Igualdade de gênero: avaliação em uma instituição pública de ensino superior na Paraíba

Abstract

In recent years, the pursuit of gender equality in society has become a global endeavor. Thisisevidenced by the fact that the United Nations (UN) has included Gender Equality as oneofitsSustainable Development Goals (SDG 5). Despite this, achieving this goal remains distant invarious sectors of society, according to some of the leading international gender equalityindices. In the academic environment, there are still few studies that provide an overviewofinequality within higher education institutions in Brazil and globally. This studyassesses,based on primary data, the state of gender equality at the Federal Universityof Paraíba(UFPB), specifically within two centers with distinct characteristics: the Center for Human,Social, and Applied Sciences (CCHLA) and the Center for Computer Science (CI). Theanalysis was conducted using data on faculty, students, and administrative staff, consideringthe presence of women and men in undergraduate courses, postgraduate programs, leadershiproles in departments and coordinations, and in research and extension programs at UFPBduring 2022 and 2023. Data on training, health, paternity and maternity leaves, andtheservices provided by the Committee for the Prevention and Addressing of ViolenceAgainstWomen (Comu) were also considered. After a detailed analysis of the quantitative data, theGEHEI – Gender Inequality Index in Higher Education Institutions was applied. Theresultsreveal that the two centers exhibit distinct characteristics regarding gender inequality. TheCIis notably unequal, with the vast majority of leadership and power positions heldbymen. Incontrast, the CCHLA, although predominantly female at both the undergraduateandpostgraduate levels, still has a high proportion of men in leadership and power positions. Thus,the data from this study show that men are able to attain higher positions of power andleadership even in a predominantly female environment (CCHLA)