The values that motivated South African liberation struggle icon Helen Joseph – courage, solidarity, commitment and collective action – remain central to addressing the most pressing problems of our time.
This was the sentiment shared by Dr Silke Staab, a senior research specialist at UN Women, who gave the keynote address at the 20th Annual Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, 12 August 2025 at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
“Indeed I would say these values are more vital than ever. It is through the activism, advocacy and alliance building of people like Helen Joseph and countless other women that pressure for change is built, the demands of the most marginalised are amplified and a shared vision for justice is forged.”
The lecture Dr Staab delivered focused on the role of social protection in promoting gender equality and social justice, drawing from the research conducted in the report Harnessing Social Protection for Gender Equality, Resilience and Transformation (2024).
She argued three main points, first that it was essential to establish the basics when it came to social protection, as it was not a privilege but a human right and almost half of the world’s population remains excluded.
“Closing the gaps is critical for turning the right of social protection into a lived reality.”
Secondly, Dr Staab emphasised that social protection must go beyond its current narrow focus on income transfers to address the structural drivers of women’s poverty and vulnerability. She stressed the importance of integrated approaches that connect social protection to inclusive employment strategies and quality public services.
Her third argument was on the need for the delivery of services in social protection – ensuring policies and programmes are implemented in a way that the dignity and agency of women and girls – in all their diversity – were essential to unlocking their transformative power.
UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi noted the importance of the lecture during Women’s Month.
“I always emphasise the fact that we should make every day a women’s day. We know the challenges we are facing on the continent and throughout the world of the underrepresentation of women. We need to do more to support women. Here at UJ we take matters like this seriously. We as men have a role to play – as part of the solution to address these challenges. Some of the challenges we are dealing with today were there back in 1956 – poverty, marginalisation and exclusion.”
Prof Mpedi said it was essential to create spaces that heightened women’s leadership in order to deal with the many challenges faced.
Now in its 20th year, the annual lecture has hosted various keynote speakers including the late ANC stalwart Jessie Duarte.
The lecture was hosted by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Prof Kammila Naidoo, in collaboration with the Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA).
