Prof Rhoda Wanyenze, the School of Public Health Dean at Makerere University, has decried the low participation levels of women in science and research.
Prof Wanyenze made the remarks on Tuesday during the ongoing Gender Identity Week organized by Makerere University’s School of Women and Gender Studies in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden.
“Participation of women in Higher Institutions of learning, science and research remains low despite the potential benefits of gender diversity in enhancing education and research,” she said while highlighting on how women are faring in the Institutions of higher learning leadership.
Prof Wanyenze revealed that globally, there’s a gross inequality for research outputs by region, gender and other differences, a phenomenon that has kept women representation in leadership in higher institutions of learning wanting.
“The access to research funding is skewed towards men and women scientists are often concentrated in the lower echelons of responsibility and decision making,” she noted.
Adding, “Women still have low access to advanced research training in PhDs and post doctoral studies yet PhD is a requirement for entry or promotion at institutions like Makerere University. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
However, she expressed optimism that although the terrain and negative perceptions are changing at a low pace, there are increasing security and changing policies at the global, country and institutional levels that are aiming at promoting women in leadership through supporting their research and training.
“Major funding agencies have come up with policies and structures to support gender equality. They are explicitly supporting women research and training. As women we should prepare to harness the opportunities as they emerge,” said Prof Wanyenze.
On the issue of advancing gender equity in Uganda, Dr Femi Nzengwa, from the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), UK said institutions of higher learning should be in position to prepare students for analytical thinking, problem solving and make them more conscious in issues of gender equity.
“Young people have a vital role to play in development. Universities are important sites to nurture their skills and to harness that energy for the best so we need gender sensitization to make them feel that they are all equally empowered,” said Dr Nzengwa.
At the same event, Associate Professor Consolata Kabonesa, the Principal Investigator of the Gender Mainstreaming project said this year they are mainly concentrating on strategies of how to increase women in leadership in Uganda’s higher institutions of learning.
The week-long event at Makerere University is running under the theme ‘Generation Equality’.
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