The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) has kicked against all forms of gender discrimination in academic environment, as it formally launched a working document on "Gender Policy", the first of its kind in any of Nigeria's tertiary institutions targeted at promoting gender equality atmosphere for both male and female staff and students to excel
Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof.Olusola Kehinde on Monday expressed the readiness of FUNAAB to implement the content of the document while performing the formal presentation of the policy submitted by Prof.Petra Abdulsalam-Saghir led Gender Document Review Committee set up by the Senate of the Institution in 2021
The Acting Vice-Chancellor at the event organized by Gender Responsiveness in Agricultural Research and Development (GRARD) in partnership with African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), said that the university would continue to empower and engage its community to be gender responsive in research, learning, character for transformative development
"This policy provides the framework to ensure that the university is guided by the principle of equal opportunity, respect and inclusion and complies with the spirit and intent of federal and state legislations", he stated
According to him", all members of the university community have a responsibility to contribute to the achievement of an equitable working and learning environment and the policy applies to all members of the university community including staff, students, contractors, visitors or individuals engage in official relationship with the university"
Kehinde who lauded FUNAAB and AWARD since 2008, revealed that over 200 staff had benefited from the different gender responsive initiatives till date which also enable the university to assist sister Institutions, thus making the Institution to compete with other top world class Institutions
Chairperson of FUNAAB Gender Policy Review Committee, Prof.Petra Abdulsalam-Saghir while submitting the document, disclosed that the university was among eight Institutions selected in six African countries by AWARD for Agricultural Research and Development projects
She explained some of the objectives of the Gender Policy to include, establishing framework for the provision of a secured and gender friendly environment in addition to ensuring that women and men have equal voice and opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making power in the Institution
Petra added that other objective of the policy was to establish procedures to address gender issues in students' welfare, enrolment, curricular, performance and retention across disciplines and programmes amongst others
She explained fifteen provisions of the policy which includes provisions of "FUNAAB Gender Policy and Strategic Actions; Mainstreaming Gender Into Decision-Making Policy:, Mainstreaming Gender Into Academic Curricular; Staff Recruitement, Capacity-Building, Advancement and Welfare; Sexual Harassment Issues as well as Research and Innovation amongst other provisions
She showered encomium on the roles of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Felix Salako and the incumbent Acting Vice-Chancellor for successful presentation of the Gender Policy while commending the support given so far by the leadership of AWARD led by its Director, Dr.Susan Kaaria as well as Deputy Director ,Dr.Michele Mboo-Tchouawou and Ms Monica kapiriri who contributed virtually to the event
Both Michele and Monica were full of praises for FUNAAB for taking the lead in Nigeria through the launching of the Gender Policy
High point of the launching was presentation of the document to various Stakeholders in the university, including leaders of various unions by the Acting Vice-Chancellor
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