NUFU PROGRAMME CONFERENCE

1. NUFU PROGRAMME CONFERENCE INCREASING THE IMPACT OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES Malawi, Feb 11-13, 2008 ‘CLOSING THE GENDER GAP IN ACADEMIA’ by Takyiwaa Manuh, Univ. of Ghana, Legon.

2. Outline • Introduction and importance of topic- cf. Equity Now statement • HE, Equality and Equity • HE, Transformation or More of the Same? iv) The African situation: -Statements vs Persistent Gender gaps -Gendered clusters • Institutional cultures v) Addressing the Gender gap- Gender Mainstreaming cf. AAU Toolkit for mainstreaming Gender in African Univs vi) Comparative perspectives v) Conclusions

3. Introduction Kofi Annan (2000) on Universities and African development: ‘The university must become a primary tool for Africa’s development in the new century. Universities can help develop African expertise, they can enhance the analysis of African problems; strengthen domestic institutions; (and) serve as the model environment for the practice of good governance , conflict resolution and respect for human rights...’ • Cf. Gender as a key focus of equity concerns in most African countries. Where are HEIs in this? What leadership do they provide? Diversity as a good in HE • MDGs and Education- referred to in 2 out of 8 goals. • Goal 2- .. to ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling’ • Goal 3 of MGDs- ‘Promote gender equality and empower women.’ – Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary educ by 2005, and at all levels by 2015. Is this likely? • Cf. Equity Now Action call

4. HE, Equality and Equity • HE today- greater access for all, through differentiated institutions that continue to be unequal for different groups • Less concern with social equality and equity measures needed to make equality a reality • Belief of many policy makers that education of women at lower levels sufficient. • At higher levels, concern with access, not educational content and outcomes • Equality as end result- equal conditions, attain equal years of schooling, freedom to select similar fields of study- ‘obaa denden’ • Equity as means to attain objective of equality

5. HE as Transformation or More of the Same? • Does women’s acquisition of HE translate into equal opportunity? Cf. social understandings about women’s and men’s roles and responsibilities, capabilities and aspirations • How are these understandings modified through educational processes? • How do university programmes systematically seek to modify disciplines in the univs, the lived experience of students and faculty, or to question current clustering of field of study choices, many of which continue to reproduce traditional conceptions of femininity and masculinity? • How do HEIs promote diversities- race, class, gender? • What are the institutional cultures and how support GE? • Is gender equality part of institution’s measure of excellence?

6. The African Situation • NEPAD and women’s access to education- ‘close the gender gaps in school enrolments’. But Longwe (2002)- finds no specific activities identified to implement this strategy • African Women’s Protocol- Article 12- Right to Education and Training- eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and guarantee equal opportunity in all fields and levels, and in all disciplines, particularly in science and technology • Cf. Statements vs realities- African vs other regional statistics- Tables 1,2- Enrolments and gender gaps among students • Total Enrolments- GPI- 0.62

7. Table 1- Regional Averages Region Total Enrolments Gross Enrolment Ratio 2005 1999 2005 MF %F MF M F GPI MF M F GPI WORLD 137,870,387 50 18 18 18 0.97 24 24 25 1.05 Arab States 6,782,048 49 19 22 16 0.74 21 21 21 1.00 C/E. Europe 19,388,595 55 39 36 43 1.19 57 51 63 1.25 Central Asia 2,060,035 51 9 20 18 0.92 27 26 28 1.08 East Asia/Pac 41,576,196 47 13 15 11 0.76 24 25 23 0.93 Latin Am. & Caribbean 15,293,181 54 21 20 23 1.12 29 27 32 1.17 N. America &W. Europe 33,422,094 56 61 55 68 1.23 70 60 80 1.33 S. and W. Asia 15,842,175 41 11 12 9 0.74 Sub-S Africa 3,506,063 38 4 4 3 0.68 5 6 4 0.62 Source: UNESCO 2007- Global Education Digest

8. Table 2- Tertiary education Gross Enrollment: Africa and Latin America, 1970-1997 Africa SSA Lat Am/ Caribbean Total M F Total M F Total M F 1.6 2.4 0.7 0.8 1.3 0.3 6.3 8.1 4.5 3.7 5.3 2.0 1.7 2.7 0.7 13.7 15.5 11.9 1990 5.1 6.7 3.4 3.0 4.1 1.9 16.8 17.3 16.4 1997 6.9 8.6 5.2 3.9 5.1 3.9 19.4 20.1 18.7

9. HE and Gender Globally, women –half of post-secondary student pop. -Participation rates: from 35% in 1980; 43% in 1998 and 49% in 2000 -Diversities in HE GPI across Africa- from 0.13 in Congo; 0.20 in Togo, and 0.40 in Ghana and Sierra Leone, to 0.89 in Botswana, 1.23 in South Africa and 1.76 in South Africa – who is ‘available’ for HE? -Beyond numbers- Female participation in selected fields of study- cf. Table 3- ‘Gendered clusters’- dev. and industrialized countries- cf. notions of femininity and masculinity in/outside schooling shaping expectations -cf. WS and Gender Studies progs- potential and challenges

10. Table-3 Female Participation in Selected Fields of Study • Field of Study (% Female) Region Yr. No. of Education Soc Science Natural Science Agriculture Health Countries &Humanities & Engineering Africa 1981 26 40 32 19 26 37 Africa 2000 12 32 42 27 20 46 Asia 1982 25 53 31 16 14 36 Asia 2000 13 61 49 23 35 61 Oceania 1982 2 68 49 22 25 56 Oceania 2000 2 77 58 30 43 76 Europe 1982 28 69 52 24 34 55 Europe 2000 23 75 59 30 47 74 Source: UNESCO – various years, from Stromquist, 2007

11. Indian example • Chanana (2000, 2002)- Slightly higher prop of women at research (PhD) level, in comparison to undergrad and Master’s • Result of flexible time schedules of Ph.D and longer time span allowed- compatibility with marriage and raising a family • Expansion of women’s enrolment in HE linked to expansion of HE in general, but no specific policies /measures to enhance women’s education • Need for compensatory policies to redress inequalities by giving additional resources or creating favourable conditions for marginalized groups

12. Institutional Cultures • The HE environment and women- Adornment or equal partners? Insiders or outsiders? • Gender ideologies at work • Gender Violence and Sexual Harassment • Representation of women not only as students, but representation in fields of study, participation as teachers and faculty members • Women as leaders in universities- where/who are they? Cf. under-representation as leaders in African univs- females > 6% of professoriate in African univs • Increasing managerial cultures and increase in male privilege- cf. devaluation of teaching and service cultures • Increasing competitiveness and self-promotion

13. Addressing the Gap- Gender Mainstreaming • Gender Mainstreaming- Key strategy since Beijing- beyond adopting a gender policy. • Assoc. of Commonwealth Assns • AAU and WGHE Toolkit for GM- 10 modules + literature review • Module 1 – Basic Facts about Gender; • Module 2 – Forming Policies and Strategies; • Module 3 – The Role of HR Devt and Mgement; • Module 4 – Mainstreaming Gender in the Curriculum; • Module 5 – Research and Gender Sensitive Research Methods; • Module 6 – Faculty and Support Programs; • Module 7 – Student Access and Retention; • Module 8 – Gender Violence and Sexual Harassment; • Module 9 – Disaggregated Data ; • Module 10 – Resource Mobilization for Gender Equity; Cf. UDSM experience- institutional will +++

14. European Perspectives • Practices of doing and “undoing” gender vary greatly across academic disciplines- disadvantage, exclusion, overlooked at diff pts in academic careers • Lowered prestige of certain fields; segmentation, segregation • Does the greater percentage of female students have an effect on the disciplinary culture or on its accessibility for other women? Does it reduce obstacles or intensify exclusionary processes? • Diff. Experiences- Taiwan- GM successful; Austria- mixed Gender Equality Programmes • In addition to overall quality, adequate financing, and competent staff, the success of gender equality programmes essentially depends on institutional support (integration) and administrative commitment. • Administrations’ whole-hearted commitment to gender equality and diversity, their view that these issues are part of excellence, and their communica­tion of this both within and outside of the institution.