A Gender and Diversity Inclusion Audit at the University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda

This article discusses the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE)’s use of a Gender Equity and Diversity Inclusion Audit as a tool to mainstream gender and minority groups’ inclusion. The internal audit analysed gender and minority groups’ inclusiveness, sensitivity, and/or awareness in institutional programmes, projects, plans, practices, and policies and identified the gaps within. This article gives an overview on why and how UGHE (Rwanda) created a single tool for an internal audit covering both gender equity and minority inclusion, implemented by its Center for Gender Equity (CGE) with the participation of students, staff, and faculty from both its Butaro campus and Kigali headquarters in Rwanda. The tool is based on a four-part methodology that includes a desk review of official university documents, self-assessment questionnaires for employees and students, in-depth interviews, and consultative meetings with selected staff and UGHE leaders. The data collected through this robust audit allowed for the identification of gaps in the mainstreaming of gender and minority inclusion—the main ones are briefly discussed in the article, and this will guide the design of UGHE’s strategy to correct these. The gender mainstreaming strategy’s ultimate objective is advancing institutional equity.