Chairperson: Higher Education Resources of South Africa (HERS-SA)
Dr Soraya Beukes
Keynote Address Abstract
Exploring the Role of Art Students in Addressing Gender-Based Violence through a social justice lens
This presentation explores the intersection of gender-based violence (GBV), social justice, and the role of art students in addressing these pressing issues through creative expression. Gender-based violence remains a global crisis, disproportionately affecting women and marginalised communities. While social justice movements have gained momentum in recent years, art continues to serve as a powerful medium for raising awareness, challenging norms, and fostering empathy.
Art students are uniquely positioned to engage with social issues due to their capacity to interpret, reflect, and communicate complex experiences. This presentation examines how art can responsibly represent trauma, amplify survivor voices, and contribute to public discourse and policy change. This presentation examines the legislative provisions and the gender machinery from which it emanates. This is to provide perspective on how art can depict various social justice interventions that resonates with the combatting of GBV+F
It also investigates the responsibilities of art institutions in higher education in supporting students who tackle sensitive topics through their work. By analysing ethical considerations, and the broader impact of art on cultural perceptions of GBV, this presentation invites discussion on how the creative community can become an active agent in the pursuit of justice and healing that resonates with the Constitution of South Africa
Keywords: gender-based violence, social justice, art and gender-based violence, domestic violence law, gender machinery
BIOGRAPHY
Dr Soraya Beukes is a motivated and inspirational human rights lawyer, social justice advocate and academic author. She is a law lecturer and affiliated to the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI) at UWC where she does community socioeconomic lectures.
Her research career is enriched through her multiple Erasmus Mundus research scholarships. Through this, she has earned mobility to University Libre Brussels where she read her LLD in public law earning her an International Doctoral Research Certificate. Following this a postdoctoral fellowship at University Rey Juan Carlos Madrid.
She is also a Sylff fellow having received the Japanese Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship, scholarship and NRF scholarship.
She currently holds the chairperson position at Higher Education Resources of South Africa (HERS-SA) advocating for women leadership and gender equity in higher education. She facilitates and Programme direct the leadership programs of HERS-SA.
She is reviewer to various peer reviewed journals. She currently serves as a member of the Editorial Board of "BRICS Plus Journal of International Relations and Development" and as a BRICS Community of Practice Fellow. She serves as council member for the Social Housing Regulatory Authority on behalf of the National Minister of Human Settlement.