GENDER: KEY TO DEBATE ON INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION BY DR. OKODAN AKWAP 1ST DEBATE AT FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, KUMI UNIVERSITY ON 07/03/ 2018

WORDS OF WISDOM THE ROOTS OF EDUCATION ARE BITTER BUT THE FRUITS ARE SWEET – ARISTOTLE. INVESTMENT IN KNOWLEDGE PAYS THE BEST INTEREST – BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

WHAT IS GENDER IDENTITY? Gender identity is one of the first and most far-reaching identities that a human being holds; it is the self-concept of a person as being male or female (Schaefer, 2010).

GENDER EQUALITY AND DEVT Gender equality is a human right and a pre-condition for sustainable development (UNDP, 2018). Sustainable devt meets needs of present generation without hurting ability of future generations to meet their own needs (UN, 2015)

WHAT WE MUST DO TO ADDRESS GENDER INEQUALITY Providing women/girls with quality education, healthcare, decent work, ownership rights over property, and technology will lead to social, economic and environmental sustainability across the globe (UNDP, 2018).

UNDP UGANDA GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGY Ensure that sustainability systems address gender equality at work. Achieve gender parity in UG office. Strengthen institutional capacity with partners to deliver on gender equality and women’s empowerment (UNDP, 2018).

UN SUSTAINABLE DEVT GOALS 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Devt are a set of 17 Global Goals. Goal 5 aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (UN, 2015).

FEMINIST THEORY AND GENDER Attempts to shift analytic lens, assumptions, and topical focus away from the male viewpoint & shine light on social problems, trends, and issues that are overlooked by the historically dominant male perspectives. Focus includes discrimination and exclusion on the basis of gender, economic inequality, power, oppression, and gender roles.

AREAS OF FOCUS IN FEMINIST THEORY Gender differences: How women’s location in social situations differs from men’s. Gender inequality: How women’s location in social situations is unequal to men’s. Gender oppression: How women are being oppressed physically, emotionally, etc. Structural oppression: Oppression of women is a result of patriarchy, racism, etc.

REFERENCES Schaefer, R. (2010). Sociology. (12th edition). New York: McGraw Hill Publishers. United Nations Development Programme. (2018). Gender equality and women empowerment. Kampala: UNDP Uganda Office. Available on: www.ug.undp.org. Accessed on March 7, 3018 United Nations. (2015). Brundtland Commission Report on Sustainable Development. New York: UN. Available on: www.un.org. Accessed on March 7, 2018