Parliament Grills Prof Nawangwe, Mak Officials Over Gender Inequality

A section of Members of Parliament on the Education committee have today asked the Makerere University management led by Prof Barnabas Nawangwe to explain gender inequality at the university. Out of the 22 members on the university council, there are only 6 females and 17 males. The University Senate has 13 females and 63 males.

More statistics indicate that 35 women and 109 men are on the central management of the University. The overall number of academic staff indicate that there are 141 female lecturers compared to 359 males.

While speaking to the university council today, Dr Euzobia Baine, the Acting Director Gender Mainstreaming directorate revealed that the University faces several challenges of women being ignored in decision making. Baine added that women are underrepresented in all departments of Makerere University.

The Makerere University Council was headed by its chairperson Lorna Magara and Vice-chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who were appearing before the committee to answer the on-going academic staff strike and gender inequity at the Ivory Tower.

Baine challenged the gender inequality at the university as she tasked the government to set policies that emphasize employing more women.

The council also tasked the Makerere management to ensure that the next time they appear before the committee, the current position occupied by someone in an acting position is filled. In his reply, Prof. Nawangwe told the MPs that they are following all the procedures to fill the positions.