The Gender and Development Center of Negros Oriental State University, headed by Dr. Aileen Rosette Felix, hosted the "Executive Briefing for Key University Officials and Members of the GAD Focal Point System" on November 6 at the CEA AVR, Negros Oriental State University Main Campus II.

The activity was designed to equip university key officials and GAD focal points with the knowledge and strategies needed to effectively implement GAD principles.

Dr. Rhodora M. Bucoy, a Certified Member of the National GAD Resource Pool, was the resource speaker for the event and delivered the following lectures: Basic GAD Concepts, Differences between Sex and Gender, Manifestations of Gender Bias, Gender Relations and the Principles of GAD, and The Global and National Imperatives: Towards Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.

Between her lectures, Bucoy organized engaging activities for the participants, such as exploring their gender norms, film screenings, a pretest, a post-test, and more. Before concluding her lecture, Bucoy shared her major takeaway: "We educators play a powerful role. The classroom is our powerful platform to change norms and mindsets, and we can do that by being models of change..."

"We can do that in a concerted manner to be able to fulfill the pledge in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): 'Leave no one behind,'" she added.

Participants in the seminar included faculty, deans, directors, staff from various offices, and GAD coordinators.