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To commemorate International Women's Day, rectors of CRUCH universities published messages highlighting the importance of continuing to promote actions aimed at transforming the Council's institutions into benchmarks for gender mainstreaming and the eradication of violence.
On the occasion of this important milestone, the rector of the University of O'Higgins, Fernanda Kri, and the coordinator of the CRUCH Gender Equality Commission, Angélica Marín, indicated that during 2025 progress will be made in incorporating the gender perspective into the training processes and study plans of the universities.
To commemorate International Women's Day this March 8, the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) reaffirmed its commitment to human rights and gender equality, through the publication of videos and opinion columns from the highest authorities of the institutions that comprise it.
Through messages on the CRUCH social networks, rectors and other representatives of the educational institutions agreed on the importance of continuing to promote actions aimed at transforming the Council's institutions into benchmarks for gender mainstreaming and the eradication of violence.
The Rector of the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences (UMCE), Elisa Araya, She stated that “as a member institution of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities, we reaffirm this March 8th our commitment to women, to their development in education, research, and management.” She added that “as a pedagogical university, we understand that when women advance, all of society advances.”.
The Rector of the University of La Serena (USerena), Luperfina Rojas; he Rector of the Arturo Prat University (UNAP), Alberto Martínez; and the Vice-Rector of the University of Los Lagos (ULAgos), Marcia Adams; They valued CRUCH's commitment to parity and overcoming gaps in the participation of women and diversity in science, technology, innovation and knowledge.
He Rector of the Catholic University of the Holy Conception (UCSC), Cristhian Mellado, He stated that “in accordance with our institutional principles, we seek to collaborate with society so that higher education is a space where learning takes place considering equity and good treatment.”.
For his part, the Rector of the University of Atacama (UDA), Forlín Aguilera, She highlighted the importance of integrating a gender perspective into higher education and professional training, and the Rector of the Austral University of Chile (UACH), José Dörner, referred to “the need to propose policies, procedures, actions and goals that favor the development of a diverse, inclusive and equitable community in the distribution of rights, opportunities, burdens and responsibilities.”.
The communications campaign for International Women's Day (March 8th) was launched by the Gender Equality Commission and the Communications Department of the CRUCH (Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities), with the collaboration of the gender and communications offices of the various universities. The initiative will run until Friday, March 14th.
All videos can be viewed via Instagram (@councilofrectors) and LinkedIn (Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities – CRUCH)
Rights, equality and empowerment
This year 2025, the United Nations (UN) invites us to commemorate International Women's Day under the theme: “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”.
According to the UN, This means “expanding equality of rights, power and opportunities for all, with a feminist future in which no one is left behind. The empowerment of the next generation is at the heart of this idea, as young people, especially young women and adolescent girls, will be the protagonists of lasting change in the future.”.
How does this call translate into the university setting?
Fernanda Kri, rector of the University of O'Higgins and head of the CRUCH Gender Equality Commission, states that “”Equal rights, power, and equal opportunities are fundamental to building a fairer society, which is what we are working towards.“ But, to ensure the strength of these changes and that they endure in the future, ”I would like to emphasize that we need to work with future generations, with new generations, but also with the present ones. And we need to work with all people, of all genders; it is very important to work with everyone, because this is not just a women’s issue, it is an issue for society as a whole,” she affirms.
According to the Coordinator of the CRUCH Gender Equality Commission, Angélica Marín, “One of the main advances to contribute to these dimensions raised by the United Nations are the gender policies themselves which, through their lines, especially the training line, propose that those who are trained in our universities incorporate this gender perspective into their studies, into their disciplines.”.
Marín, who also serves as Executive Secretary of the Gender and Sexuality Office at the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences (UMCE), adds that “for universities that train teachers, it is a step forward that they are incorporating these perspectives, especially in classroom practices, in the training process of their students, so that today these changes are generated in school and educational spaces, so that girls can see and recognize the contribution of women, not only in science, art, and literature, but in all the disciplines they are learning in schools.”.
On the other hand, universities provide a space for women to take center stage. Therefore, “it is important that women participate in various decision-making spaces, in internal governance spaces, and in the leadership positions of staff and student associations,” says Marín.
Commission priorities for 2025
During 2024, the CRUCH Gender Equality Commission aimed to address the integration of a gender perspective into university training processes and curricula. This year, the priority will be to advance along the same lines and also to implement equality plans in universities.
“The issue of mainstreaming a gender perspective in education, at all levels, from primary school to university, is a complex one that cannot be resolved overnight. It was a focus for the commission in 2024 and will continue to be a focus in 2025,” says Rector Kri.
The rector explains that “first the programs are designed, but then the teachers of the different professions have to be trained so that what has been designed is actually implemented. This has many facets from the point of view of training, but also from the point of view of research.”.
Similarly, the commission coordinator, Angélica Marín, confirms the need to further integrate a gender perspective into training processes, as well as other topics such as human rights, prevention of gender-based violence, and discrimination. She states that “it is important that the training of professionals considers a gender perspective, thus contributing to reducing inequalities in the workplace.”.
Furthermore, “the commission will continue the process of developing and implementing equality plans that contribute to institutionalizing measures in different areas. Obviously, these plans cover training, research, the eradication of violence, labor relations and conditions, the institutionalization of regulations, and the shared social responsibility for care,” Marín points out.
Text: CRUCH Communications
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