ERNEST OSAS UGIAGBE

This study examined the relationship between institutional barriers, psychological factors, and career progression among female academic staff at the University of Benin, with limited input from two other Nigerian universities for contextual comparison. Descriptive results showed that many women were clustered in lower academic ranks, had experienced delays in promotion cycles, and were underrepresented in leadership positions. The data also highlighted constraints such as limited mentorship, unclear promotion guidelines, challenges balancing work and family life, and self-limiting behaviours such as hesitating to apply for leadership roles. Qualitative insights strengthened these findings by illustrating how gender norms, workplace culture, and internalised beliefs influence career decisions. The study concludes that gender-based disparities in career progression remain a significant challenge within UNIBEN. While institutional policies exist to support academic promotion, their implementation is inconsistent, and cultural norms continue to disadvantage women. Individual factors such as confidence, motivation, and perceived suitability for leadership further shape career choices. Leadership training for women, the university should sponsor workshops and training programmes aimed at equipping women with administrative skills and confidence. Support for Work–Life Balance, policies such as flexible scheduling and accessible childcare services can help reduce the domestic burden that disproportionately affects women. This study contributes to existing literature by presenting current evidence on gendered career barriers in UNIBEN and highlighting the combined effect of institutional constraints and self-limiting behaviours

This study examines the health behaviour and maternal mortality in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State and adopted a qualitative research method with survey instruments deployed to gather relevant data for analysis. The study examines the socio-economic factors that influence women's health behaviours in Egor Local Government Area; evaluates the cultural variables that contribute to women's delayed access to healthcare in the study area; interrogates the types of healthcare services that influence women's access to healthcare and health-related behaviours in the research area, it examines the type of health habits of women in the area and investigates how common maternal mortality in the research area. Findings revealed that positive relationship exist between socio-economic factors and women's health behaviours in the study area; it was also revealed that there is a relationship between cultural variables and women's delayed access to healthcare in Egor local government area. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the health workers such as mid-wives should be knowledgeable enough
to understand the possible risk factors affecting pregnant women in the communities where they practice. It was also recommended that health worker be trained and, they should be able to provide emotional support, education, and practicalities that are personalised.

This study examined the relationship between institutional barriers, psychological factors, and career progression among female academic staff at the UniversityofBenin, with limited input from two other Nigerian universities for contextual comparison. Descriptive results showed that many women were clustered inloweracademic ranks, had experienced delays in promotion cycles, andwereunderrepresented in leadership positions. The data also highlighted constraints suchas limited mentorship, unclear promotion guidelines, challenges balancing workandfamily life, and self-limiting behaviours such as hesitating to apply for leadershiproles. Qualitative insights strengthened these findings by illustrating howgendernorms, workplace culture, and internalised beliefs influence career decisions. Thestudy concludes that gender-based disparities in career progression remainasignificant challenge within UNIBEN. While institutional policies exist tosupport academic promotion, their implementation is inconsistent, and cultural normscontinue to disadvantage women. Individual factors such as confidence, motivation, and perceived suitability for leadership further shape career choices. Leadershiptraining for women, the university should sponsor workshops and trainingprogrammes aimed at equipping women with administrative skills and confidence. Support for Work–Life Balance, policies such as flexible schedulingandaccessible childcare services can help reduce the domestic burdenthat disproportionately affects women. This study contributes to existing literaturebypresenting current evidence on gendered career barriers in UNIBENand highlightingthe combined effect of institutional constraints and self-limiting behaviours

This study examined the relationship between institutional barriers, psychological factors, and career progression among female academic staff at the University of Benin, with limited input from two other Nigerian universities for contextual comparison. Descriptive results showed that many women were clustered in lower academic ranks, had experienced delays in promotion cycles, and were underrepresented in leadership positions. The data also highlighted constraints such as limited mentorship, unclear promotion guidelines, challenges balancing work and family life, and self-limiting behaviours such as hesitating to apply for leadership roles. Qualitative insights strengthened these findings by illustrating how gender norms, workplace culture, and internalised beliefs influence career decisions. The study concludes that gender-based disparities in career progression remain a significant challenge within UNIBEN. While institutional policies exist to support academic promotion, their implementation is inconsistent, and cultural norms continue to disadvantage women. Individual factors such as confidence, motivation, and perceived suitability for leadership further shape career choices. Leadership training for women, the university should sponsor workshops and training programmes aimed at equipping women with administrative skills and confidence. Support for Work–Life Balance, policies such as flexible scheduling andaccessible childcare services can help reduce the domestic burden that disproportionately affects women. This study contributes to existing literature by presenting current evidence on gendered career barriers in UNIBEN and highlighting the combined effect of institutional constraints and self-limiting behaviours