Activities performed by The director of women`s Affairs office of Jimma university
1. Tutorial support
The government took an initiative to give Affirmative action program to enhance girls education due to this girls when they join the university the entrance point to the university is minimum than male due to cultural problem girls were disadvantageous.
Jimma University took this affirmative action policy according to the rule and regulation of the academic rule and regulation of the university therefore instead of minimizing the point it is much better to empower female students and one of the strategy for empowerment is to give tutorial class so that female students has the ability to score good grade and the attrition rate of female students will be minimized.
How to give tutorial
- Difficult subject were selected from each respective department and instructors will arrange time together with female students and they will get tutorial on the same topic which they took it in the class with male students
- The total hours of the tutorial will be arranged by the director of women`s affairs of the university and each instructor has a format to sign after giving tutorial .result of tutorial will be assessed. According to the assessment
- The attrition rate of female students were decreased fr0m 24% to 3.5 %
- The GPA of female students were highly improved approved by the number of high achiever female students were increased from40—to 145.
- The concept of affirmative action was totally understood by the female as well as male students including the instructors.
2. Training
- In order to empower female students they have to equipped with different training
- There are many training given in order to increase the female student’s awareness
- Leadership training was given for 75 female students and were graduated after 9 month training
- The training was given with in collaboration of IIE the instructors were all from Jimma University
- The impact of the training was assessed and the result was
- All trained female students were developed assertive behavior
- All trained female students were successfully passed their examination
- All trained female students were mentoring the fresh students
- The discipline of the dormitory is changed to learning environment
- Female students used café equally with male students
- All trained female students were actively participated in all group work.
2.1 Assertiveness training
In order to be empowered female students should develop assertive behavior, due to this assertiveness, life skill and reproductive health issues training were given to female students
The impact of the training
By being assertive female students able to say NO for what they didn`t want.
Living in the University campus becomes easier for female students
Going alone in dining room studying in the space and walking alone in the campus becomes easier after training.
Number of abortion case was decreased
2.2 Gender and HIV/AIDS training
The Female student`s concept about gender and HIV/AIDS was very minimum and it is curtail to have a concept of gender and HIV/AIDS
The impact
- Female students protect themselves from HIV/AIDs
- Accept and attend affirmative action program
- Fights for their right
- Participated in extra curricula activity to engage them
2.3 Leadership training
Female students developed self confidence, giving high value for themselves and develop negotiation skill
3. Helping needy female students
Female students were enrolled from all regions of Ethiopia and their economical back ground is totally different. While living in the University with different economical background those with low economic background female students were suffer a lot ,it also affects their education . To solve this problem the Director of Women`s affairs office of Ju in collaboration with HIV/AIDS coordinating office helped in cash and in material for 600 needy female students.
The Impact
No female students withdraw or drop out due to economical problem
Female students freely ask for need and are benefited
4. Award
The director of women`s affair office award high achiever female students yearly. Every year orientation will be given to newly admitted female students about campus life, the rule and regulation of the university, their rights and responsibilities in order to adapt the environment and perform good in their education during this program we envied high achiever female student from all departments and award will be given by the University president.
Through the above affirmative activities we achieved a lot
- High achiever female students increased from 20 female students —350 female students by the year 2004 2nd semester.
- Majority of female students develop self confidence and assertive behavior.
- pregnancy reported cases were minimized
- Sexual harassment cases were minimized
- All services are improved like water, electric power ,study area library computer center and additional lounge rooms .
- 24 hrs wireless internet is access in female dormitory
Management structure
The director of women`s affairs office is directly accountable to the president office
The office has I director I gender expert secretary and one office girl at center level and 6 gender focal person`s in all colleges
Future plan
The director of women`s affairs plan to mainstream gender in all the university by increasing the awareness of all staff in the University particularly those in decision making area
To decrease the attrition rate and to increase the completion rate of female students in the university
To help needy female students in collaboration with other NGOs .