Gender Dimension Unit History
Gender Dimension Unit History
The Unit stated as Campus Gender Committee following the establishment of the Gender Dimension Programme Committee (GDPC) of the University of Dar es Salaam in 1997. In 2003 the College Gender Committee was formed headed by the Coordinator and it was followed by the establishment of Gender Dimension Unit (GDU) in 2006. GDU structure encompasses a director, programmes administrative officer, office management secretary and three focal point personnel representing schools and academic directorates, administration directorates, and students? organization. At various stages of its formation the unit has been overseeing the implementation of gender activities at the College/university. ARU commitment to gender mainstreaming is stipulated in its Rolling Strategic Plan of 2006/2007 and 2009/2010, which steers the Institutional Transformation Program. Objective No. 13 of the Rolling Strategic Plan and its strategies has paved the way for the process of gender mainstreaming at ARU. Basically, what this objective endorses is that, ARU is committed to ensure gender equality and equity at all levels of its functioning; in so doing it has a responsibility to mainstream gender in all its core functions, policies, administrative programs and procedures. The main objective of GDU is to address the gender imbalance and facilitate gendered training, research and consultancy environment at ARU.
The functions of the unit include:
- overseeing gender mainstreaming into the University activities;
- facilitation of creation of gender friendly environment for teaching, research and consultancy;
- monitoring of gender-mainstreaming in key policies, plans, programmes and activities;
- promoting gender awareness within ARU community;
- facilitation of the carrying out of gender focused research;
- facilitation of empowerment programmes for female staff and students;
- developing linkages and networking with other gender organizations; and
- provision of counselling services to student and university staff
Some of the successes recorded by the unit are:
- preparation of gender policy;
- facilitation of female pre-entry programme in collaboration with University of Dar es Salaam;
- establishment of student and staff Gender Counseling Centre;
- improvement in female-male students and female-male academic staff.
Last Updated: Monday, 13 July, 2009