It was first established as affirmative action committee which acted for two years and later organized as gender office in 2000 which was again changed into office of  women’s affairs in 2009.The office was empowered as a department since 2005 to incorporate gender main stream in the university’s activities. The office has four staff namely director,one expert, secretary and an office girl. The office is fully functional and accountable to the president of the university.

Vision    
The office of women’s affairs of Jimma University works to    create suitable conditions to make women competitive, empowered and assertive,t o equally participate in social, economic and political milieu of the country.
                   
Mission   
Pave the way to all females in the University and the surrounding to be assertive, competitive and empowered academically, socially, economically and politically

Goal
Jimma University office of women’s affairs strives to meet the following:
1.    Reduce the gender gap in education and employment
2.    Improve the status of women and produce competent and assertive female graduates;
3.    Improve  those women in decision making position and leadership
4.    Make all systems of the University gender responsive and sensitive

Future plan

• Create means of income generation scheme such as beauty saloon, laundry and shops etc to support needy female students. 
• Gender mainstreaming across the university.
• Developing anti female harassment policy of the University.