Gender Mainstreaming Office

Home // Workshop // Principal Investigator // Special Workshop // Gender Sensitization Videos

Gender Mainstreaming Office (GMO) is a unit established under the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (Academic), University of Ibadan. The office is a product of extensive research and programme activities funded by the John D and Katherine T MacArthur Foundation between 2007 and 2011. The University of Ibadan has been in the forefront of gender research and advocacy in Nigerian and African Universities since the establishment of the Women’s Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) in 1986. In September 2006, the Association of African Universities (AAU) chose the University of Ibadan as the trialling centre for its training modules on Gender Mainstreaming Project in African Higher Education. In January and March, 2007, the University, through WORDOC, held two down streaming workshops for the university community and surrounding tertiary institutions. As a result of the success of these programmes, the University management sought to sustain the programme by establishing the GMO. The unit is committed to promoting a gender-sensitive institutional culture and to widen the scope of gender mainstreaming in Nigeria. From 2007 to 2011, the GMP conducted research on the gender situation in the University, reviewed policies and regulations and the curricula for their gender sensitivity, conducted research on sexual harassment and analysed data on access, achievement, facilities, security and the environment. These provided input into the series of consensus building workshops for the University’s Gender Policy and Sexual Harassment Policy. Peer education and gender sensitisation workshops are held regularly, and the University’s community radio and national media have supported the initiative.

This gender mainstreaming initiative of the University of Ibadan derives from the focus on gender equity which is strongly embedded within the framework of fundamental human rights and gender justice. Gender equity is also one of the key focuses of the Millennium Development Goals and sanctioned in the Constitution of Nigeria (1999) which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of gender.

Functions of the Gender Mainstreaming Office

1. Training through conferences, workshops

2. Sensitization

3. Monitoring and Evaluation

4. Investigation of gender and sexual harassment issues

5. Research

6. Consultancies (Gender Mainstreaming for organizations and institutions)

7. Mentoring

8. Advocacy

9. Counselling

Gender Policy (GP)

Gender equity is increasingly prioritized as an indicator of development and global acceptance in networks of higher education. The quality and effectiveness of an institution is, in part, judged by its gender sensitivity at global level. U I’s Gender Policy provides an institutional framework for all programmes and projects so that all stakeholders in the community can benefit from the initiative. It provides the bench- mark by which the laws governing the institution, relations between members of the university community, its activities in research, teaching, resource mobilization, welfare services and community involvement will be evaluated.

This Gender Policy is a statement of the University of Ibadan to commit itself to initiating steps to apply a gender lens to all aspects of its operations on a routine basis, by making it the norm for females and males to share resources and power on a fair basis and redressing any previous imbalance(s) on a just and equitable basis. In this way, the institution is strengthening itself by utilizing all available human resources for its core activities of teaching, research and service. It will also commit resources to eliminate gender violence, discrimination and injustice.

The Gender Policy shall apply to:

Persons

· All Staff of the University

· All Students of the University

· All contractors of and service providers to the University

· All visitors to the University

· Other groups of persons in the University, including but not limited to children, wards, and other dependants of staff

Issues

· Teaching - the curricula and facilities

· Learning - the curricula and environment

· Research – incorporating gender perspectives in research and innovations

· Service- Gender sensitivity in community, national and international service/outreach

University Vision and Mission on Sexual Harassment

The Gender Mainstreaming Office has a goal to prepare a gender policy for the University of Ibadan. The Gender Policy shall apply to, all staff of the University, all students of the University, all contractors of and service providers, all visitors to the University and other groups of persons in the University, including but not limited to children, wards, and other dependants of staff

The policy will address issues related to teaching, learning, research, and service