UWI Gender Policy

Men and women shall be eligible for admission to and as students of the University, and for appointment to any Authority, office or employment of or under the University.

Clause IV, UWI Charter, 1949

The strategic objectives outlined below have been identified as areas for intervention:

The curriculum: To take the necessary steps to ensure that the University's curricula acknowledge and promote gender equality and gender justice

Student enrolment, retention and performance: To examine and address underrepresentation of male and female students in programmes, particularly those linked to growing sectors of the economy or which are key to regional development

Human resource management: To examine and address disparities in staff recruitment, training, promotion and recognition at all levels, across all categories of staff, with a focus on the recruitment, retention and promotion of qualified members of staff, irrespective of categories of difference including sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, ability/disability, religion, age, socio-economic status, nationality or place of origin

Participation, leadership and decision-making: To facilitate and increase participation by women in positions of leadership and decision-making, towards more egalitarian and equitable arrangements

Organisational culture, custom and practice: To identify and address systemic biases in organisational culture

Finance and resource management: To mobilize human, technical and financial resources to complete gender mainstreaming activities

Staff and student well-being: To commit to monitoring and investing in the well-being of all staff and students

Safe and secure environment: To foster a secure environment where students and staff feel protected and safe from any form of violence resulting from their sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or gender identity expression

Gender and the built environment: To address gender-related issues that impact, or are impacted by, the University's living, working and learning environments

Research and development: To encourage and support research and innovation that acknowledges, supports and promotes gender justice

Gender-aware marketing and communications: To ensure that marketing and communications policies, programmes and materials are explicit in their support of gender justice

Creation of a Gender Task Force for each campus: To establish on each campus a Gender Task Force that will report to the University's Gender Mainstreaming Committee on relevant issues

Language: To examine and, where necessary, change any sexist language contained within ordinances, rules, regulations, policy documents and curriculars

Introduction

According to Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, "A university generally reflects the societal norms, and is indeed a microcosm of the society in which it exists. It is imperative, therefore, that at The UWI we make deliberate and transformative progress with regard to gender, gender diversity and social inclusion, not just honouring, but celebrating the human rights of all in our midst."

Gender mainstreaming, grounded in the principle of gender justice, is a necessary part of imagining and enacting new societal possibilities and finding fresh ways of thinking through the old challenges of social injustice. It must be reflected in the University's structure, systems, policies and programmes.

The UWI's commitment to gender mainstreaming, gender equality and gender justice is articulated in its Gender Policy (referred to as the Policy).

The Policy meets the mandate outlined in the 2012-2017 Strategic Plan "to develop a gender policy for The UWI to create a supportive environment for both men and women in all aspects of university life". It was approved by the University Finance and General Purposes Committee on June 2, 2017, at Cave Hill, Barbados.

Gender: Always an Important Issue for The UWI

The UWI has historically concerned itself with issues of gender justice. In the Report of the West Indies Committee of the Commission on Higher Education in the Colonies, (The Irvine Committee Report of June 1945), the founders of The UWI included the recommendation that the University College of the West Indies (the predecessor of The UWI) "should be open to women on precisely the same terms and conditions as are applicable to men. Similarly, no restriction should be imposed on grounds of race or creed..."

It was believed that with greater access to education, "the influence of women, valuable in itself and perhaps especially requisite for the solution of the difficult social problems of the West Indies, would make itself felt."

In the 70 years since its establishment, The UWI has made commendable strides towards mainstreaming gender into its operations and procedures. The Centre for Gender and Development Studies, which emerged from the advocacy work of the University-wide Women's Studies Groups, is now an independent inter-disciplinary institute. This is evidence that the University understands the necessity to challenge patriarchal systems that allow privileges to some but deny it to others.

More recently, The UWI's commitment to gender mainstreaming in its operations is reiterated in the University's Triple A Strategy (2017-2022 Strategic Plan), where it has pressed further to include Gender Justice among its core values-in tandem with Integrity, Excellence, Diversity and Student Centeredness.

Gender Justice

The UWI will actively create and sustain, as a core value, a social, academic, and administrative culture that supports and promotes gender equality and justice within its environments. This policy will require systematic research into its effectiveness with a view to taking appropriate actions of a corrective nature.

The UWI Triple A Strategy (2017-2022 Strategic Plan)

Fine universities are always keen to actively promote the best interest of all members. The UWI is a fine university. It provides leadership in the promotion of fairness for all. While much has been done to create a culture of gender justice much more can be done. I am very proud of the work done by former Director of the IGDS, Professor Verene Shepherd, and her Task Force in developing this policy for formal approval. Equally, I celebrate her successor Professor Opal Adisa, and her team, who have done the necessary to launch it as a seminal event in the 70th anniversary calendar of our University.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor, The UWI

Taking this bold stance to formally accept and implement the gender policy is tangible evidence of The UWI's far-reaching commitment to social and gender justice as the fabric of its development. By so doing, The UWI is demonstrating its abiding commitment to create a society that works for all by implementing a paradigm shift that is inclusive and places justice in its modus operandi.

Professor Opal Adisa,
University Director, The UWI Institute for Gender and Development Studies,
Regional Coordinating Office.

Beacon of Light

In introducing and implementing The UWI Gender Policy to staff, students, partners and other stakeholders, the University makes the commitment to be a beacon, lighting a path of progress in relation to gender issues throughout the Caribbean region.

Acknowledgement

The UWI is grateful to the IGDS for its stewardship and commitment to the delivery of this Policy. The draft UWI Gender Policy was completed by former Director of The UWI IGDS Regional Coordinating Office, Professor Verene A. Shepherd and a working group spearheaded by her. Current University Director at The UWI IGDS, Professor Opal Adisa will lead its implementation along with a Gender Mainstreaming Committee responsible for championing gender justice across The UWI, and leading the activities intended to positively shape attitudes towards gender justice.