MORAL ADVOCATE / HUMAN RIGHTS BYJESSIE TAYLOR
Dr Pregaluxmi Govender Raising women through workplace equality
T
he Coronavirus pandemic has laid bare many persistent gender inequalities in the workplace, and unequal labour conditions have the potential to further reduce the role women play in the economy. But activists such as Dr Pregaluxmi Govender have for decades been fighting to create an equal playing field in the workplace, harnessing the power of education and unions to promote gender equality. Raised into activism Dr Govender is a feminist activist and author, renowned for her work in advancing women’s rights. She has been featured in the 21 Icons project, which aimed to capture human achievement through photography, film and narratives, inspired by Nelson Mandela. She was born in Cato Manor, Durban in 1960, and was heavily influenced by her father, radical playwright Ronnie Govender. Her activism began in the late ’70s and early ’80s when she began her education in feminism, socialism and solidarity through student and women's movements. Dr Govender began her mission to educate after her graduation in 1981 when she worked as a high school teacher and then at the University of Durban-Westville (now University of KwaZulu-Natal). As much as she loved helping her pupils discover their potential, Dr Govender left teaching to focus on the trade union movement.
34 | Public Sector Leaders | August 2021
