From Gap to Growth? Examining Institutional and Legal Efforts to Bridge Gender Disparities in Higher Learning: The Case of University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania has adopted several institutional and legal frameworks to advance gender equality in higher learning. These include, national gender policies, affirmative action provisions and establishment of gender mainstreaming structures at universities. This paper examines how these frameworks have been implemented at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the extent to which they have bridged gender disparities in academia. Using secondary data and drawing from feminist institutionalism, the study explores how formal rules and informal practices interact to influence gender outcomes. Findings reveal that while institutional mechanisms such as the UDSM Gender Policy, Institute for Gender Studies, Gender Desks and affirmative actions have expanded women’s access to education, leadership and in decision-making processes, entrenched structural and cultural barriers, uneven policy enforcement and inadequate resources continue to limit transformative changes in gender equality. Gaps still persist in senior academic ranks, research participation and leadership. The paper concludes that although UDSM demonstrates notable gains, achieving transformative gender equality requires not only sound institutional design, but also addressing institutional culture, accountability and informal norms that sustain gender hierarchies.