Non-Discrimination Against Women Policy

1. Purpose

This policy affirms An-Najah National University’s commitment to gender equality, non-discrimination, and fairness throughout its academic, professional, and social environment.

It seeks to ensure that no woman—including students, faculty members, researchers, administrative staff, applicants, and visitors—experiences discrimination based on sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, maternity, or family responsibilities. It guarantees equal rights and opportunities and establishes protections against sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behaviour, intimidation, gender-based violence, and retaliation.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All University employees, including academic and administrative staff.

• All students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programmes.

• Applicants for admission, employment, scholarships, and research opportunities.

• Visitors, partners, contractors, service providers, and other individuals interacting with the University community.

• All programmes, activities, and services conducted under the University’s name or sponsorship.

Its requirements extend to all University campuses, facilities, affiliated environments, research activities, fieldwork, placements, University-sponsored travel and events, and digital communications connected with University study, employment, or activities.

3. Policy Statement

An-Najah National University (ANNU) shall maintain an inclusive environment that promotes equality, respect, dignity, and safety.

The University shall:

1. Prohibit direct and indirect discrimination against women in admission, recruitment, employment, promotion, compensation, assessment, research, participation, access to services, and decision-making.

2. Ensure equal access for women to education, scholarships, employment, leadership positions, research opportunities, training, and professional development.

3. Prohibit unfavourable treatment arising from pregnancy, maternity, marital status, or family and caring responsibilities.

4. Prohibit sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behaviour, intimidation, gender-based violence, and retaliation.

5. Promote gender awareness, inclusion, and women’s empowerment through education, training, and institutional practice.

6. Support women’s participation in governance structures, committees, and institutional decision-making.

7. Ensure that University procedures and decisions use transparent, relevant criteria free from gender bias.

Women shall enjoy these protections without discrimination based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability, age, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, health status, place of residence, or economic and social circumstances.

4. Guiding Principles

• Equality: Women shall have equal rights, opportunities, and access to University education, employment, activities, and services.

• Respect and dignity: Every individual shall be treated respectfully and protected from degrading, intimidating, or offensive conduct.

• Transparency: Admission, recruitment, promotion, assessment, and other institutional decisions shall follow clear criteria and fair procedures.

• Accountability: Violations shall be addressed through accessible reporting mechanisms, impartial investigations, and appropriate action.

• Confidentiality: Information concerning complaints shall be shared only where necessary to investigate, provide support, ensure procedural fairness, or meet applicable obligations.

• Protection against retaliation: Individuals shall be protected when reporting concerns in good faith, providing evidence, or participating in investigations.

• Empowerment: The University shall support women’s leadership, participation, capacity development, and career advancement.

5. Prohibited Conduct

5.1 Discrimination against women

Prohibited discrimination includes:

• Excluding or disadvantaging women in education, employment, research, leadership, or University services because of sex or gender.

• Applying unequal admission, recruitment, promotion, pay, assessment, or disciplinary standards.

• Denying opportunities because of pregnancy, maternity, marital status, or family responsibilities.

• Applying apparently neutral requirements that unjustifiably disadvantage women.

• Subjecting women to degrading treatment, gender-based stereotypes, intimidation, or exclusion.

5.2 Sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual behaviour

The University prohibits unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non-verbal, physical, written, visual, or digital.

Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Unwelcome sexual conversations or the sharing or display of sexual content.

• Unwelcome comments or jokes of a personal or sexual nature, including remarks about a person’s body, appearance, or private life.

• Obscene gestures.

• Unwanted touching, hugging, kissing, or other physical contact.

• Indecent exposure, exposing private body parts, or inappropriate disrobing.

• Masturbation in public or in shared University environments.

• Unwanted sexual advances, repeated sexual propositions, or requests for sexual favours.

• Sexual messages, images, recordings, or other content communicated through email, social media, messaging platforms, or online learning environments.

• Offering academic, employment, financial, or other benefits in exchange for sexual compliance, or threatening adverse treatment following refusal.

• Sexual coercion, assault, stalking, or other forms of gender-based violence.

Conduct may constitute a violation whether it occurs once or repeatedly and regardless of the position or seniority of the person responsible. Describing conduct as a joke or claiming an absence of harmful intent does not, by itself, excuse a violation.

5.3 Retaliation

Retaliation is prohibited against anyone who reports a concern in good faith, seeks support, provides evidence, witnesses misconduct, or participates in an investigation.

Retaliation includes threats, intimidation, exclusion, adverse academic or employment treatment, or other punitive actions connected with reporting or participation.

6. Implementation Mechanisms

To implement this policy, ANNU shall:

• Establish or designate a Gender and Equality Committee responsible for monitoring compliance, advising University leadership, and developing gender mainstreaming measures.

• Provide regular training for staff, faculty, and students on gender equality, non-discrimination, sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behaviour, and reporting procedures.

• Integrate gender equality considerations into institutional planning, admission, recruitment, promotion, and performance evaluation.

• Maintain accessible and confidential reporting channels, including an option for anonymous reporting.

• Publicise reporting procedures through official University channels.

• Review institutional practices to identify and address barriers affecting women.

• Communicate applicable requirements to contractors, partners, and service providers.

• Publish annual summaries of progress on gender equality and policy implementation without identifying complainants or disclosing confidential case information.

7. Roles and Responsibilities

• University President: Ensures institutional oversight, implementation, and appropriate resources.

• Deanship of Student Affairs: Supports implementation among students, receives student concerns, and coordinates appropriate support and complaint referrals.

• Human Resources Department: Integrates equality into employment procedures and receives or coordinates staff complaints.

• Gender and Equality Committee: Monitors compliance, reviews institutional practices, advises on corrective measures, and oversees policy evaluation.

• Designated investigating committee: Conducts impartial investigations in accordance with University regulations, with members disclosing and avoiding conflicts of interest.

• Deans, department heads, supervisors, and programme leaders: Apply the policy within their areas of responsibility and refer reported concerns through the appropriate procedures.

• All staff and students: Uphold the policy, refrain from prohibited conduct, and cooperate with properly authorised investigations.

• Visitors, contractors, and partners: Comply with this policy when participating in University activities or interacting with the University community.

8. Complaint and Redress Procedures

8.1 Reporting

Any person covered by this policy may report discrimination, sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behaviour, gender-based violence, or retaliation.

Reports may be submitted through the Deanship of Student Affairs, Human Resources Department, or the University’s designated complaints mechanism, as appropriate. If a complaint concerns someone responsible for receiving reports, it may be referred to an alternative responsible office or University leadership.

Anonymous reports shall be assessed on the information available, recognising that anonymity may limit investigation and follow-up.

8.2 Initial assessment and support

The responsible office shall acknowledge identifiable complaints promptly, assess immediate safety and support needs, and explain the applicable procedures.

Where appropriate, the University may arrange interim protective measures, such as adjustments to supervision, schedules, learning or working arrangements, or contact between the individuals concerned. Such measures shall avoid unnecessarily disadvantaging the complainant and shall not presume the outcome of an investigation.

Individuals shall be directed to available counselling, health, academic, or employment support as appropriate.

8.3 Investigation

Complaints shall be investigated promptly, fairly, and impartially by a designated committee in accordance with University regulations.

The investigation shall:

• Give the parties a fair opportunity to provide relevant information and respond to allegations.

• Consider relevant evidence and witness accounts.

• Protect privacy and restrict disclosure to those who need the information.

• Manage conflicts of interest.

• Document findings and recommended action.

• Keep the parties appropriately informed of progress and relevant outcomes.

A complaint that cannot be substantiated shall not, by itself, be treated as false or malicious.

8.4 Outcomes and remedies

Confirmed violations shall result in proportionate action under applicable University regulations and contractual arrangements.

Actions may include disciplinary measures, corrective training, restoration of unfairly denied opportunities, changes to institutional practices, or restrictions on participation in University activities. Serious matters may be referred to competent authorities where required by applicable law.

8.5 Review and appeal

The parties shall be informed of any available review or appeal procedures under University regulations.

8.6 Protection against retaliation

The University shall protect complainants, witnesses, and individuals assisting investigations from retaliation. Reports of retaliation shall be assessed separately and may result in disciplinary action.

9. Alignment with International and National Frameworks

This policy supports:

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

• The principles of equality and non-discrimination reflected in the Palestinian Basic Law and applicable labour legislation.

• The objectives of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

• Applicable higher education requirements concerning equality, dignity, and safe learning and working environments.

This policy shall be implemented alongside the University’s related policies, including:

• Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

10. Review and Evaluation

The Gender and Equality Committee shall review this policy at least every three years, or earlier when changes in applicable requirements, reported concerns, or evaluation findings indicate a need.

Evaluation shall consider the accessibility of reporting mechanisms, awareness and training, fairness of procedures, protection against retaliation, and progress in removing barriers affecting women.

Amendments shall be submitted through the University’s applicable approval procedures. Approved revisions shall be published on the official University website with an accurate review date.

Effective Date: June 10, 2022
Recorded Review Date: June 10, 2025