The University of Cape Coast is hosting a two-day international conference on the theme, “Reimagining Care: Relationships, Responsibilities and Care in Africa,” aimed at deepening scholarly discourse on the evolving nature of care systems across the African continent.
The conference was held under the auspices of the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria in collaboration with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of UCC.
The event brought together academics, researchers, policymakers, development practitioners and students from different countries to examine how care was provided, sustained and transformed within contemporary African societies. Discussions focused on critical issues including health and wellbeing, migration, ageing, climate change, nutrition, technology, social welfare and community support systems.
Opening the conference, the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. Rofela Combey, who represented the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, said the theme was timely as African societies continued to experience rapid social, economic and technological transformations that were redefining traditional systems of care and support.
She noted that care in the African context had historically gone beyond individual responsibility to include communal and intergenerational support systems rooted in family and societal values. According to her, changing family structures, urbanisation, migration and economic pressures were gradually reshaping these traditional systems, making it necessary for scholars and policymakers to rethink sustainable approaches to caregiving on the continent.
Prof. Combey stressed that care should not be viewed only from the perspective of health and welfare but also as a shared social responsibility that promoted dignity, inclusion and collective wellbeing. She further noted that institutions of higher learning had an important role to play in generating research and policy ideas that would strengthen social protection systems and improve the quality of life of vulnerable groups across Africa.
She added that UCC remained committed to creating an inclusive and supportive academic environment that prioritised the wellbeing of students, staff and the broader community.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria, Prof. Nolwazi Mkhwanazi, described care as a complex and evolving concept shaped by social, cultural, political and institutional realities.
She explained that the idea of “reimagining care” required societies to critically reflect on who provided care, who received care and how systems of care were often influenced by inequality, gender roles, class and access to resources. She observed that although care work remained central to the survival and wellbeing of societies, it was frequently undervalued and disproportionately placed on women and marginalised groups.
Prof. Mkhwanazi further noted that African societies were increasingly confronted with new challenges such as migration, climate change, digital transformation and changing demographic patterns, all of which were reshaping caregiving relationships and responsibilities. She said these emerging realities demanded innovative and inclusive approaches that recognised care as both a social and institutional responsibility.
Touching on the role of universities, she said higher education institutions should not only produce knowledge but also create supportive spaces that nurtured young scholars and encouraged mentorship, empathy and social responsibility. She indicated that universities had a duty to contribute meaningfully to national development by advancing research that addressed pressing social issues affecting African communities.
Addressing participants at the opening ceremony, the Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Prof. Georgina Yaa Oduro, explained that the conference sought to interrogate the concept of care within the African context and explore how care practices were shaped by changing social realities.
She stressed the need to critically examine the role of care in relation to gender, technology and Artificial Intelligence, noting that disruptions in care systems could weaken the social fabric of societies.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Simon Mariwah.
The conference is expected to foster new research collaborations and generate policy recommendations aimed at strengthening care systems and promoting social wellbeing across Africa.
