THE FUTURE OF GENDER EQUALITY IN EUROPEAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
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Briefing Paper
n.11 April 2019
The Future of Gender
Equality in European
Research and
Innovation
In recent years Member States, the Commission and research funding and
performing institutions have implemented major initiatives to advance
Briefing Paper n.11 April 2019 / The Future of Gender Equality in European Research and Innovation
gender equality in research and innovation in the European Research
Area (ERA). These efforts must continue and expand for research and
innovation to contribute to the resilience and quality of our democratic
institutions, sustainability and competitiveness in the EU.
The European Research Area However, political consensus about
gender equality as a priority of the Eu-
post-2020
ropean Research Area is under threat.
In 2019, we are celebrating the 20th anni- There is a tendency to reduce gender
versary of European activities promoting equality to female participation in re-
gender equality in research. During that search or to ensuring work-life balance.
time, Europe has made great forward Furthermore, there is a threat to Research
strides, and gender equality and gender Performing Organizations as democratic
mainstreaming have become one of the institutions and their academic freedoms
ERA priorities, with the three objectives of through a wave of anti-genderism coming
gender balance in research teams, gender from right-wing populist and neoconserva-
balance in decision-making and the gender tive regimes on a global scale.
dimension in research content. Actions have The ERA Roadmap 2015 – 2020 is com-
moved from “fixing women” to “fixing in- ing under review in 2020 with a view to
stitutions” through comprehensive gender developing a new Communication for the
equality plans to achieve institutional change period beyond 2020, which should pro-
and to “fixing knowledge” with Horizon 2020 pose revised ERA priorities and ERA moni-
and several national research funders intro- toring mechanism at national and EU level,
ducing measures to ensure that new research to be followed by Council Conclusions on
incorporates sex and gender analysis. The the new ERA advisory structure. The ERA
body of scientific knowledge on gender and Roadmap has been a catalyst for gender
other forms of inequality in research and equality policy and measures in many EU
innovation (R&I) has expanded greatly. countries, especially those where such
1measures had not been in place previous- policy priorities for the future European
ly (Standing Working Group on Gender in Research Area.
Research and Innovation 2018). GENDER- • The Innovation Sector should be in-
ACTION Deliverable report 3.1 shows that cluded in the European Research and
for 57% newer Member States and 25% of Innovation Area with concrete actions
the older Member States, the ERA Road- and indicators (for more on the Business
map was the first policy document dedicat- Enterprise Sector see below).
ed to gender equality in research. Europe • The budget for implementing gender
must do more to build a fair, just and equal equality plans should be increased in
research and innovation environment that Horizon Europe compared to Hori-
answers the needs of its population. zon 2020, given the importance of the
Other ERA stakeholders, umbrella or- added value of European cooperation
ganisations including LERU, EUA, Science among institutions. Member States
Europe and NordForsk, have taken mea- should use European Social Fund to
sures and developed recommendations. complement these Commission efforts
Financial support for implementing gender at national level, by supporting institu-
equality plans in Research Funding and Re- tional changes through gender equality
search Performing Organizations at the EU plans or similar instruments.
and national levels has been vital to rais- • The new Horizon Europe broad line on
ing awareness, building uptake and imple- “advanced strategies and innovative
menting concrete measures to change the methods for gender equality in all so-
organisational culture and practices and cial, economic and cultural domains,
procedures. This work must continue. and to deal with gender biases and gen-
Intersectional approaches to gender der-based violence” needs to ensure
equality (an analytical framework examining regular annual calls which allow enough
interlocking intersecting systems of power funding for an appropriate number of
between gender and other social catego- projects, in order to meet the objective
ries and identities, such as ethnicity and of providing innovative solutions for
race, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender equality challenges in the EU
socio-economic status and disability) are and worldwide.
rarely adopted at policy or institutional lev- • Policy exchange, mutual learning and
el in the ERA, with the exception of a few coordination among Member States,
countries. The experience of the current in- Associated Countries and the Commis-
stitutional change projects funded through sion has proven crucial. A dedicated
Horizon 2020 and Framework Programme working group of national and Com-
7, including most recently experience gath- mission representatives must continue,
ered at the GENDERACTION Mutual Learn- with clear mandate and increased co-
ing Workshop on Best Practice Exchange to operation with other ERA stakeholders,
Support Institutional Change, suggests that most notably the umbrella organizations
intersectionality is crucial for addressing gathered in the ERA Stakeholder Plat-
the multiple axes of inequality that re- form.
searchers experience. • Intersectional approaches to gender
equality must be adopted at institution-
Recommendations al, national and EU level, addressing
issues of race and ethnicity, including
• Gender equality and gender main- migration and refugees, LGBT+ and
streaming must continue as one of the disability. Gender equality plans fund-
2disadvantaged groups and may be related
more to research and development invest-
ment and occupational prestige in a given
Gender equality country. In fact, the Priority 4 headline in-
and gender dicator may be inversely correlated with
mainstreaming must ERA research excellence indicator and the
GBARD as percentage of GDP (ERA Pro-
continue as one of
gress Report 2018). Analysis of the Nation-
the policy priorities al Action Plans and Strategies carried out
for the future by GENDERACTION confirms differences
European Research among countries in how they conceptual-
ise gender equality and which ERA priori-
Area.
ties they address (GENDERACTION Deliv-
erable 3.1), and this was also corroborated
by a 2018 analysis of the implementation
of Council Conclusions on advancing gen-
der equality in the ERA, carried out by the
Briefing Paper n.11 April 2019 / The Future of Gender Equality in European Research and Innovation
ed by the Commission and at national ERAC Standing Working Group on Gender
level should incorporate intersectional- in Research and Innovation.
ity as an obligation. Opportunities for This suggests that it is necessary to re-
sharing experience among responsible view the way gender equality is defined,
staff, research and other forms of sup- how progress is measured in achieving
port should be supported both at the gender equality and which indicators are
EU and MS level. used.
Measuring equality, bridging Recommendations
the Widening divide
• Member States, Associated Countries
Despite progress, development remains and the Commission must step up ef-
uneven across the EU, both for innovation forts for gender equality and gender
capacity and gender equality (Standing mainstreaming as a priority for the Euro-
Working Group on Gender in Research pean Research Area post 2020, particu-
and Innovation 2018, ERA Progress Report larly in the Widening countries.
2018). She Figures 2018 identifies impor- • Specifically, it is necessary to review
tant improvements but also shows we are how progress in this priority is defined
still far from reaching equality. The uptake and develop adequate indicators which
of institutional change through gender should be complemented by indicators
equality plans and the integration of the reflecting contextual factors such as
gender dimension in research content, in R&D intensity. ERAC Standing Working
particular, require significant improvement Group on Gender in Research and In-
in action. novation should be involved in this pro-
The current ERA headline indicator for cess.
gender equality, proportion of women in • A European study should be commis-
Grade A, only reflects the situation in the sioned from the Joint Research Centre
Higher Education Sector. Importantly, this to examine the correlation among pro-
indicator does not necessarily reflect the portion of women among PhD holders,
working conditions for women and other researchers, professors in Grade A and
3in the Business Enterprise Sector (BES)
and the implementation of gender
equality polices as well as the research
and innovation intensity.
The Innovation
• In implementing Horizon Europe, the Sector should be
Commission should adopt concrete included in the
measures to incentivize the Widening European Research
countries to develop gender equality
measures, for example through a ded- and Innovation
icated gender-related call for propos- Area with concrete
als or by topping up Widening project actions and
budgets for targeted gender equality indicators.
measures to be implemented within the
project.
The Business Enterprise
Sector: Taking corporate social
rarely address the organizational culture
responsibility seriously
and structures and they are implemented
There is evidence already that gender very unevenly in their subsidiaries. Wom-
balance is good for business; experience en-led tech SMEs and start-ups are receiv-
also shows that measures and actions that ing increasing attention yet the 2018 State
benefit women actually benefit all. Still, of European Tech report shows that 93%
women make up only 20.2% of researchers of all funds raised by European venture
in the Business Enterprise Sector (BES), capital backed companies in 2018 went to
a huge employer of researchers and inno- all-male founding teams and 46% of wom-
vators in the EU. Women are strongly un- en surveyed declared they experienced
der-represented among patent inventors discrimination in the European tech sec-
and there is a strong gender gap in the tor. Research shows that BES can benefit
patent teams where 47% of teams were from higher participation of women both
male only, followed by 37% of one-man in boardrooms and as owners (Mitchell
inventor teams. Between 2006 and 2016, 2011). One of the recommendations of the
the majority of research and development Kauffmann Foundation (2016) is to increase
expenditure was in the BES, rising from SME research funding for women-owned
1.12% of GDP in 2006 to 1.32% by 2016, businesses. As BES is taking advantage of
an overall increase of 17.9% (Eurostat public funding for research, public funders
2018). In contrast, the second strongest can take a proactive stance towards pro-
Higher Education sector performed 0.47% moting gender equality by making funding
of GDP but has been stagnant from 2010 contingent on active promotion of gender
onward; the government sector performed equality in BES applicants and supporting
0.23% of GDP and the private non-profit women-led businesses. This must include
sector 0.02% of GDP, both at the same the integration of the gender dimension in
levels as ten years ago. the research and innovation content, not
While some corporations have devel- least in order to avoid financial and pres-
oped programmes to increase the par- tige losses.
ticipation of women and other underrep- Lastly, it is necessary to change the per-
resented populations, these initiatives ception of entrepreneurship and technol-
4ogy as a masculine domain. The EU Prize Global challenges for European
for Women Innovators is a good step to- societies: Addressing
ward celebrating successful women entre- intersectional gender-related
preneurs. Such measures should be put in
gaps and needs
place across the European Research Area,
with a view to stimulate the establishment The evidence is mounting that integration of
of women-led start-ups and businesses and the gender dimension in research and inno-
provide role models. vation leads to better solutions and converse-
ly, when this is not done, the negative im-
Recommendations pact falls disproportionally on women (Saini
2017, Criado Perez 2019). New evidence also
• The BES, including Small and Medium suggests that racial bias is re-emerging in
Sized Enterprises and start-ups, should research, as racialized nationalism is a re-
take their corporate social responsibility surgent threat across the globe (Saini 2019).
seriously, promote institutional changes In addition, the wake-up call from #Metoo
for equality and diversity internally and presents a challenge to European research
address the gender dimension in the communities to address the extent to which
Briefing Paper n.11 April 2019 / The Future of Gender Equality in European Research and Innovation
research and innovation solutions they gender based harassment is embedded in
develop. global academic culture (Bondestam & Lun-
• Public funding allocated to the BES, in- dqvist 2018). There are no solutions to mis-
cluding SMEs and start-ups, should be sions and global challenges without paying
made contingent upon gender and di- attention to the ways they are embedded in
versity measures in place. power structures and gendered.
• Specific funding should be allocated As Europe designs its future research
for tech companies and start-ups led and innovation strategies in the face of
by women and minorities at European pressing global challenges, Horizon Europe
Innovation Council and similar national will link closely to the 2030 Agenda for
programmes. sustainable development and Sustainable
• Funding lines for innovation at the EU Development Goals. The United Nations
and MS levels should, as a rule, address consider “the systematic mainstreaming of
the gender and diversity dimensions a gender perspective in the implementation
in innovation, so that gender and oth- of the Agenda” (United Nations 2015) to be
er forms of bias are not built into new crucial; similarly, Horizon Europe should
technologies and innovations. This must take further the actions developed in
apply as well to the European Innova- Horizon 2020 to incorporate the gender
tion Council and European Institute of dimension in the content of research and
Innovation and Technology. innovation.
• The Commission should promote the EU The Gendered Innovations initiative
Prize for Women Innovators more wide- launched by the Commission and Stanford
ly, to strengthen the brand and aware- University in 2011 provided excellent con-
ness in the EU. Members States should crete examples of what sex and gender anal-
join the Commission and incentivise the ysis can contribute. Now the Commission is
unique role of women as social inno- taking this work further with a Gendered In-
vators and entrepreneurs and enhance novations 2 expert group, which will develop
their role in driving smart specialisation, new case studies and methodologies which
by establishing funding schemes, prizes should showcase Horizon 2020 projects that
or other similar instruments. have integrated a gender dimension in their
5as a requirement in terms of excellence
and impact in all relevant areas linked to
the Sustainable Development Goals, re-
Horizon Europe and
quiring applicants to develop sex/gen-
national Research Funding
der analysis and include gender experts
Organizations, including
in the consortia for these topics. Pro-
the European Social Fund,
ject reporting should require that sex/
should open calls for future
gender analysis should be specifically
research to address the
addressed. Monitoring of the inclusion
Sustainable Development
of the gender dimension should be im-
Goals, including the gender
proved in Horizon Europe research pro-
dimension across all
jects.
the SGDs.
• Horizon Europe and national Research
Funding Organizations, including the
European Social Fund, should open
calls for future research to address the
Sustainable Development Goals, includ-
contents and provide recommendations for ing the gender dimension across all the
Horizon Europe. Following the adoption of SGDs.
Horizon Europe, GENDERACTION will ex-
plore the gender dimension in Horizon Eu- International cooperation:
rope’s Missions and Partnerships, to provide Global inequalities,
recommendations for the integration of sex/
empowerment, resilience and
gender analysis. A specific Mission on gen-
der equality SDG5 has already been sug-
inclusion
gested by GENDERACTION in Policy Brief Ethical concerns, including gender, eco-
on Gender for Horizon Europe Research and nomic and ethnic/racial inequality, must be
Innovation Missions. given the highest priority due to unequal
Both gender specific research and the power contexts in which we live, globally
integration of gender into research and and within the EU. Poor and at risk areas of
innovation contents are crucial for im- the globe and populations must be protect-
proving EU policies as well as for attaining ed from exploitation for research and inno-
United Nations Sustainable Development vation purposes (use of resources such as
Goals. The lack of gender awareness and land and indigenous crops, informed con-
gender knowledge at various levels of the sent etc.). Research and innovation must
R&I systems still requires an effort for capac- open up further, to ensure stakeholder mul-
ity building of key actors in order to facili- tiplicity ranging from the usual suspects of
tate the implementation of gender policies governments, researchers and corporations,
in the ERA. More research-based evidence to NGOs and communities, including wom-
is needed on the gender-related impacts of en’s grassroots organizations and gender
R&I policies including gender equality and equality networks. Without people’s sub-
gender mainstreaming policies in the field. scription, developed solutions will have
a hard time succeeding.
Recommendations The European Commission Strategic
European Framework for International Sci-
• In implementing Horizon Europe, the ence and Technology Cooperation (2009)
gender dimension should be addressed highlighted that “special attention should
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8NOTES
9
Briefing Paper n.11 April 2019 / The Future of Gender Equality in European Research and InnovationNOTES
CONTACT GENDERACTION Coordinator Marcela Linková, PhD Centre for Gender and Science Institute of Sociology Czech Academy of Sciences Jilská 1 110 00 Prague 1 Czech Republic email: info@genderaction.eu Project duration 1st April 2017—31st March 2021 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 741466. Disclaimer — The views and opinions expressed in this document are solely those of the project, not those of the European Commission. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
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