02/08/2026
On July 30, 2026, the 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐮𝐳𝐨𝐧, through the 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫, in collaboration with 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐆𝐀𝐃) 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭,𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐘𝐏𝐎) and 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢, successfully conducted the 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 with the theme: "𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓-𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕."
The program formally opened with welcome messages from 𝐃𝐫. 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐆. 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳, Dean of the College of BAHTM and Host of University-Wide Activities, and 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐁. 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐨, Assistant Director of the Office of Student Affairs and Services, emphasizing the University's commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and equitable academic community.
The program rationale was delivered by 𝐌𝐬. 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐃. 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠, GAD Coordinator, highlighting the importance of gender sensitivity in creating a safe and empowering learning environment. An engaging icebreaker activity followed, encouraging active participation and collaboration among students, faculty, and staff. The resource speaker was introduced by 𝐌𝐬. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐆. 𝐂𝐚𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞, Guidance Designate and Adviser of Psychenosi.
The highlight of the event was the seminar, "𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔, 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔," facilitated by 𝐌𝐬. 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐃. 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐨, a Registered Psychologist, Registered Psychometrician, and Gender and Development Educator. Through her insightful discussion, she emphasized that "𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲."
During the seminar, Ms. Madero deepened participants' understanding of 𝐒𝐞𝐱, 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐒𝐎𝐆𝐈𝐄) and the importance of respecting diversity and promoting inclusivity within educational institutions. She also discussed key national policies that safeguard gender equality and human rights, including 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐍𝐨. 9710 (𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧), 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐍𝐨. 11313 (𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐰), 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐦 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨. 1, 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 2015, which provides the policy framework on Gender and Development in higher education institutions. These discussions highlighted the shared responsibility of educational institutions in ensuring safe, equitable, and discrimination-free learning spaces where every individual is respected and protected.
The event continued with the Commitment Pledge Activity, led by 𝐌𝐬. 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐬, YPO Officer, where participants collectively affirmed their commitment to promoting gender equality, respect, and inclusivity within the University and beyond.
The program concluded with the Closing Remarks delivered by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐈𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐚 𝐄. 𝐂𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐥, Dean of the College of Education and Co-Host of University-Wide Activities, who encouraged everyone to transform the knowledge gained into meaningful actions that contribute to a more compassionate, respectful, and gender-responsive academic community.
This seminar further reinforced the University's commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly 𝐒𝐃𝐆 4 (𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧) by promoting inclusive and equitable learning opportunities; 𝐒𝐃𝐆 5 (𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲) by advocating equal rights and opportunities regardless of s*x or gender identity; 𝐒𝐃𝐆 10 (𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬) by fostering acceptance, respect, and non-discrimination; and 𝐒𝐃𝐆 16 (𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬) by encouraging campuses that uphold human rights, safety, accountability, and inclusive governance.
May this Gender and Development Program remind us that together, we can continue to champion gender equality, inclusivity, and mutual respect, because building a gender-sensitive campus begins with each one of us. 💜
