Background Information

Tagline:
Promoting Gender equality and equity in Kenyatta University.
Summary:
The Center for Gender Equity and Empowerment (CGEE) is charged with the responsibility of mainstreaming Gender at Kenyatta University (KU) through the enforcement of two policies namely: (i) the Gender Policy and (ii) Sexual & Gender Based Violence Policy. By mainstreaming gender, the needs and concerns of all staff and students are put into consideration and prompt action taken. This is entrenched in the Center’s overall goal, which is to advance Gender equality and equity in the University‘s operations and activities.
The two policies strive to create and maintain a conducive learning and working environment in KU and fulfill the University’s mission: “To provide quality education and training, promote scholarship, service, innovation and creativity and inculcate moral values for sustainable individual and societal development.”
Since its inception in 2007, the CGEE has made major strides in gender mainstreaming and in particular, women’s empowerment. Besides inducting new staff and students through training on Gender awareness, it regularly engages the rest of the community on the same. Kenyatta University is ZERO tolerance to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and hence the entire community must be constantly engaged through equipping them with skills on the need to take responsibility of their safety within Campus and outside Campus. CGEE also undertakes students’ Training of Trainers (TOTs) who then become gender ambassadors among their peers. Of importance, is the regular provision of sex-disaggregated data obtained from staff recruitment and employment at all levels. Striving to comply with the Constitutional mandate of 30% gender inclusion, this data guides the University management in areas for affirmative action.
Mainstreaming gender entails taking into consideration for action, the needs and concerns of all staff and students, thereby guaranteeing equality and equity. By so doing, the value of every individual is recognized and appreciated, and a friendly environment set. This is done by respecting the diversity of staff and students, a critical ingredient to achieving equity. By so doing, all are able to derive maximum benefits from the institution. The aim is to allow everyone to develop their full potential and hence contribute to the institution’s growth.
The is based on the understanding that gender is socially constructed and roles and responsibilities determined by age, education, exposure and religion. These constantly change and vary with time. Sex on the other hand is the biological make-up of an individual, determined at birth and cannot be changed, unless with medical intervention.
With this in mind, it is important to note that gender disparities occur due to numerous factors that range from cultural, socio- economic to political. Differences in gender roles, rights and responsibilities, impact differently on women and men, in some cases, benefiting one gender at the expense of the other. As such, rights of women and men in a gender disproportionate society must be addressed through undertaking regular gender analysis, which enables possible negative impacts to be detected. This being the case, University programs must be gender responsive.