Gender Equality and Preventing Sexual Harassment

METU Northern Cyprus Campus Office for Gender Equality Promotion and Sexual Harassment Prevention

 Gender equality is an integral part of the culture of METU and all components of the University are required to work in compliance with the principles of gender equality. The METU Northern Cyprus Campus Office for Gender Equality Promotion and Sexual Harassment Prevention started its activities in 2018 in this framework.

In the Directive for Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus Office for Gender Equality Promotion and Sexual Harassment Prevention, the goal of the Office is defined as follows:

“To raise awareness of gender equality, to promote a gender balanced representation, to raise awareness of and increase sensitivity towards gender based violence, particularly those incidents involving sexual harassment and assault, and to deal with cases of and provide support to victims and sufferers of gender based violence,”
In line with this goal, the Office will:

• Organize gender training and awareness raising activities for all units, students and staff members of the University, and for individuals who live or work at the Campus; provide the training and communication materials required,
• Collaborate with METU Gender and Women Studies Department and other units of the University to conduct research and projects and to publish materials on gender equality, discrimination, sexual harassment and assault,
• Identify the ratios of male and female representations of academic and administrative staff and students at METU and establish a ‘gender equality database’; ensure that all data collected and all analyses carried out in relation to the issue are shared with the relevant units, and that targets for gender equality are set and progress towards these targets is tracked periodically,
• Hold regular meetings with the working groups formed within the academic and administrative units,
• Carry out needs assessment focusing on precautions and safety measures to be taken by the University to ensure that sexual harassment and assault is prevented and present the results to the Office of the Campus President,
• Encourage the relevant academic and administrative units through information and warnings to take precautions to prevent cases of sexual harassment, assault, threat or retaliation,
• Prepare a ‘Harassment Prevention Guide’ on precautions that may be taken by individuals to avoid sexual harassment and/or assault,
• Receive allegations of sexual harassment and assault, evaluate the cases and present them to the Office of the Campus President,
• Provide information on available services and resources on or off university premises to individuals who have submitted an allegation of sexual harassment or assault to the Office,
• Identify legal and other support that can be received in line with the demands and needs of the complainants and cooperate with the relevant units and offices of the University in this regard.

In addition, if a disciplinary investigation is launched, under the applicable University regulations, into any allegations of sexual harassment or assault that is directed against an individual, an Inquiry Committee appointed by the Board of the Office will examine the allegation and review the investigation process.  The results of the Committee's evaluation will be set forth in a written report, which will be presented to the disciplinary officer who launched the investigation.  If a disciplinary investigation is not launched into the allegation in question, or if the complainant is not covered by the University disciplinary regulations, the Office shall provide support to the complainant in this regard and inform him/her of available services and resources.

The Directive for Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus Office for Gender Equality Promotion and Sexual Harassment Prevention is available via this link. For any issue related to your submissions, you can contact Linda Bahar Can Sabah, Coordinator (Administrative Building, 1st Floor, Office of Institutional Relations and Communication, extension: 2105, lindametu.edu.tr )