BDU-IUC Project in Collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Affairs Directorate will host a validation workshop on the Gender Policy directive on   22 May 2026, Wisdom Hall, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

Introduction

Bahir Dar University’s Office of Gender and Multi-Disciplinary Affairs, in partnership with the Institutional University Cooperation (IUC-BDU) project and organized by TISP1, will host a one-day validation workshop on 22 May 2025 titled "BDU Gender Policy Directive Validation Workshop" for its newly drafted Gender Policy Directive. This directive brings BDU’s Gender Policy to life, aligning it seamlessly with Ethiopia’s gender-related laws and the university’s Senate Legislation 2025 (Article 25). At its heart, the event reflects BDU’s deep commitment to fostering gender equality, equity, and true inclusivity across academic, research, administrative, and social spheres, tackling the ongoing challenges that more vulnerable groups such as female staff, students, and persons with disabilities face every day. Through gender mainstreaming, the workshop paves the way for real institutional change, creating a more welcoming environment for teaching and work while boosting academic excellence and social responsibility.

The workshop’s goals are diverse and practical: raising awareness of the Gender Policy and Directive among new leaders in academic and administrative units; sparking open discussions to better understand gender-based violence (GBV) and entrenched disparities at BDU; highlighting how gender equality fuels progress in research and education; embedding the directive through strong leadership platforms for rollout; and building lasting connections across units to strengthen institutional capacity. These efforts turn the directive into a hands-on tool for upholding national laws and breaking down barriers to fair participation and well-being. The workshop participants can build consensus on the directive’s clarity, make needed amendments, and set up solid monitoring systems. Furthermore, better insights into GBV, team up on implementation plans, brief new leaders, and form alliances between units at gender barriers.

Objectives of the workshop 

The main objective is to validate and endorse the Gender Policy Implementation Directive. This process will achieve the following specific objectives:

• Enhance awareness creation about the Gender Policy and Directive: the workshop will be a platform to introduce the Gender Policy and implementation directive to new leaders across all academic and administrative units.
• Understand the BDU system Gender disparities, and GBV: the workshop will open media for exchange of ideas so that all participants will understand gender equity, the current disparities and any GBV within BDU.
• Create awareness of Gender equality for institutional development: the workshop will help to create awareness of the importance of inclusive institutional transformation for research and education.
• Institutionalize and operationalize the policy directive: all leaders across academic and administrative units will create an institutional understanding and platform for implementation.
• Strengthen Institutional Capacity: this helps to establish a sustainable linkage among administrative or academic units.

Expected Outcomes of the workshop

The workshop will foster consensus on the directive's clarity, enable amendments, and establish monitoring mechanisms. It ensures alignment with Ethiopia's legal standards and BDU's mission while encouraging stakeholder input to eliminate gender-based barriers in university operations. The workshop will also deepen understanding of gender-based violence (GBV) and gender disparities within BDU. Participants will collaboratively plan policy implementation and introduce the policy and directive to create awareness among new leaders. Additionally, the workshop aims to build alliances across academic and administrative units and leaders.