Addis Ababa University Women’s, Youth’s and Children’s Affairs Office, in collaboration with Sida Project, organized a half-day panel discussion under the theme “Empowering Female Students’: Recognizing their Academic Performance” on 21^st June, 2019 at Mandela Hall, 6 kilo campus.

The discussion mainly focused on issues pertaining to Female Academicians’ in Gender mainstreaming in Higher Education, the role of women in fighting sexual harassment and its legal aspects, and addressing gender related challenges in health. It also aimed at encouraging female students to cope with existing challenges in the university and motivating outstanding female students.

The panelists were Haregewoin Fantahun (PhD) from College of Education and Behavioral Studies, Dr. Mahlet Yigerm, Consultant and Gynecologist from College of Health Science, and Sefanit Mekonnen, a PhD candidate at AAU.

Prof. Tassew Woldehanna, President of Addis Ababa University, said in his opening speech, “Addis Ababa University has been persistently working to encourage female students’ competence in their education”.

“This academic year, for the first time in the history of the university, AAU appointed Dr. Emebet Mulugeta as an Academic Vice President and Dr. Mitike Molla as a Research and Technology Transfer Vice President”, he added.

Prof. Tassew asserted that the appointment of both is not affirmative, and that they were elected owing to their merits and leadership capacity.

According to Prof. Hirut Woldemariam, minister of Science and Higher Education, the appointment of women in key government positions such as President of the Federal Supreme Court and Chairperson of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia, including half of the ministerial positions, attests to the fact that women have great leadership capacities.

During the program, where government officials, university management, and students were in attendance, second year female students who scored highest grades have been awarded at college level.