The Centre for Research Agricultural advancement, Teaching Excellence and Sustainability (CREATES) has brought together staff and students of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) to sensitize them on gender issues in the work place and learning environment.
The two day gender issues sensitization event was conducted on 15th-16th April, 2021 through the NM-AIST Gender Committee at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha.
During the event, Professor Hulda Shaidi Swai, CREATES Centre leader stated that both men and women have equal chances in getting education and being promoted in the work place, if and only if they have got the qualifications for the available opportunities.
“In the society that we live in, it has often been believed that the female gender cannot study and excel in science subjects or perform work that is related to science, but rather that this role is reserved for the male gender only; however this is not true. Both sexes have the ability to take on science subjects and they equally have the ability to lead in senior positions within the country and I believe everyone has his or her own strength,” she stated.
Professor Swai insisted that despite the presence of gender challenges in the society, we should not give up and that failure should not be perceived as a reason to stop us from doing, but rather it ought to be motivation to do better.
CREATES Centre Manager, Ms. Rose Mosha outlined that gender issues awareness training is crucial, and should be conducted regularly within the institution, so that when an employee or student encounters a gender challenge he or she is equipped, knows how to deal with it and reports it to the relevant authorities.
The gender sensitization event has explored advocacy processes, available systems to report through as well as campaigns to break the silence against sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the workplace.
