Article: Mexican gender policies in practice: two grad students Journal: International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies (IJGSDS) 2015 Vol.1 No.1 pp.63 - 76 Abstract: In theory, gender discrimination policies provide all students with a comparable degree of access to a healthy learning environment. In practice, however, such policies represent a necessary but insufficient measure in promoting gender equity. The main reason is simple: gender discrimination policies that support female students are not necessarily applied in countries such as Mexico, or they are applied so inconsistently that results are mediocre. Although nationally, efforts have been made to establish policies that combat gender discrimination, little attention has been paid to whether or not female students' needs are met by them. This study examines two case studies in which women made brave attempts to see gender discrimination policies put to work. Their limited success is telling and suggests that the establishment of policies does not guarantee a safe environment for graduate students. Until such policies are taken seriously by the appropriate authorities, both within and beyond the academic sphere, they do not result in clear procedures for dealing with complaints. Under such circumstances, even the best policy would prove ineffectual. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Mexican gender policies in practice: two grad students

Authors: Elida Sanchez-Cruz; Nareli Cruz-Cortes

Addresses: El Colegio de Veracruz, Carrillo Puerto #26, C.P. 91000, Xalapa, Ver., Mexico ' Centro de Investigacion en Computacion del Instituto Politecnico Nacional (CIC-IPN), Av. Juan de Dios Batiz s/n casi esq. Othon de Mendizabal, Unidad Profesional Adolfo Lopez Mateos Col., Nueva Industrial Vallejo, Delegacion Gustavo A. Madero, C.P 07738, D.F., Mexico

Abstract: In theory, gender discrimination policies provide all students with a comparable degree of access to a healthy learning environment. In practice, however, such policies represent a necessary but insufficient measure in promoting gender equity. The main reason is simple: gender discrimination policies that support female students are not necessarily applied in countries such as Mexico, or they are applied so inconsistently that results are mediocre. Although nationally, efforts have been made to establish policies that combat gender discrimination, little attention has been paid to whether or not female students' needs are met by them. This study examines two case studies in which women made brave attempts to see gender discrimination policies put to work. Their limited success is telling and suggests that the establishment of policies does not guarantee a safe environment for graduate students. Until such policies are taken seriously by the appropriate authorities, both within and beyond the academic sphere, they do not result in clear procedures for dealing with complaints. Under such circumstances, even the best policy would prove ineffectual.

Keywords: Mexico; gender discrimination; gender policies; higher education; female students; student safety; safe environments; graduate students.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGSDS.2015.067925

International Journal of Gender Studies in Developing Societies, 2015 Vol.1 No.1, pp.63 - 76

Received: 26 Sep 2013
Accepted: 22 Mar 2014
Published online: 31 Mar 2015 *

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Title: Mexican gender policies in practice: two grad students

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