Professor Loretta Feris, Vice-Principal: Academic at the University of Pretoria (UP), is focused on leading by example. “One should lead in ways that are transformational, and open doors for women,” she says.

Supporting women in their career journeys is something she holds dear.

“The Bill of Rights in the Constitution holds the promise that women should be free, equal, live in dignity and have bodily integrity – in other words, be safe from gender-based violence,” she says. “But we have not reached any of those goals. Too many women still fear for their lives, are abused by partners, and raped by strangers and partners alike. For many women in corporate spaces and academia, there is still a glass ceiling. Women often have to work a lot harder to get where our male counterparts are. For example, there are not many female CEOs, especially women of colour, out there.”

She adds that we live in a patriarchal society where women are the most vulnerable. “In many professions, the culture of patriarchy is still strong, especially in male-dominated professions such as engineering, law and business. There are spaces where women do not get equal pay compared to their male counterparts and the problem is that the salary scales are hidden. We still have a battle to fight; there is a big hill ahead of us to climb. There is not a whole lot to celebrate during Women’s Month. Rather it’s a reminder of the work we need to continue to do in all the different spaces we inhabit. Every year in August, I think of the words of Sylvia Plath, who in her poem Mushrooms, says: ‘We shall by morning inherit the earth. Our foot’s in the door.’”

Prof Feris, who hails from the Northern Cape, adds that when she studied law in the 1980s at Stellenbosch University, she was one of the first students of colour at the time; she went on to pursue a master’s degree in law at Georgetown University in the US.

“I was interested in human rights law, but I ended up being interested in environmental law, particularly in environmental justice. I came back to South Africa and did my PhD in environmental justice; I wanted to connect my love for the environment and the land, which I inherited from my father, who was a tenant farmer, to human rights and social justice.”

After working at the American University in Washington, DC for a few years, Prof Feris made her way to UP in 2005 to teach at the Law Faculty. She left in 2009 and returned in February this year as a full-time lecturer, and in July, was appointed Vice-Principal: Academic.

She says she wants to be a leader that is an example to other women.

“I aim to lead with intentionality, integrity and compassion – these are the strengths women can bring to leadership. I strongly believe that women should support and uplift one another. Increasingly, I endeavour to support women entrepreneurship, urban and rural, through motivational talks and through connecting them to others, particularly women, so that they can network and grow.”

For Prof Feris, UP offers amazing opportunities for women to rise.

“The current leadership, under Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Tawana Kupe, is committed to the advancement of women. I am glad that most of our female students are doing well in their studies. It is important to mentor women to step up. There is a big difference between the UP I left in 2009 and the UP I see today; the institution has changed a lot in terms of innovation and transformation. It is a space where women can grow and lead as academics, scientists, teachers and as professionals.”

She advises people to acknowledge when they are struggling and never be afraid to ask for support, but also never be afraid to fail, because that is part of growing. “I would not be where I am today if it were not for support, mentorship and coaching.”