The 1st Quick Debate Marathon brings gender equality to the Campus

07/04/2016

The 1st Quick Debate Marathon arrived yesterday at the UAB with the objective to encourage the use of language in all its forms and promote debate in the university environment. This new type of debate, with prospects of continuity throughout the academic year, was organized by the Community Involvement Unit in collaboration with the Observatory for Equality and UAB Media.

The issue that the participants discussed was: “Are public policies on employment effective to achieve equality between women and men?” The arguments revolved around the efficiency of public policies, the need of a cultural change that precedes and follows these policies and the effects of positive discrimination.

The new addition of this debate was the opportunity to bring a sensitive, transcendent and current issue to a public space, such as the Plaça Cívica, in front of the Resource Centre for Student Societies.There, passersby could stop, sit down and listen to the debates. This activity worked in favour of democratization, because, on one hand, it took to the street an activity that is usually relegated to closed spaces, following the Socratic method. On the other hand, the activity took place in a public space, the Plaça Cívica, and this constitutes a diversification of students’ activities and empowerment through the use of language.

Thanks to UAB Mèdia, all the debates could be followed online though a streaming broadcast. You can listen to the debates again here.
The winning team of the 1st Quick Debate Marathon was team B, formed by Andrea Mendiola, Helena Ribera, Pol Ribas and Xenia Sánchez. This team will represent the UAB in the Foro de debate estudiantil sobre políticas públicas en materia de empleo y luchas contra la desigualdad salarial (Student Debate Forum about public policies on employment and the fight against wage inequality) that will take place in April at the University of Salamanca.