Srinagar, Aug 23: To highlight institutional strengths and challenges for integrating gender in education system through dialogue, the Centre for Women’s Studies and Research (CWSR), University of Kashmir (KU) in collaboration with Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), New Delhi inaugurated a two-day workshop on ‘Gender Audit Training’ Wednesday.
Gender audit of educational institutions is a process for organisational assessment and an action tool to critically examine the capacity of institutions in ensuring a safe and secure ambience for women and girl students, faculty and administrative staff.
On the occasion, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Prof Nilofer Khan said gender audit encourages the stakeholders in an educational institution to engage in a dialogue highlighting the strengths and gaps in the system vis-à-vis gender-related issues.
She said, “The participatory audit process helps to identify institutional strengths and challenges to integrate gender, as well as gender equity, in the institution’s systems and operations and also in its programmes and activities.”
Stressing on working collectively for inclusiveness and coexistence, she said gender audit helps institutions to focus on mainstreaming gender.
“The University is committed to equity and equality of opportunity. We aim to offer quality education to all students irrespective of their backgrounds,” she said, adding the workshop could act as a movement to guide other institutions and inspire all .
Director, WISCOMP, Dr Meenakshi Gopinath said WISCOMP’s aim is to promote women to positions of leadership in all aspects of life including peace, security and international affairs.
She said WISCOMP has converged with international articulations on the role of women in building peace and security yielding a robust network across boundaries building peace, promoting justice, restoring rights, and fostering empathy.
“The workshop believes in harnessing the potential of HEIs (higher educational institutions) in playing a significant role in fostering of cultures of coexistence,” she said.
Coordinator, Centre for Women’s Studies and Research (CWSR), Dr Roshan Ara while thanking the vice-chancellor for encouraging the centre to organise workshops on such themes said the campus is echoing with gender equality and women empowerment courtesy the VC’s gender responsive governance.
Director, Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance (DIQA), KU, Prof Manzoor Ahmad Shah; Director, Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC), KU, Prof Mushtaq Ahamd Darzi; Media Advisor, KU, Dr Salima Jan, Librarian, Allama Iqbal Library (AIL), Dr Sumeer Gul; deans/directors/heads of various schools/centres/departments; Deputy Director, WISCOMP, Seema Kakran; Programme Officer, WISCOMP, Shilpi Shabdita; besides faculty, students and scholars attended the inaugural session held in the conference hall of the varsity’s HRDC.
