Tackling stereotypes and gender bias in higher education institutions in Puntland through digital empowerment

• In Event: Roundtable Session (Monday II)
  In Refereed Round-Table Session: The ALIGN Platform panel: shifting gender norms through education

Proposal

In Somalia, like in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, fewer female than male students seek secondary and tertiary education. There is no comprehensive data in Somalia for the transition to higher education, especially between secondary to post-secondary/university education. However, the most comprehensive information available from Somaliland, Puntland and South Central’s Department of Policy and Planning EMIS Unit shows that far fewer girls enrol in secondary schools compared to those that enrol in primary schools. Further very few female students and faculty staff in tertiary education institutions in Somalia participate in research and knowledge generation compared to fellow male counterparts. Somali women constitute only a small fraction of the full-time faculty staff throughout Somalia and they are not fully included in the highest paid positions in academia. This is not only a problem in terms of gender equity at all levels of education, but it also means that there are fewer female role models in higher education who can encourage younger generations girls to continue through education and onto academic careers.

The Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA) a private, not-for- profit research and development policy analysis think tank is conducting an applied research project exploring gender norms and barriers that prevent young women in Puntland, Somalia, from transitioning to secondary and tertiary education. The study examines young women’s experiences in confronting various forms of gender bias and stereotyping as they transit through education. Using a multi-method approach that includes (i) qualitative research in the form of a small baseline study; (ii) a community of practice based on social media platforms in which participating women exchange ideas and concerns, and (iii) short videos in which participants tell about their experiences with gender norm based barriers to education and academic careers; the study generates rich insights about the challenges faced by young women, which are captured in a research report.

In the digital community of practice, participating women in tertiary education and who have accessed academic careers will communicate online to share their experiences and challenges. Through these women’s stories, SIDRA will identify patterns and commonalities that inform the research about particular types of challenges women face in academia and in research. Project participants will receive capacity building on blogging and online communication and will be encouraged to write about their experiences in a web text for digital platform and on blogs.

The project will develop and share knowledge on the sustainability of gender norm change processes and strengthen gender sensitivity in higher education institutions so as to create more awareness about existing gender gaps affecting female staff and students. SIDRA’s approach to this study includes a policy engagement component to communicate its research findings and develop evidence-based policy recommendations to advocate with educational and religious authorities to support measures to reduce gender based barriers and discriminatory gender norms that prevent access to higher education for young women.

Authors

• Guled Salah, Founder and Director SIDRA Institute

• Fardowsa Ahmed Gambol, Gender Researcher SIDRA Institute