General
Mak & Rotary Launch Peace Centre, Inaugurate Advisory Board
Makerere University and Rotary International on Thursday 9th January 2020 held a signing ceremony marking the official launch of the First Rotary Peace Centre on the African continent. The Centre will run a postgraduate certificate program in Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation and Development. The hands-on program will entail coursework that addresses topics including human rights, governance, and the role of the media in conflict. Other studies will focus on refugees and migration, as well as resource and identity-based conflicts.
Addressing delegates at the launch, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe expressed delight that the Rotary Governing Board had found it deserving that Makerere hosts the Rotary Peace Centre after beating worthy competitors; the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre, Ghana and University of Nairobi-African Leadership Centre.
“Makerere University is situated at the heart of the Great Lakes region, which has experienced the most strife and the most conflicts in Africa,” said the Vice Chancellor. “We’ve had frequent experience with conflict, so we established our peace program more than 15 years ago to expand our expertise and augment our engagement in the area of conflict and peace.”
Prof. Nawangwe admitted that Makerere’s selection would not have been possible without the support of Rotary District 9211 led by District Governor (DG) Francis Xavier Sentamu. He also paid special tribute to Past District Governor (PDG) Emmanuel Katongole, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) led by Dr. Josephine Ahikire and the Local Organising Committee led by Dr. Hellen Nkabala supported by Past Assistant Governors (PAGs) Hon. Mike Sebalu and Ann Nkutu for selflessly supporting the University’s bid.
The Vice Chancellor shared that Makerere University has already put in place the necessary infrastructure to support smooth running of the programme. “The Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. William Bazeyo has already made space allocations for student lecture rooms and accommodation.”
He then introduced members of the Rotary Peace Centre Advisory Board notably;
- Prof. William Bazeyo (Chairperson)
- Dr. Umar Kakumba, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)
- Dr. Josephine Ahikire
- Prof. Grace Kyomuhendo Bantebya, School of Women and Gender Studies (SWGS)
- PDG Emmanuel Katongole
- PAG Hon. Mike Sebalu
- PAG Ann Nkutu
- PAG Fred Masadde-Kabuye
- Mr. Henry Mwebe, Director Legal Affairs
- Dr. Patrick Mangeni, Dean School of Liberal and Performing Arts
- Prof. Sylvia Antonia Nannyonga-Tamusuza, Head Department of Performing Arts and Film
- Ms. Victoria Kirunda Kobel
In her remarks read by Council Member and Dean SWGS, Dr. Sarah Ssali, the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara noted that establishment of a Rotary Peace Centre provides Makerere University with an opportunity to offer research leadership and capacity development in a critical topic of development.
“The Peace Centre initiative is especially important for Africa and several parts of the world where several nations remain trapped in the shadow of violence with disastrous consequences of loss of life and property and other human rights violations. Building a knowledgebase and capacity for sustainable peace on the continent is a matter of urgent necessity for African development and human rights protection” added the Chairperson.
The Vice President (VP), Rotary International Board of Directors, Olayinka Babalola expressed great pride as an African at witnessing the launch of the First Rotary Peace Centre on the continent at Makerere University, during his term.
“For centuries, we have looked at peace as the absence of violence, without fully considering the other drivers in play. Instead of merely examining the causes of war, Rotary Peace Fellows at Makerere University will explore the underpinnings of peace to achieve tangible measures of human wellbeing and progress” said the Vice President.
VP Babalola took note of the great strides made by Rotary’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative over the last 30 years and that as a result, Africa was on the verge of being declared polio-free. He added that with this nearly achieved, Rotary was now turning its focus to global peace by using the Centers as a vehicle for training peacebuilders from all over the world.
The Chair Rotary Peace Centers Committee, Bryn Styles shared that serving on this body had been one of his most rewarding honours. He added that peace holds a unique status in Rotary and as such, the organization remains committed to addressing the root causes of peace and conflict in the world by training the next generation of peace advocates.
“Every year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded scholarships for dedicated peace and development leaders from around the world to study at any of its seven peace centers programs. In just over 15 years, Rotary Peace Centers have trained over 1,300 individuals for careers in peacebuilding in more than 115 countries” he shared.
Mr. Styles said that in choosing Makerere University to host the 7th Peace Centre, Rotary wanted to give students and future peace advocates the credibility of studying in an institution with a rich history in peace and conflict management and research. “Rotarians in Uganda and Staff at Makerere University have been wonderful to work with and I think we made the right choice.”
DG Francis Xavier Sentamu in his remarks recognized other PDGs present at the ceremony namely; Hon. Henry Kyemba, Dr. Francis Tusubira, Kenneth Mugisha, Steven Mwanje as well as other leaders. He reiterated the readiness of Rotarians from District 9211 to help identify prospective scholars, provide the right mentorship and participate in all ways that will guarantee that the Rotary Peace Centre at Makerere University succeeds.
Article by Public Relations Office
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The Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD), Makerere University on 14th September 2021 presented findings from phase one of the study on Enhancing Women’s Participation and Visibility in Leadership and Decision-Making Organs of Public Universities in Uganda through Action Research. The study team led by the Director GMD and Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine also consists of Assoc. Prof. Consolata Kabonesa, Dr. Anna Ninsiima, Ms. Frances Nyachwo, Ms. Susan Mbabazi and Mr. Eric Tumwesigye.
The team is also made of coordinators from participating Universities such as Busitema University-Ms. Elizabeth Birabwa, Kabale University-Sr. Dr. Eva Tumusiime, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST)-Dr. Specioza Twinamasiko, Muni University-Ms. Amandru Stella Wawa, and Gulu Univeristy-Sr. Rosalba Aciro.
Funded by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), the study was inspired by the fact that women are persistently few in numbers as staff, more so in leadership and decision-making organs of Ugandan Public Universities. “This is despite all the various efforts at national and international levels; the numbers are not growing as fast as needed to meet development goals of the country” explained Dr. Euzobia.
Based on this background, the study team therefore sought to conduct a situational analysis of the gender terrain of the six public universities to obtain baseline information encompassing the composition of governance and leadership organs and senior staff by sex, as well as a needs assessment and profiles of potential mentors and mentees.
Furthermore, the team sought to explore the capacity to conduct gender-responsive research as well as the role of male staff engagement in gender equity interventions within the universities as the drivers of development.
Dr. Mugisha-Baine shared that results of the baseline would then be used to design participatory training manuals or guides on gender and leadership. The manuals would cover; Institutionalized mentorship, How to conduct gender-responsive research, gender and equity budgeting, among others.
“Within these manuals, we shall have a male staff engagement strategy in gender equity interventions in universities” she explained.
The development of the aforementioned materials would then be followed by their adoption and use to build capacity for women not only in leadership of participating and other public university but also beyond. “We shall periodically evaluate whether the capacity we have built has influenced women’s participation in leadership and decision-making organs of the university” supplemented the PI.
The capacity building trainings for women, it is envisaged, will lay the foundation for the formation of a functional Uganda University Women’s Think Tank, starting with the six participating universities. Dr. Mugisha Baine added that through this Think Tank, a monitoring and tracking system for gender representation in recruitment, promotion, retention/turnover and leadership of public universities shall be established and maintained.
At the conclusion of phase one, the study team had drafted participatory training manuals in gender and leadership with content on; gender specific critical analysis of the leadership spectrum of public universities, positioning of individual women within the institutional framework and strategies for their advancement, gender equity advocacy in the university setting, institutional mentorship, building capacity in conducting gender-responsive research, among others.
“This content will be validated by the participating universities before the actual research training is conducted” added the PI.
On behalf of the research team, Dr. Mugisha Baine thanked the Government of Uganda for providing the resources that facilitated phase one of the study and prayed that the Mak-RIF Grants Management Committee (GMC) would support the next phase of capacity building.
Speaking on behalf of the Mak-RIF GMC Chairperson, Prof. William Bazeyo, Dr. Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala thanked and congratulated the team led by the Director GMD upon the milestones registered in the critical research.
“We are very proud of that work that is being done by all researchers in Mak-RIF and we would like to most sincerely thank Management for all the support throughout this process” she remarked.
Dr. Nkabala encouraged the research team to continue disseminating and using the findings for the furtherance of gender mainstreaming, particularly through the aspect of male staff engagement in gender equity interventions.
Prior to delivering the keynote address of the day, the Executive Director National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Prof. Mary Okwakol thanked the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe for inviting her to the important forum, noting that women’s participation in decision making and governance is a priority area of the Uganda Gender Policy 2007.
She commended Makerere University for being at the forefront of gender mainstreaming in Uganda, noting that this prominence was one of the reasons why the Gender in Education Policy 2007 provides for replicating the institution’s strategy in all other Higher Education Institutions.
Prof. Okwakol whose keynote address was punctuated incisive personal examples reaffirmed the statistics that women are generally not visible in leadership of Universities. That notwithstanding, in instances where they rise to leadership and decision-making positions, they are regularly subject to roles traditionally deemed as women’s inconsiderate of their managerial seniority and experience.
She nevertheless rallied the women to play their respective roles in enhancing participation and visibility at a personal level. The following were some of the strategies she proposed; work hard to acquire academic credentials so as to compete favourably with men, acquire necessary administrative training and experience, network among women, join professional networks as well as do research and publish.
On joining professional networks, she shared her personal experience as a young zoologist who joined UNESCO’s Tropical Biology and Fertility Programme. “Within a short time I was appointed Coordinator for Africa and after two years, I was elected as a Member of the International Board of Management. After serving for two years, I became Vice Chairperson of that Board and finally I became Chairperson of that International Board.”
At the institutional level, Prof. Okwakol appealed to the Chairperson Council and Vice Chancellor to proactively recruit women who meet the requirements for leadership positions even if it means actively seeking out the reluctant ones. In this regard, she shared that it would be useful for the university to develop a database of women and their qualifications to ease this process.
She shared that NCHE has in recognition of female underrepresentation at every level in Higher Education approved the establishment of a Gender and Equity Unit with the aim of promoting inclusive gender participation in the sub-sector.
“This unit has been placed under the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Accreditation which implies that as we look out for and regulate quality, gender will be a very important aspect of that regulation” she reassured.
Prof. Okwakol concluded by urging participants to read the; Third National Development Plan (NDPIII), Uganda Vision 2040, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) noting that there is no way all three can be achieved while women are left behind because they each make a case for inclusion of the female gender.
“What we are addressing here are historical injustices” said Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe as he commenced his remarks, “And in the case of Makerere University, it is well known that the institution started as a male-only institution and we all know the original motto was ‘Let us be men’” he added.
Citing examples from history such as; Marie Curie – one of the smartest physicists, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra – prominent Pharaohs of Egypt, George Eliot, Rosa Luxemburg and Hypatia – all great philosophers as well as Chancellor Angela Merkel – first female Chancellor of Germany, the Vice Chancellor said there is no plausible argument that there are things women cannot do as well as their male counterparts.
He said it was against this knowledge and in a bid to correct historical injustices that Makerere University pioneered initiatives such as putting in place affirmative action for girls, establishing a Gender Mainstreaming Directorate as well as a School of Women and Gender Studies. The Vice Chancellor nevertheless stressed the need to go beyond pioneering to protecting these gains through legislation. “Historically we have seen that discrimination can only be addressed by laws and policies.”
Prof. Nawangwe thanked the Government for providing funds to support Mak-RIF as well as the Funds GMC and Secretariat for ensuring that these funds are put to good use. He equally thanked the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara for her not only her support but also sparing time to attend a good number of the research dissemination events.
Delivering the concluding remarks, Mrs. Magara acknowledged that the study was timely and relevant the contemporary University, as one of the critical drivers of the national and international development agenda. She therefore reechoed the Vice Chancellor’s thanks to the Government of Uganda for generously supporting the University’s research through Mak-RIF.
Turning to the keynote speaker she said, “I thank Prof. Okwakol for ardently discussing the critical issues affecting the female gender, the strategies to overcome the challenges, including sharing her inspiring personal experiences.”
Mrs. Magara equally thanked Prof. Okwakol for her very instructional analysis, providing mentorship guidance with the resultant impact of enhancing the female gender in decision-making positions. In the same breath she congratulated the PI and her team upon successfully concluding phase one of the project.
“Phase one has generated insights in understanding the status of women in leadership in public universities, the legal and policy framework and its implications on women’s visibility, the institutional mentoring systems and the gaps therein” she observed.
The Chairperson of Council acknowledged that the challenge of underrepresentation of women in leadership roles cannot be resolved at an individual level. She therefore advocated for broad based strategies that can address deep-seated structural and cultural biases facing women. “These include developing mentorship networks, enacting laws and policies that address the imbalances and providing training programmes to address the leadership gaps.”
She therefore pledged the University Council’s unwavering support to the Gender Mainstreaming Programme by ensuring an enabling policy environment that facilitates gender-responsive teaching, learning, research innovation and community service.
The research dissemination was moderated by the Principal Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ms. Ritah Namisango and the Director Communications, Learning and Knowledge Management, ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) and PRO Mak-RIF, Ms. Harriet Adong.
