Gender Office of the Addis Ababa University (AAU) awarded female students, researchers, instructors and administrative staff for best performance during this academic year on a ceremony held at Eshetu Chole Hall on July 4, 2016.

The award was said to have been made to encourage female participation and empowerment in higher education institutions through which women can increase their ability to shape their life and environment, realize their full identity and power in all spheres to be independent and self-reliant.

High scoring female students of the graduating classes of 2016 from each college, along with academic and administrative staff were awarded during the occasion.

Admasu Tsegaye (PhD.), AAU President, in his opening speech noted that the roles of women in different capacities tremendously benefit individuals, the community and the country at large. He also went on to say that a developmental endeavor without the active participation of women is like an attempt to clap with a single hand.

“Ever since the last few decades when the government of Ethiopia accorded due attention to women empowerment, Ethiopian women have come forward exercising power at different capacities to establish their own roles across a plethora of walks of life,” he added. He also stated that Addis Ababa University is working to increase female participation in research, teaching and leadership.

Hirut Woldemariam (PhD.), Vice President for Institutional Development, while presenting her research paper entitled “Why are women absent from research and leadership positions in higher education institutions?” depicted that women are still under the historic perpetual dominance of their male counterparts despite the recent commitment to women empowerment.

She singled out the assignment of women to less important activities, lack of awareness on the actual value of women by themselves and lack of role models as major challenges for women empowerment.

The award ceremony was held in the presence of university high level administrators and the university community in general.

Similarly, the Gender Office of the College of Natural and Computational Sciences also organized a recognition ceremony on July 5, 2016 for high scoring female students, instructors who offered tutorials for female students, graduating members of the girls club and for others who supported the office in one way or another.