On a remarkable Tuesday evening (Dec. 19) at the Bangsal Kepatihan, the Yogyakarta Governor, Sri Sultan HB X, presented the esteemed Gender Champion Award to Professor Wening Udasmoro, the UGM Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching.
The Gender Champion accolade is a recognition bestowed upon individuals, be they private citizens, officials, activists, or community figures, who exhibit genuine concern for advancing and encouraging gender mainstreaming, contributing significantly to achieving gender equality in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.
“There are several fields. For me, this award is given in education,” shared the vice-rector when reflecting on the honor received.
Her commitment to propelling gender mainstreaming initiatives at UGM played a pivotal role in securing this accolade.
She is acknowledged for positioning UGM as an inclusive campus and working towards narrowing disparities in education. Notably, her efforts in preventing and addressing sexual violence and other forms of violence were crucial factors in clinching this award.
“Before the Minister of Education Regulation, we already had UGM Rector Regulation Number 1 of 2020 concerning the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence by the UGM Community,” she disclosed.
Professor Udasmoro pointed out that despite the worldwide equilibrium in the number of undergraduate students between men and women and equal opportunities in science, the chance for women to progress to higher academic levels, such as master’s or doctoral degrees, tends to be limited.
“Therefore, broader opportunities for women, especially from vulnerable groups, need to be opened up more widely in education,” she emphasized.
Highlighting the issue of violence, whether verbal, sexual, psychological, or symbolic, in the educational landscape, Professor Udasmoro passionately urged for its immediate eradication from the education sector.
Apart from her role as vice-rector, Dr. Wening Udasmoro holds the position of professor in literature and gender studies at the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences.
In her professorial speech, titled “Transformative Masculinity: Violence and Moving Subjects in the Dynamics of Literature and Culture,” she delves into the intricate exploration of how everyone inherits a dynasty of violence, a narrative transmitted through various stories—oral, written, or visual.
Author: Satria