By denying women equal rights, we deny half the population a chance to live life at its fullest. Political, economic and social equality for women will benefit all the world’s citizens, Goal 5 aims to end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere, and all forms of violence against them, and ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making in political, economic and public life.
Al-Quds University is committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls through its academic programs, research initiatives, and institutional policies. The university contributes to SDG 5 in several ways:
Equal Access to Education: Al-Quds University ensures equal access to education for all students, regardless of gender. The university actively encourages the enrollment of female students in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and provides support services to help them succeed academically and professionally.
Gender-sensitive Curriculum and Pedagogy: The university promotes gender-sensitive curriculum and teaching methods that challenge gender stereotypes, foster critical thinking, and empower students to question and address gender inequalities in their communities and beyond. This approach helps create an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students.
Research on Gender Issues: Al-Quds University supports research on gender-related issues, such as gender-based violence, women’s economic empowerment, and gender disparities in health and education. This research provides valuable insights into the root causes of gender inequality and informs the development of evidence-based policies and interventions to address these challenges.
Women’s Leadership and Representation: The university is dedicated to promoting women’s leadership and representation in decision-making processes, both on-campus and in the broader community. Al-Quds University supports initiatives aimed at increasing the number of female faculty members, administrators, and student leaders, and provides mentorship and professional development opportunities to help them succeed in their roles.
Gender Equality Advocacy and Policy Development: Al-Quds University plays a key role in advocating for gender equality and developing policies that promote gender equity at the local, national, and international levels.
Awareness-raising and Capacity-building: The university engages in awareness-raising and capacity-building initiatives to promote gender equality and challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes. These efforts include workshops, seminars, and public events that raise awareness about gender issues, as well as training programs that empower women and girls to become agents of change in their communities.
Campus Safety and Support Services: Al-Quds University is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students, faculty, and staff. The university has implemented policies and procedures to prevent and address gender-based violence and harassment.
The university took some steps toward achieving Goal 5 including:
- Enabling female students to enroll in university studies, as the percentage of female students enrolled in university studies during the academic year 2022 is 65% of the total number of enrolled students.
- The university works continuously through organized programs to encourage female students to study at university and provide material and moral support. The university also works to encourage female students to study subjects that increase their societal status. Where 66% of the new students are females.
- The university organizes awareness workshops to encourage school students to enroll in university studies, especially in marginalized areas.
- The university provides the opportunity to work for females in all its departments and centers, and it follows several policies to achieve gender equality, especially the policy of women’s right to fair work without violating any of their rights.
- The percentage of female employees working at the university from the academic and administrative staff constitutes about 35% of the total employees.
- The university provides the opportunity for female employees to assume senior positions.
- The university puts out many surveys continuously to measure the level of female satisfaction and follow up on the challenges and obstacles they face.
In summary, Al-Quds University is dedicated to achieving SDG 5 through a comprehensive approach that includes equal access to education, gender-sensitive curriculum and pedagogy, research on gender issues, women’s leadership and representation, gender equality advocacy and policy development, awareness-raising and capacity-building, and campus safety and support services. By promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls, the university plays a vital role in fostering social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and contributes to a more just and equitable future.
SDG 5 (Gender Equality) Progress:
Al-Quds University has been making significant strides towards achieving SDG 5: Gender Equality, through a series of initiatives encompassing academic programs, research, institutional policies, and community engagement.
The university ensures equal access to education for all students, irrespective of gender, and actively encourages the enrollment of female students in traditionally male-dominated fields like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This encouragement is coupled with support services designed to aid their academic and professional success.
A gender-sensitive curriculum and teaching methods are at the heart of Al-Quds University’s approach. These methods are designed to challenge gender stereotypes, foster critical thinking, and empower students to address gender inequalities. This approach contributes to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students.
In the realm of research, the university supports inquiries into gender-related issues such as gender-based violence, women’s economic empowerment, and disparities in health and education. The insights gained from this research are instrumental in developing evidence-based policies and interventions to address gender inequality.
Promoting women’s leadership and representation in decision-making processes is another key focus. The university supports initiatives to increase the presence of female faculty members, administrators, and student leaders, providing them with mentorship and professional development opportunities.
In terms of advocacy and policy development, Al-Quds University plays a critical role in advocating for gender equality and developing policies that promote gender equity at various levels. Moreover, the university engages in awareness-raising and capacity-building initiatives to promote gender equality and challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes. These include workshops, seminars, public events, and training programs aimed at empowering women and girls as agents of change.
Additionally, the university is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment on campus, implementing policies and procedures to prevent and address gender-based violence and harassment.
Some specific steps taken by the university include enabling a significant enrollment of female students in university studies, with females constituting 65% of the total enrolled students during the academic year 2022. It also offers material and moral support to female students, especially encouraging them to pursue fields that increase their societal status. The university organizes awareness workshops, particularly in marginalized areas, to encourage school students to enroll in university studies. Furthermore, the university ensures employment opportunities for women in all its departments and centers and promotes the representation of women in senior positions.