The Center for Gender Studies (CGS) is the first and prominent academic institution for the study of gender in Ethiopia. Initially, it started as a Center for Research, Training and Information on Women in Development (CERTWID) in September 1991 through a project agreement between the Ethiopian Government and UNFPA. Initially, CERTWID was established as one of the units of the then Institute of Development Research (IDR) at Addis Ababa University. In September 2000, the center became an independent unit, reporting directly to the Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. The University upgraded CERTWID to an independent teaching and research institute, named as Institute of Gender Studies in 2006, which then became part of the newly established College of Development Studies (CDS) in 2008.

VISION

The Center for Gender Studies aspires becoming a Center of Excellence for the study and research on gender. It envisions to become one of the top five gender studies and research centers in Africa that plays critical roles in generating, translating, and disseminating knowledge on both strategic and instrumental gender issues-knowledge that informs, influences and shapes development practice, policy, decision, and research towards the attainment of gender equality in Ethiopia.

GOALS

CGS’s main goal is to develop conceptual, theoretical and practical understandings of gender and its importance in social transformation in Ethiopia. Through vitalized graduate education, short-term specialized training, research, advisory, and other community services, and by acting in harmony with other like-minded academic institutions, policy makers, and national and international organizations, CGS has the goal of strengthening the intellectual and leadership capacity of those working toward the attainment of gender equality and the creation of a society where women and girls unleash their agency and become properly-recognized active players in, and owners and beneficiaries of, the overall growth and development efforts and outcomes in the country.

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the Center is to undertake graduate teaching, research and advisory, as well as community services in gender studies so as to advance the pursuit of academic excellence in Addis Ababa University.

The Center aims to increase and nurture the interface between and/or among academia, policy makers, governmental and non-governmental actors working towards the attainment of gender equality in Ethiopia.

STRATEGIES

Our strategy is knowledge production and dissemination through research, teaching and public engagement.