators from the Durban University of Technology and 10 from the secondary school. In its design, the initiative has drawn from what might be called ‘transformative pedagogies’. Moreover, located more broadly within feminist pedagogies, the project focused on work that emphasises the creation of safe spaces in education for young female learners. This was aimed at enabling participants’ deep reflection on the self, addressing both structure and agency. Our analysis suggests that through its pedagogy, the initiative created a platform for both male and female students to speak about their experiences of violence and forge new ways of talking about and addressing sexual abuse. Further, the process was successful in enabling an appreciation of difference and resourcefulness among the participants. This article highlights the potential value of transformative and feminist pedagogies in addressing gender-based violence, and particularly sexual violence among learners in secondary schools.

Keywords:

• transformative pedagogies
• feminist pedagogies
• sexual violence
• secondary schools
• peer education

Notes

1. Public schools in South Africa are categorised into five quintiles based on the poverty of the communities they serve, with quintile 1 schools serving the poorest and quintile 5 serving the least poor communities. Schools in quintiles 1-3 have been declared no-fee schools, while quintile 4 and 5 are fee paying schools.

2. The secondary school peer educators held more workshops throughout the year with interested learners at the school. These workshops took part after school for two hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The DUT peer educators offered mentorship support through phone calls, text messages and irregular meetings if and when they were needed. The first author continued visiting the school on a weekly basis for the remainder of the year to monitor the project’s progress and impact and to offer advice and direction to the Imizamo peer educators.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ndumiso Daluxolo Ngidi

NDUMISO DALUXOLO NGIDI holds a Master’s Degree in Development Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is a 2013/2014 MAC AIDS Fellow in HIV and Gender-based Violence Prevention, one of ten 2015 Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation’s Young African Scholars, and currently works as a Student Development Practitioner for the Department of Student Governance and Development, Durban University of Technology (DUT). Email: [email protected]

Relebohile Moletsane

RELEBOHILE MOLETSANE is Professor and John Langalibalele Dube Chair in Rural Education in the School of Education, the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has extensive experience in teaching and research in the areas of curriculum studies and gender and education, HIV and AIDS Education in diverse ‘cultural’ contexts and girlhood studies in Southern African contexts. Email: [email protected]