Gender Equality Policy, Elites and Women Empowerment in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Gender equality, and its resultant empowerment of women, is a recent phenomenon in Africa. This study examined two questions; 1) To what extent do the elites in Institutions of Higher Education practise gender equality to women empowerment? 2) What are the inhibitions of the contribution of higher education towards women empowerment? The study was qualitative and cross-sectional. Data was obtained from reports and semi-structured interviews, as well as 5 focus group discussions. Semi-structured interviews respondents included 20 academic and 20 support staff. Findings showed that there is still a gap to enable women participate on the same footing as men. Women empowerment in Education takes leadership interest, networks, meritocracy as well as women assertiveness. Limitations to gender equality policy implementation among elites in higher education are individual, social-cultural and economic. Higher education is characterised by stereotypes and retrogressive cultural beliefs which are subtly reproduced throughout the education system. The gender equality policy (2009) has been implemented in favour of men; therefore, the situation has to be improved with concerted efforts by the various stakeholders. Gender disaggregated data should be used in Higher Education to assess women empowerment as well as tracking both quantitative and qualitative women empowerment outcomes in higher education.

‘They are just women, what do they know?’: The lived experiences of African women doctoral students in the mathematics discipline in South African universities

“…Affirmative action was in favour of groups marginalized based on historical prejudices, socio-cultural negative attitudes and practices. Mugambwa, Mwebaza and Namubiru (2017) argue that affirmative action was a strategy for closing the gender gap and towards substantive equality. However, statistics show that affirmative action has significantly benefitted white women and not the intended group of African students, specifically African women in South African universities (Borum & Walker 2012;Mugambwa et al 2017).…”

“…Mugambwa, Mwebaza and Namubiru (2017) argue that affirmative action was a strategy for closing the gender gap and towards substantive equality. However, statistics show that affirmative action has significantly benefitted white women and not the intended group of African students, specifically African women in South African universities (Borum & Walker 2012;Mugambwa et al 2017). Badat (2010) mentions that the recruitment and retention of African academics cannot be divorced in some cases from the institutional culture in historically white universities.…”

Is it transformation or reform? The lived experiences of African women doctoral students in STEM disciplines in South African universities

“…Universities in South Africa have been actively trying to transform the STEM disciplines by enacting policies which are targeted towards attracting African students (Badat & Sayed, 2014;Nyamnjoh, 2016), especially African women to these scarce skills fields, yet they remain untransformed. Affirmative action was met with resistance by the dominant white group in these fields and yet, the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action have been white women (Borum & Walker, 2012;Mugambwa, Mwebaza & Namubiru, 2017). White women have enormously benefited from affirmative action policies in STEM (Borum & Walker, 2012;Collins et al, 2020;Mugambwa, Mwebaza & Namubiru, 2017), and consequently, most of the literature on issues of exclusion and marginalisation in STEM is based on white women's experiences (Borum & Walker, 2012;Collins et al, 2020).…”

“…Affirmative action was met with resistance by the dominant white group in these fields and yet, the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action have been white women (Borum & Walker, 2012;Mugambwa, Mwebaza & Namubiru, 2017). White women have enormously benefited from affirmative action policies in STEM (Borum & Walker, 2012;Collins et al, 2020;Mugambwa, Mwebaza & Namubiru, 2017), and consequently, most of the literature on issues of exclusion and marginalisation in STEM is based on white women's experiences (Borum & Walker, 2012;Collins et al, 2020). As a result, STEM disciplines believe they are transforming the system by the addition of white women.…”