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5. Gender Equality Policy

Policy Statement

This policy will be the guiding principles and requirements for gender equality at the University with the view to promote women empowerment to achieve global environmental benefits and opportunities. It puts greater emphasize on the eradication of all kinds of discriminations against women as part of the University concerns for social justice and development effectiveness.

Background and Justification

Gender equality has become recently one of the important fields by which the quality and effectiveness of an academic institution are assessed. Gender equality is vital for sustainable development where all members of the society are treated with respect and dignity. Staff members and students shall be given equal opportunities for the realization of their full potential during their academic or professional journey with respect to seeking education or work respectively.

In line with the Saudi government signature of the multiple international declarations and conventions on human rights and freedoms, the University is committed to its role as an academic institution to combat all forms of gender inequalities in all types of its activities.

Scope and Purpose

• In line with core values and principles the University should put all the means to promote gender equality in a working environment where all PSU community; including employees (either full-time or part-time) and students are treated with respect and dignity.
• This policy is an internal guiding document which setting a join vision, priorities, and process to integrate gender equality perspective to all.
• Gender equality means that women and men enjoy the same status and equal opportunity to fulfill their rights and to contribute to national, political, economic, social and culture development.
• Gender equality is the equal valuing by society of both the similarities and differences between men and women and the different roles they are playing in the society.
• The main purpose of this policy is to further elaborate on the non-discrimination policy and emphasize equal participation and accessibility to all university services, facilities and opportunities for female faculty and students.
• This policy is read together with the other University’s policies:
  • Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy: https://www.psu.edu.sa/en/GV0007-accessibility-non-discrimination-and-harassment-policy
  • Compliance Investigation Policy: https://www.psu.edu.sa/en/GV0007-accessibility-non-discrimination-and-harassment-policy
  • Compliance Reporting Policy: https://psu.edu.sa/en/cop003-compliance-reporting-policy
  • Disciplinary Policy: https://psu.edu.sa/en/cop005-disciplinary-policy

Principles of the Policy

Universality:

• All PSU students, and teaching and non-teaching employees including women and men, are entitled to all PSU Rights and duties based on their roles, irrespective of cultures and their diversity, religious values and traditional practices, which can negatively impact females.
• PSU’s admission, registration, and graduation regulations are applied equally to all men and women.
• To respect the privacy of female students and encourage them to apply and participate, PSU establishes dedicated facilities and services, such as Admission and Registration office, Student Affair office, Academic Advising Center, Writing and Tutoring Center, a special sport facility, central library with full access to all resources in English and Arabic, special mentoring programs, and special COOP office.

Equality and non-discrimination

• Female students avail the same opportunities and resources to establish councils/clubs, societies, research labs, PSU facilities such as classrooms, computer labs, other special labs such as Physics, Chemistry and conduct extracurricular activities.
• Female students are allowed to participate in national, regional, and international events such as conferences, competitions, summer trips etc.
• PSU applies the same pay scale for both female and male faculty members and non-academic employees. Salaries and allowances are based on the description of the job and position irrespective of the gender.

Participation and Inclusion:

• There is an equal access to representation of male and female faculty members in the administrative Committees at the university, college, and department level as well as the department and College Council.
• Female faculty are not excluded from equal participation in the administration of academic and non-academic departments. For every department in PSU, either the chair or the co-chair is a female faculty.
• The faculty are equally participating in the field of research and are equally approved (avail sabbatical leaves) leaves (emergency leaves, sick leave, unpaid leave) irrespective of the gender.
• The female students are encouraged to enroll in the program that is suitable with their qualifications.

Definitions

Gender: It refers to male and female, especially when considered with reference to biological differences and social and culture differences. It also refers to the characteristic of women and men, that are socially constructed. This may include the norms, common behavior and the roles associated with being either a woman or a man.

Gender Equality: It refers to equal enjoyment by women and men of socially valued opportunities, resources, and advantages. It does not mean that men and women are the same but the equality is in terms of opportunities offered to them equally. Gender equality shall enhance programs and policies aiming at promoting equal access to opportunities and increasing women empowerment and control over decision making.

Discrimination: In this policy discrimination means when a person or group of people are treated less favorably or differently than another group of people in comparable situation.

Gender discrimination: It includes unjust and differential treatment of a person or a group of people based on their gender.

Responsibilities and Implementation Strategies

• The PSU senior and middle level administration are responsible for ensuring that male and female student, staff, and faculty are equally treated while carrying out the work-related responsibilities towards them.
• All these stakeholders are responsible to be familiar with the policy regulations.
• The Compliance and Legal office is responsible to take suitable actions if any of the stakeholders complaints about the principles related to this policy.
• The strategies to be adopted by the University shall be as follows; (but not limited to)
  • focus on promoting awareness and cultural and gender equality, enhance gender equality education;
  • ensure equal rights to work and equal access to opportunities by providing support for women to advance their careers;
  • encourage women representation and participation in the different councils of the university, including the College Council and the University Council;
  • eradicate all forms of discrimination or violence against women either they are staff or students.

Procedures for Handling Policy Violations

Modes of initiation of complaints on violations: (Any one of the following modes will be accepted)

1. Report to the line managers Line managers are responsible for ensuring the implementation of this policy:
   • to record the complaint received from his employees
   • to investigate the complaint and verify the accuracy of the report and evidence
   • to submit the complaint to the disciplinary board through the Compliance Office
2. Report to the Compliance Office The report can be verbal or written.
3. Report through Google Form The form is available online at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjg2h2pXnraXMmgHnU_aSADrHw9fdF7g4vlE9IPmvOJP9opA/viewform

Procedures of the Office of Compliance and Legal Manager

Upon receiving the report of violation from any mode either (1) or (2) or (3) above the Senior Compliance and Legal Manager shall analyze the report and identify the type of cases either it is no basis (no prima facie) or disciplinary or a grievance.

On the other hand, if the report received from the complainant is not complete, the Senior Compliance and Legal manager may request further evidence from the complainant (if necessary) upon which the complainant shall response within 7 days. Otherwise, the report shall be considered as not valid and consequently it will be closed.

In a situation where the Senior Compliance and Legal Manager is satisfied there is a case (prima facie), it shall be presented either before the Grievance Board or Disciplinary Board, as the case maybe.

The respective Board shall conduct the hearing and gives initial recommendations. Such recommendations shall be forwarded to the Senior Compliance and Legal Manager for final decision.

Within 7 days after the final decision is issued by the Senior Compliance and Legal Manager, the affected party/ies may file an appeal. Such an appeal shall be presented before the Higher Disciplinary & Grievance Board (HDGB). The Senior Compliance & Legal Manager will update the decision/verdict of the HDGB who shall then release the said decision/verdict to the Office of President.

On the other hand, if no appeal is filed, the Senior Compliance & Legal Manager shall release the decision/verdict directly to the Office of President.

References

1. UN-SDG No. 5: Gender Equality https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1900unwomen_surveyreport_advance_16oct.pdf
2. UN Charter of 1945 (Gender equality is the principle enshrined in this Charter) https://www.un.org/en/
3. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 1979 https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cedaw.pdf