Bolgatanga Technical University receives grant to boost gender equity

This grant, named the "Gender Equity Project," was provided by Global Affairs Canada and administered through Youth Challenge International (YCI), a leading global youth development non-governmental organization (NGO), Graphic Online reports.

The goal of the project is to increase the capacity and knowledge of gender issues and women's rights among staff and students at BTU.

This will be achieved through the implementation of a new gender and sexual harassment policy, which includes training sessions for all stakeholders.

The university's gender and sexual harassment policy will be made accessible to both academic and non-academic staff, as well as students at all levels.

Professor Daniel Azerikatoa Ayoung, the Project's Lead, highlighted the importance of developing policies to guide the university community on handling gender issues, especially after the institution's transition to a technical university.

Despite existing efforts to educate the community on gender-related matters, there is a need to mainstream gender equality into all activities for inclusivity.

One of the key aspects of the project is to clarify the reporting process for sexual harassment within the university. The new policy aims to assist victims in reporting such issues for appropriate action to be taken.

The project team is optimistic that this initiative will significantly reduce sexual harassment and gender-related issues within the university.

The project's implementation comes after an Organisational Capacity Assessment (OCA) revealed deficiencies in gender equality and sexual harassment issues at BTU.

With the support of the grant, BTU is committed to creating awareness and providing a platform for staff and students to address gender and sexual harassment issues effectively.

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