Gender Mainstreaming in
Institutions of Higher Learning:
Negotiating for Gender Justice a
case of Makerere University
By
Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo
Women and Gender Studies
Uganda
Introduction



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Background and why gender justice
Current gender mainstreaming
status
Issues and challenges
Conclusion and recommendations
Background



Situation of women institutions of higher
learning in Africa/Uganda is inseparable from
women’s position in society
calls for a holistic approach
demands that we examine the systems,
structures, norms and values of society that
governs and defines the universities
Background (2)

It is in line within the above context
that the term” gender justice “becomes
relevant and significant in analyzing the
situation of women and men in
institutions of higher learning.
Background (3)



Concept of justice has traditionally been used
and is derived from law as one of its
attributes
Justice in that sense refers to standards of
rights set or defined by law and enforced by
specific institutions
In legal theory, law is defined by its
attributes. 1) power relations 2) a standard of
justice 3) social process
Background (4)



In this paper gender justice relates to
whether or not individuals or groups realize
de facto justice from the institutional
framework and systems.
Encompass issues of access, management
/leadership, rights and entitlements .
We argue that gender justice is an integral
part of gender mainstreaming.
Gender Mainstreaming at MAK


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1998. A strategic gender awareness
workshop for top management
In 1999 the University Senate instituted
the Senate Standing Committee
The Gender Mainstreaming Division
(GMD) was approved by Senate in 2000
and by The University Council in 2001,
Gender Mainstreaming at MAK


GMD -- two operational sub-units.
Access, Teaching and Learning and
supports efforts to engender the
learning and teaching environment.
Welfare deals with student and staff
welfare and other initiatives to create a
gender-friendly inclusive organizational
culture.
Enrolment women and men at
Makerere university
Year of
admission
Total number
of males
admitted
Total number
of females
admitted
Total admitted
% of females
1990/91
1473
628
2101
30
1991/92
1422
599
2101
30
1992/93
1376
733
2109
35
1993/94
1443
787
2230
35
1994/95
1897
1053
2950
36
1995/96
3309
1723
5032
34
1996/97
3487
1952
5439
35
1997/98
3696
2115
5811
36
Enrolment women and men at
Makerere university (2)
1998/99
5157
3214
8371
38
1999/00
6249
3987
10236
39
2000/01
7076
4721
11797
40
2001/02
8496
5322
13813
39
2002/03
6989
4649
12678
44
2003/04
8214
6941
15155
45
Undergraduate Student
Population

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The rise in numbers is mainly attributed
to
Private sponsorship scheme
1.5 affirmative action point’s
scheme(1990) which have provided
new avenues for women
FSI sponsors female students by
Carnegie
Representation of
undergraduate students at
faculty level
Men
Women
Total
Humanities
12,323
10,578
22,901
Sciences
3,777
1,398
5,175
Total
11,976
16,100
28,076
Graduate Figures for the
Academic Year 2002/3
Award
Men
Wome % of
women
n
Diplomas
140
69
33%
Masters
565
351
38%
PhD
26
8
23%
TOTAL
731
428
36%
Gendering the Curriculum
Faculty/Programme
Course on Gender
Faculty of Agric.
BSc. Agricultural Land Use & Gender in Agricultural Land Use &
Management
Management
B. Agribusiness Management
Gender and Agribusiness
B. Agricultural Extension
Youth and Gender Issues in Agricultural
Extension
Faculty of Arts
English Language Studies
Language and Gender
Linguistics
Language and Gender Issues
Religious Studies
Religion, Gender and Development
Gendering the Curriculum
PGD
Environmental Gender and Environment
Journalism
and
Communication
MA (Literature)
Gender Issues in Literature and the
Media
MA (Human Rights)
Gender and Human Rights
Faculty of Forestry
B. Community Forestry
Youth
&
Development
Gender
Faculty of Law
LLB
Gender and the Law
LLM
Gender and the Law I and II
Postgraduate Diploma
Gender Violence
Programme
Gendering the Curriculum
BSc. Nursing
Women Studies
Faculty of Science
Bachelor
Science
of
Faculty of
Sciences
Sports Youth, Gender Issues and Sports
Social
BA (SS)
Gender and Development
B(SWSA)
Gender and Development
MA
(International Gender and International Relations
Relations
&
Diplomatic Studies)
Gendering Governance and
Administration at Makerere
University
Policy Making
Top
Management
Senior
Administration
Clerical
assistants
Support Staff
Technicians
Distribution of Academic Staff
by Sex
Position
Positions filled
Estab
Male
Female
Professors
151
43
2
Associate
Professors
188
68
6
Senior Lecturers
359
153
35
Lecturers
608
345
115
Assistant Lecturers
380
111
46
Teaching Assistants
197
87
36
Total
1883
807
240
Gender distribution of academic
staff within Faculty Leadership
Dep. Deans
Women
Deans
Men
Heads of
Department
0
20
40
60
80
100
Non-Teaching Staff distribution
by gender and salary scales
Establishment
Category
M
F
Senior Administrative Staff (M1 – 209
M7)
104
76
Support Staff (M 8 – M13)
354
58
42
Technicians (M6 – M13)
139
73
2
282
329
Clerical assistants (M14 – M15)
Established
Posts
Gender distribution by
Management Position
Position
Estab
Men
Women
1
1
0
Deputy Vice Chancellor
2
1
1
University Secretary
1
1
0
Academic Registrar
1
1
0
University Bursar
1
1
0
Dean Students
1
1
0
University Librarian
1
0
1
Director of Planning
1
1
0
TOTAL
9
7
2
Vice Chancellor
Gender distribution of Members
of The University Council, Senate
and Committees
M
F
Total
THE SENATE
44
7
51
Admissions Board
35
4
39
Examinations Committee
9
1
10
Academic Programmes and Library Committees
10
2
12
Quality Assurance Committee
15
2
17
Staff Development Committee
10
5
15
Board of Graduate Studies
11
1
12
Research and Publications Board
12
2
14
Gender Mainstreaming Committee
6
13
19
Gender distribution of Members
of The University Council, Senate
and Committees
Committees
Executive
Members
M
F
Total
M
F
Total
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
18
6
24
1
1
2
University Appointments
Board
6
4
10
2
1
3
Planning and
Development
7
2
9
3
0
3
Finance Committee
12
1
13
4
0
4
Estates and Works
12
2
14
1
3
4
Establishment and
Administration
8
4
12
3
1
4
12
3
15
3
1
4
Tender Board
Gender mainstreaming contd.

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Despite the above progress , there
remains key issues to be addressed
Staff especially academic
Administration and management
Policy and structural transformation
Negotiating for gender justice

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Gender issues have to be renegotiated
all time and under different contexts
because
No gender policy that binds the
university and make it accountable
Gender as a priority in the university
strategic plan has not been effectively
operationalised
Negotiating for gender justice

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Policies governing human resources,
research, finance and resource
allocation, information, communication
and technology are not gender sensitive
...... Hence every gender issues has to
be negotiated …..
Challenges to Mainstreaming Gender
in University Teaching, Learning and
Access

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Limited gender awareness:
Inadequate gender capacities to
mainstream
Disinterest in gender
Resistance to gender (transformation)
limited appreciation of gender by some
policy makers,
Conclusion

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Progress has been registered
Student enrolment
few admin. Position
BUT
The policy and structural set up remains
intact… hence gender concerns not
integral of the system and structures.
Recommendations


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Engendering the policy regime of Makerere
University should be a priority
capacity building for gender skills
maintain a continuous gender sensitisation
conduct an in-depth gender analysis of
course content in all faculties
institute special programme to support
career development for women in the
university
Thank
You
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES