(for example, gender balance in research teams, evaluation panels, advisory boards, expert groups, and so
forth) and a qualitative mandate, that
is, inclusion of the gender dimension
in research.
The EC Advisory Group on Gender
in its December 2016 position paper
differentiates inclusion of the gender dimension in research from gender balance, which is constituted as
“… a dynamic concept that entails researchers taking into account sex and
gender in the whole research process,
when developing concepts and theories, formulating research questions,
collecting and analyzing data using
the analytical tools that are specific
to each scientific area.”h The same
document provides concrete advice
on implementing the gender dimension in research for each H2020 Work
Programme including Leadership in
Enabling and Industrial Technologies. Conceptually, the EC research
framework moves beyond the numerical, sometimes token, inclusion
of women in research and ensures
that gender and the way it impacts research and its outcomes are meaningfully taken into consideration. On the
implementation level, in the EU, Gender Equality bodies, agencies, and associations, both EC and non-EC related, have been founded, and initiatives
such as prizes and awards and specifically dedicated funding schemes have
been established.
Indicative gender equality-related
bodies, agencies, and associations in
Europe. The European Institute for
Gender Equality (EIGE) is an autono-
mous body of the EU with the goal to
strengthen and promote GE, includ-
ing gender mainstreaming in all
EU and the resulting national poli-
cies. EIGE has developed the Gender
Equality in Academia and Research
(GEAR) Tool that provides a step-by-
step guide to preparing GE plans for
academic and research organiza-
tions. The Helsinki Group on Gender
Equality in Research and Innovation,
a Standing Working Group of the ERA
Committee, brings together repre-
sentatives from Member States and
Associated Countries to advise the Eu-
ropean Commission on policies and
h https://bit.ly/2Tu8dgA
She Figures and its Statistical Corre-
spondents have published tri-annually
pan-European comparable statistics
on the current state of GE in R&I, thus
serving the crucial goal of monitoring
the progress toward GE and the impact
of related policies and initiatives.
Focusing specifically on STEM and
ICT, the European Centre for Women
and Technology (ECWT) is a multiple
stakeholder partnership consisting
of more than 130 organizations and a
significant number of individuals from
governments, business, academia, and
non-profit sectors with high-level expertise in women in technology development. It aims at increasing the number of girls and women in STEM and
integrating a critical mass of women in
the design, research, innovation, production, and use of ICT in Europe. Additionally, the European Network for
Women in Digital aims at enhancing
women’s participation in digital studies and occupations across the EU.
An indicative list of non-EC related
bodies, agencies, and associations
promoting GE issues in the ICT field
in Europe is presented in a report by
Informatics Europe.
9 Among them,
the Athena-SWAN Charter promotes
practices to eliminate gender bias
and foster an inclusive culture that
values female staff, partially through
the establishment of prizes and
awards. It has been identified as a
most effective approach since approximately 82% of U.K. research institutions have adapted their strategies to
its Charter scheme.
10
Prizes and awards. The EU Prize
for Women Innovators (https://bit.
ly/2tfcrxq) is awarded every year to
European women who founded a successful company and brought an innovation to market. The EC Call for
Tech StartUps recognizes women who
co-own a tech startup. Departments
or faculties of EU universities or research institutes and labs that demonstrate a positive impact on women
may be candidates for the MINERVA
Informatics Europe Equality Award.
European women in STEM may also
apply for awards of international
scope that recognize STEM-related
achievements or for (European or international) STEM-related awards that
target both genders.
Within the EU,
gender equality
in all aspects of
social, political,
and cultural
life, including
education and R&I,
is approached as
a matter of social
justice and fairness.