Georgetown University will partner with the United Nations HeForShe campaign and pursue initiatives to advance gender equality on its campus and in society, University President John J. DeGioia announced at a launch event Tuesday.
HeForShe is an international movement that encourages men and boys to advocate for gender equality. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.N. Women Global Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson launched the campaign in 2014.
In a university statement, DeGioia wrote that Georgetown is proud to support HeForShe and its mission.
“Georgetown is proud to stand with HeForShe and its work to empower women and girls worldwide,” DeGioia wrote. “Many in our world community, and especially women, are faced with significant challenges to the basic right to social justice and to the conditions that allow for human flourishing.”
As a partner, the university will use its Institute for Women, Peace and Security to publish and exhibit articles on issues that relate to peace and security studies, launch a new study on the impact of women’s roles in resolving political conflict and pursuing sustainable peace and expand its international consortium, which brings together academics and peace workers.
Georgetown will also strengthen its response to sexual assault issues on campus using information gathered from this year’s campus climate survey and expand its sexual assault prevention training programs as part of the partnership, such as “I Am Ready,” “Think About It” and “RESPECT.”
Finally, Georgetown will encourage an academic and professional culture tailored to promoting female students, faculty, staff and alumni through the Georgetown Women’s Alliance.
DeGioia wrote in a university press release that Georgetown has a responsibility to work to improve gender equality.
“Universities have the unique capacity — and responsibility — to both model a commitment to gender equality within our own campus communities and to contribute to the movement globally through research and public discourse,” DeGioia wrote.
Executive Director of U.N. Women and leader of the HeForShe Initiative Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka spoke about Georgetown’s role as a champion for gender equality at the event Tuesday.
“Universities have the intellectual power, vision and optimism necessary to achieve gender equality,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
Georgetown was one of the only two U.S. universities selected, along with Stony Brook University in New York. Corporate partners include Twitter, Barclays and Tupperware Brands.
Jonathan Dromgoole (SFS ’16), who attended the event, wrote in the press release that he is proud to see Georgetown support the movement.
“I am proud to say that I am a HeForShe,” Dromgoole wrote. “Georgetown’s commitment to gender equality and the HeForShe campaign illustrates the university’s understanding of the importance of not just being men and women for others but humans for others.”
