INFLUENCE OF GENDER AWARENESS COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ON GENDER KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE AMONG STAFF AND STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Gender awareness campaigns play significant roles in gender knowledge, attitude and practice. Globally, studies on gender awareness campaigns in higher education institutions have focused on gender equity and equality as determinants of successful gender awareness campaigns. However, little attention has been given to the influence of communication channels on gender sensitisation programmes in Nigerian universities. Therefore, the communication channels employed in gender campaigns targeted at staff and students of University of Ibadan (UI) were investigated with a view to establishing how these channels have impacted their knowledge of, attitude to and practice of gender issues. Cognitive Dissonance and Standpoint theories were adopted as framework, while quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. Seven available communication materials from the UI Gender Mainstreaming Office were analysed. Respondents were selected through quota sampling technique from 14 faculties. A 62-item questionnaire was administered to 248 staff (133 males and 103 females) and a 70-item questionnaire was administered to 724 students (357 males and 362 females). Five female and four male staff among the university’s gender focal persons were purposively selected for In-depth interviews. Six gender-based sessions of Focus Group Discussion were conducted with 46 purposively selected hall executive members. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi Square at 0.05 level of significance, while qualitative data were analysed using explanation building technique. Contents of the gender messages focused on gender equality, gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Staff selected T-shirts and branded backpacks (59.3%), billboards (55.2%), workshops/seminars (51.6%) and UI Diamond Radio jingles (47.6%) as the major communication channels through which they received gender messages. Students received gender messages predominantly through the channels of social media (66.8%), orientation programmes for fresh students (56.2%), billboards (54.5%) and workshops/seminars (52.7%). Knowledge of gender messages communicated through the selected channels was better among female (x̅=25.68; SD=3.91) than male (x̅=25.34; SD=3.62) staff; it was better among female (x̅=26.50; SD=2.66) than male (x̅=25.00; SD=4.44) students. Attitude to the gender messages was better among female (x̅=22.03; SD=5.38) than male (x̅=20.66; SD=5.09) staff, and better among female (x̅=30.61; SD=6.03) than male (x̅=30.32; SD=5.99) students. While practice of gender-friendly messages was better among female (x̅=29.99; SD=3.66) than male (x̅=29.31; SD=4.06) staff, it was better among female (x̅=32.50; SD=4.95) than male (x̅=29.26; SD=4.12) students. Communication channels used in gender awareness programmes significantly influenced male and female staff’s knowledge (χ2=506.251), but not their attitude and practice. However, male and female students’ knowledge, attitude and practice were not significantly influenced by communication channels. Male staff and students’ negative attitude to gender awareness messages was explained by their dissatisfaction with the predominantly pro-female stance taken on gender issues during gender training workshops, and the perception that the University Management did not do enough in handling gender issue cases. Exposure to the University’s gender awareness communication channels produced higher gender knowledge, attitude and practice among female staff and students than their male counterparts. The University should expand her gender policy to address male gender deficits.