From June 1-9, 2024, Prof. Dr. Veerle Draulans, Associate Professor from the Faculty of Social Sciences at KU Leuven, visited Arba Minch University (AMU) as part of her ongoing commitment to the AMU-IUC Project. Her mission focused on overseeing the progress of the Transversal Sub-Project 7 (TISP-7) including meetings with key stakeholders.
Led by Prof. Dr. Veerle and Dr. Genaye Tsegaye from Arba Minch University, TISP-7, titled “Empowering AMU Institutions to Become Truly Inclusive, Embracing SDG 5 and Beyond, Leaving No One Behind”, has become a cornerstone in promoting gender equality and inclusiveness at both Arba Minch University and within the broader AMU-IUC Project.
During her week-long stay, Prof. Veerle engaged with various initiatives driven by TISP-7. One of the most notable achievements she visited was the establishment of daycare centers across AMU’s campuses, aimed at helping female academic staff better balance their professional duties and childcare. She praised the remarkable progress, highlighting the strong understanding among AMU staff of the importance of daycare centers, with a clear focus on providing high-quality caregiving.
The visit also gave Prof. Dr. Veerle Draulans a chance to attend a TISP-7 project meeting, where Dr. Genaye Tsegaye and Bayush Tesfaye, AMU-IUC Gender and Outreach Coordinator, showcased the progress made in the project’s second year. Dr. Genaye discussed the upcoming gender-sensitive training for leaders of other AMU-IUC sub-projects, promoters, PhD students, and PUS. This training aims to integrate gender awareness into all facets of AMU-IUC project leadership and research. Additionally, Prof. Veerle participated in discussions with AMU’s gender policy revision committee.
Prof. Dr. Veerle Draulans’ visit also included a series of field trips to AMU-IUC’s community outreach activities, where the principles of TISP-7 are actively being applied. Her trips to the Chamo Lake buffer zone, the Geresse Gesha Forest Nursery site, and Kemele Oro Primary School gave her valuable insights into how these initiatives are positively impacting the lives of rural women and girls. She expressed her appreciation for TISP-7’s efforts at AMU-IUC demonstration sites, noting, “TISP-7 has now become integrated into the local communities to ensure a gender component.”
Prof. Dr. Veerle Draulans reflected on the broader impact of TISP-7’s activities at AMU, emphasizing that the benefits of these gender-focused interventions extend well beyond the immediate participants. “Engaging more female staff in scientific activities is not only crucial for their career advancement but also enriches the university as a whole,” she remarked. In addition, she stressed that the research conducted within the AMU-IUC project should aim at societal betterment, and she was pleased to see the project working toward this goal.
Prof. Veerle also remarked that the goals of TISP-7 have become clearer, and the project is now more closely connected with other sub-projects.
“It’s no longer hard to explain how TISP-7 can serve as a binding or connecting factor across all AMU-IUC sub-projects”
As TISP-7 progresses, Prof. Veerle, along with TISP-7 team, plays a key role in advancing gender mainstreaming goals and outreach activities as part of the AMU-IUC project. For Prof. Veerle, the visit was not just an opportunity to oversee the implementation of TISP-7’s activities, but also to witness the tangible impact of these efforts on the ground. It was a moment to see theory put into practice, and to share her expertise while learning from the experiences of those involved in the project.
