NGO Profile: Equality Committee of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAM Contemporary Approaches to Educational Problems Ed 855.716: Spring 2014
Name of Organization
Equality Committee of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education Univesity website: http://www.itesm.mx/ Equality Committee Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ComiteEquality/ Equality Network Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/EqualityNetwork/380105715352595 Equality Website: http://www.equality-network.net/ Berenice Angelica Martnez: bamartin@itesm.mx; Skype: bereniceangelica CC: Luz Mara Velzquez: lvelazquez@itesm.mx Access and Equity (social innovation) Mexico Member of the Equality Committee of Tecnolgico de Monterrey. Created recently by the sponsor of the European Commission (Esquema ALFA III). We have been working actively for the last semester empowering the women through courses, awards; meetings to directors were the aim is not only to wake up awareness for human rights and the lack of equal opportunities, but also to empower women. Monterrey is well known as the industrial and business center and the wealthiest city among Mxico, Monterrey is a main base for internationals companies. Related to their culture, the city is very rich but also is much Americanized. In terms of education, Monterrey provides one of the best educations even though our challenge remains the lack of equal opportunities and womens leadership. Tecnolgico de Monterrey is one of the most prestigious private university in Mxico well known as promote the entrepreneurship spirit among all students, has more than 20 campuses in Mxico, also is very congruent related to the strategies it creates; the university got a certification for the number of women registered as students. Equality committee main functions are: Understand the equality and women leadership quo status (womens mentoring + networking). Promote the inclusion of women as leaders in job positions at the University (The percentage of women in strategy positions is very low). Create awareness through projects, actions and practices emphasizing gender equality and womens leadership

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Mission and Vision

 RESEARCH CHALLENGE

Make visible the actions of the womens movement Promote inclusive language Promote safe classroom- safe office safe campus related to the gender equality and non-violence. Offer training about gender equality and women leadership.

Our premise is that girls education, particularly equity and empowerment, can be promoted by providing role models of strong, successful women in leadership positions. In our case, those positions are at the university. It is one thing to promote access to education, but if leads to a dead end, we are setting up girls for failure. Our focus is on how women in our Institution can take advantage of, and create, equal opportunities (example: scientific areas) and assume job positions inside the institution. We seek research support to determine how to both explore gender gaps and to develop a theory of change that can serve as a guide to develop womens leadership at our institutions. In doing so, we believe we can provide tangible examples for girls and cascade such an endeavor throughout the country. PROGRAM and CONTEXT In this project, the committee has a role inside the university as group that active participate in actions, as a consultant in topics related to equality, equity and women leadership. Has 36 members (women and men) between teachers, directors, administrative and NGOs (external). We are focusing on women inside the university (students and employees from all levels and careers). The values of the Equality committee are: gender equality, equity, honesty, respect and inclusive language. Our latest activities are: Arte y Equidad Tec 21 Award to promote gender equality by creating an art award for students/employees inside the university Training course called Networking Femenino (women networking) here was promoted to different universities. 42 participants. Meetings with deans and directors inside the University, we have diverse results as one of them was in a receptive level, participated and others willing to approach the topic to their teams. Event called Los retos de las mujeres en la toma de decisiones decisions making). 200 participants. HR department check the inclusion language for job positions. Proposal to prevent and be aware of the harassment. Course in Gender and Human Rights for employees (administrative, teachers and directors). (The women challenge in

It is important to mention that the committee does not have an official office at the University. We have the support of Equality Network, but the barrier for us is our glass ceiling (external) and, internally, in the lack of opportunities or womens empowerment, made more difficult by a patriarchal set of values that promotes bias towards women and does not include women in essential networks dominated by men. In addition, women are not conscious about their rights.

We have women in job positions for more than 10 years without the ability to move up. We seek to learn and find key effective strategies to accelerate our goals instead of waiting another decade before change can take place. Currently we are promoting the Mujer Tec 2014 Award, the aim of which is to recognize the women whose work and achievements should be highlighted inside the university. This award has six categories: Leadership, Art, Research, Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Health and Sport, Citizenship, and Conciliation.