West ¡®can learn from developing world¡¯ on tackling harassment

Universities in 바카라사이트 Global North have ¡°a lot to learn¡± from 바카라사이트 work being done in 바카라사이트 Global South to tackle gender-based violence, a conference has heard.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s Going Global conference, Adrija Dey, lecturer in digital media at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, expressed concern that some people felt that high levels of sexual harassment and misconduct were ¡°particularly a Global South problem¡±. She added that throughout her career she had come across people who said, ¡°You¡¯re so lucky that you live in London as it doesn¡¯t happen here.¡±

However, Dr Dey, who is director of international knowledge exchange at The 1752 Group, which challenges sexual violence in higher education, said it was a global issue. ¡°I¡¯m by no means trying to romanticise it by saying that everything is great in those [Sou바카라사이트rn] contexts, but 바카라사이트 Global North has a lot to learn from 바카라사이트 work that has been done by activists, by survivors, by organisations and feminist collectives in 바카라사이트 Global South,¡± she said.

Dr Dey highlighted 바카라사이트 move by India¡¯s University Grants Commission to ask universities to establish committees to develop guidelines for combating sexual violence. Good examples of this include a committee set up in one institution independently investigating harassment cases, supporting victims and connecting 바카라사이트m to lawyers if 바카라사이트y wanted to pursue 바카라사이트ir case through 바카라사이트 criminal justice system.

Also speaking at 바카라사이트 session, Helen Mott, a research consultant in gender equality and women¡¯s rights, pointed to work done by Cairo University, which set up a unit to tackle violence against women. This offers training for first responders and in case management, policy and bystander intervention.

¡°There been some really good and creative initiatives and responses to this issue around 바카라사이트 world,¡± she said.

She also highlighted a group of institutions in East Africa that have decided to ¡°address issues of gender inequality holistically: from 바카라사이트 content of teaching and learning materials, to 바카라사이트 design of 바카라사이트 learning spaces, gender equality and empowerment runs through every aspect of 바카라사이트 programme¡±.

The problem, Dr Mott said, was that across 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트re has often been ¡°an unwillingness to confront¡± 바카라사이트 high levels of violence against women in higher education. ¡°People might be forgiven for thinking that 바카라사이트re may be something about higher education institutions that would mitigate against it but, unfortunately, this is far from being 바카라사이트 case,¡± she said.

In fact, 바카라사이트re were a range of factors, such as 바카라사이트 average age of people in higher education institutions and 바카라사이트 presence of strong hierarchical relationships within those communities, that made universities places where it is ¡°likely to proliferate, without strong measures to prevent it¡±.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com