Why gender matters for the HBP

A blog post for International Women’s Day

by Katharina Schiederig, EAF Berlin

It has been only 100 years that women were allowed to study at universities, e.g. in 1908 in Prussia/Germany. Around the same time, an annual International Women’s Day was introduced on March 8 to commemorate the struggle for women’s rights. A historic event only? The theme for International Women’s Day 2017 is #BeBoldForChange. Everyone is called upon to help forge a better working world — a more gender inclusive world. Does this matter for the Human Brain Project as well?

If we look at the numbers, we can say: Yes!

Whilst women were once under-represented at doctoral level, in 2012 they made up 47% of PhD graduates in the EU (EU-28), and between 40% and 60% of PhD graduates in all countries covered by the She Figures (EU Commission, 2015). In 2011, women in the EU accounted for only 33% of researchers. In decision-making positions, the share is lower, and this is also true for the HBP: only two of the 12 Subprojects are led by female researchers, and the Directorate has one woman out of 7 members.

This is why one of the main challenges will be to increase the number of women in higher positions, particularly in governing bodies and in education activities. The HBP aims to play a pioneering role in advancing gender equality by targeting a balanced share of male and female scientists in research teams and decision-making, as well as promoting awareness of gender equality in research and innovation. This is not only a question of fairness for all; research has also shown that diverse organizations achieve more creative results and attract a more diverse talent pool.

In March, the HBP will launch an online survey on gender issues among all HBP staff. The results will serve as a baseline to ensure that future policies can be aligned with needs and we can address the barriers identified. Both female and male scientists are invited to share their experiences and recommendations.

Over the next two years, foundations will be laid for a comprehensive and sustainable gender strategy for the entire term of the HBP. The HBP is supported in this challenging task by EAF Berlin, an independent, non-profit research and consulting organization.

Further activities planned over the next 15 months include:

· A good practice study and a database will collect innovative policies and existing measures from the collaborating partners and institutions in order to disseminate good practices and to raise awareness.

· In order to monitor gender equality activities and to transfer them into the entire HBP, a gender advisory committee, linked to the governing structures of the HBP, will be set up. A gender action plan with targets and milestones will be developed.

· Finally, a conference on gender perspectives will take place in 2018.

The gender equality activities are coordinated by the Project Coordination Office in Geneva. We hope that both HBP researchers and those in the wider scientific community can be inspired by these activities and incorporate them into your personal initiatives around International Women’s Day 2017!