Beyond Binaries: Gender Identities in Higher Education Institutions

This discussion will focus on networking and identifying ways to create a more inclusive and diverse learning environment globally.

Within higher education globally, there is a critical need to address gender inequalities. Women face significant barriers and experience discriminatory practices as higher education leaders, academics, and students. Women are impacted by unequal access to higher education, fewer resources and opportunities, the existence of violence against women affecting students and staff, and the sustained underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in higher education institutions.

Increasing evidence indicates that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people suffer lower education outcomes due to discrimination, bullying, and violence; higher unemployment rates; and a lack of access to adequate housing and health services and financial services. Anti-LGBTIQA+ laws in some countries also gravely undermine the human rights of LGBTIQA+ persons in particular. More broadly, it contributes to a climate of fear and persecution.

Universities can be powerful institutions for promoting gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. This coffee chat webinar is an opportunity to network with Higher Education Engagement and Transformation CoP and Gender Community of Practice (CoP) members and to engage in an informal discussion on gender-related challenges in higher education.

Presented by USAID's YouthPower 2: Learning and Evaluation Activity, the Gender and Higher Education Engagement and Transformation (HEET) Communities of Practice (CoPs) serve youth, practitioners in youth-led and youth-serving organizations, students and staff of higher education institutions, and others advocating for gender-responsive and transformative youth work, including and beyond in higher education.

This event will include automatic English closed captioning (cc).