Why universities must lead the conversation on gender equality

Universities are increasingly being challenged to move beyond their traditional role of teaching and research to become champions of gender equality, shaping conversations that influence society at large. This message resonated strongly during the celebration of International Women’s Day at the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), on 12 March 2026 in Dar es Salaam. The event highlighted how institutions of higher learning can serve as powerful platforms for advancing fairness, justice and opportunity for women. The university’s gender desk coordinator and a faculty member, Dr Mweru Mwingi, said universities must constantly interrogate their policies and practices to ensure they do not disadvantage women. “The slogan here is ‘give to gain’. The idea behind it is that women can grow women,” she said. “In an institution like this, you must ask yourself what rights we have, what rights we still do not have, and whether our policies treat women fairly.”