Towards March 8 in Universities

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Currently, it is of utmost relevance for universities to encourage the participation of the entire community for reflection, action, and awareness of what we say, follow, and share, as well as to position ourselves as change agents in the spaces we physically inhabit and the digital ones.

This year, in the framework of March 8, a date to commemorate women’s journey in search of equality, the United Nations invites us to reflect on the worldwide gender gap in education and digitalization. Although the National Survey on Availability and Use of Information Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH) 2021^[1] mentions that more than 90% of the general population has access to a mobile device with internet, it is essential to question what information they have access to; that is, access is necessary, but it is worth reflecting on the content that women access. Is it quality content? Does it contribute to reducing this gap? Access to technology is the first step in a series of actions to build gender equality in the digital sphere.

On the other hand, we cannot fail to mention that although technology is an opportunity, it also becomes another place where women can experience digital gender violence. During the pandemic, because technology was the means to communicate with other people, it became evident that digital platforms also are a place to make messages “go viral” with sexist and even misogynistic overtones towards women and sexual diversity, evidence that social networks are not always safe spaces.

At Tecnológico de Monterrey, several programs promote women’s integration into historically masculine careers, especially in technology-related areas, opening spaces for women from different disciplines. Regarding the issue of gender violence, we emphasize human dignity through our points of attention and have people in charge of carrying out our protocol of prevention and attention to gender violence; we also address issues of discrimination based on identity, orientation, or gender, as well as information on the cases addressed in our annual transparency reports.

We want to mention that, although we work to disseminate these issues within the institution every day, there is a long way to go regarding co-responsibility to impact the Tec community internally, and we work to be agents of change for gender equality issues at other universities.

Finally, we invite you to approach the Office of Gender and Safe Community through the points of attention or write to us at escuchandote@itesm.mx

Activities agenda for the 8th of March: https://tec.mx/es/dignidad-humana

Directory of points of attention: https://tec.mx/es/dignidad-humana/genero-y-comunidad-segura

Transparency reports: https://tec.mx/es/dignidad-humana/transparencia

Office of Gender and Safe Community
Center for the Recognition of Human Dignity
karlaurriola@tec.mx
soniacastaneda@tec.mx
mildred.mendoza@tec.mx

^[1] National Survey on Availability and Use of Information Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH) 2021. Accessed 02 March 2023: https://www.inegi.org.mx/programas/dutih/2021/

Translation by Daniel Wetta