News

Position on the Proposal for Horizon Europe 2028–2034 and the Budget Expenditure Tracking and Performance Framework

We in GENDERACTIONplus welcome the Commission’s proposal for Horizon Europe 2028–2034 Framework Regulation and Specific Programme and the accompanying proposal for a regulation establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities. In particular, we strongly support: This vision aligns with President von der Leyen’s political priorities for her second mandate and the recent and influential Draghi Report, with its emphasis on values as Europe’s raison d’être: “The EU exists to ensure that Europeans can always benefit from these fundamental rights… The only way to meet this challenge is to grow and become more productive, preserving our values of equity and social inclusion.” We also acknowledge recital 18 in the Horizon Europe regulation proposal that the programme will promote freedom of scientific research, gender equality, and open science as foundational principles while noting its non-binding nature. To further advance these commitments,...

Mobilisation network launch: Keep gender equality in R&I

With a sense of urgency, we would like to share with you that GENDERACTIONplus is launching a new mobilisation network for future advocacy to protect and advance inclusive gender equality in European research and innovation.   While the project is coming to a close at the end of May, our work continues, and we are inviting you to be part of it.  This network will serve as a rapid response and coordination platform. It will:  Whether you’re a gender equality practitioner, policy expert, researcher or academic, member of civil society, or part of a public authority or a research funding organisation, we invite you to join us. We need a strong, connected, and vocal community — and we need it now. 

GENDERACTIONplus is presenting new guidelines for inclusive funding

GENDERACTIONplus is proud to present the new guideline, Inclusive Funding: A co-created guideline for mitigating bias along the research funding cycle! This document offers research funding organisations (RFOs) a clear overview to support the design and implementation of funding programmes that actively aim to mitigate gender bias and promote inclusivity. Developed through the GENDERACTIONplus project, it draws on shared expertise and proven practices to support equity, particularly for underrepresented groups, by offering actionable steps to reduce systemic bias in assessment and decision-making. The guideline was created within the GENDERACTIONplus Community of Practice of RFOs (RFO CoP) and reflects the project’s collective expertise, dialogue, and mutual learning. It was developed by JOANNEUM Research in close cooperation with RFO CoP WG leader Emer Cahill and with Vinnova, the RFO CoP lead, alongside all CoP members. It addresses each step of the funding cycle – budget allocation, programme design, call text development, call...

The EC has published the Framework for the integration and evaluation of inclusive gender analysis in research and innovation content 

GENDERACTIONplus has collaborated in the development of this Framework by providing policy advice to the ERA Forum Subgroup on Inclusive Gender Equality. In February 2024, an ad hoc task force was created within the Subgroup and led by WP4 and RFO CoP leaders, which has fulfilled one of the expected outcomes of ERA Action 5 ‘Gender Equality and Inclusiveness’ of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024.  National authorities, funding agencies and umbrella organisations, along with the Gender Sector of the DG RTD, support an inclusive gender analysis in R&I content as the way to move forward this field of gender equality policies in R&I. An inclusive gender analysis means:  The principles agreed among the Subgroup for the design, implementation and evaluation of these policies include:  GENDERACTIONplus is proud of having contributed to this outcome and hopes that all the relevant actors involved (national authorities, funding agencies, RPOs, scientific journals among others)...

Shaping the Future: GENDERACTIONplus Final Conference Calls for Stronger Gender Equality in FP10

In a fitting tribute to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the GENDERACTIONplus final conference convened in Brussels under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Bringing together a distinguished assembly of policymakers, civil servants, gender equality practitioners, researchers, and key stakeholders, the conference served as a critical forum for assessing progress on inclusive gender equality within the European Research Area (ERA). The conference occurred at a critical moment amid ongoing policy negotiations and increasing political challenges to gender equality. “We are now facing a real threat, a real gender backlash, which is to dilute commitment to ensure gender and mainstreaming in Research and Innovation and to reduce investment in gender research. This is just unacceptable, absolutely not acceptable,” stated Lina Gálvez, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), in her opening remarks. Over the past...

Our conference Towards New Horizons is over. Read an opening word from the Project Coordinator

Dear colleagues and friends, For the past four years I have had the honour to work in GENDERACTIONplus with amazing colleagues to coordinate and enhance inclusive gender equality policies in European Research and Innovation through the work of our incredibly motivated Communities of Practice of national authorities and research funding organisations. Today, we are meeting to celebrate what we have achieved together, and what our consortium members have achieved in their national and organizational settings. This entire time, we have worked in an unprecedented period of positive policy development. This was the time that the issue of gender-based violence started to be addressed at the policy level for the first time, with Czech Presidency kicking off the new ERA Policy Agenda in 2022 with a conference on ending gender-based violence, followed by the Spanish presidency the year after, and the Zero Tolerance Code of Conduct adopted by the ERA Forum...

Campaign for zero tolerance to gender-based violence

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November and the 16 days of activism that follow, the GenderSAFE and GENDERACTIONplus projects are launching a joint campaign to urge higher education and research institutions to take definitive action against gender-based violence. We urge our institutions to take definitive action against gender-based violence. Real change begins with commitment. That is why, in this campaign, we will bring attention to the critical need for advancing zero tolerance, providing concrete recommendations, and spotlighting institutions who have already committed to take action by taking the pledge for a zero-tolerance approach. Why is a zero-tolerance approach important? Nearly 62% of respondents in the UniSAFE survey reported experiences of gender-based violence, but 93% students and 77% staff disclosed not considering the behaviour serious enough to report, not recognising the behaviour as violence at the time of the incident,...

Building a more inclusive ERA: Calling for Stronger Intersectional Policies in EU Research

On 22 October, the European Commission released a communication on the European Research Area (ERA), emphasizing the need for more inclusive gender equality plans. GENDERACTIONplus supports this recommendation and, in its position paper A New ERA of Inclusion and Intersectionality, highlights the key gaps and delivers recommendations to address them.   Four years ago, the Commission adopted a Communication titled ‘A new ERA for Research and Innovation’ which described a new vision for a stronger European Research Area (ERA). In its latest communication, titled Implementation of the European Research Area (ERA) and published on 22 October, the Commission reflects on progress made and identifies areas for improvement. In relation to the ERA priority of inclusive gender equality, the Commission acknowledges that there is “Scope for stronger action to develop inclusive gender equality plans and policies that address intersecting inequalities and discrimination on the grounds of gender, gender orientation, ethnicity, age, sexual...

Supporting Inclusive Gender Equality in the New Commission: Open Letter to Commissioner Zaharieva

On 18 September 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented her Political Guidelines for the next European Commission and Commissioners-Designates. The Mission Letter for Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, however, did not address gender equality, inclusiveness, or the position of women in research within her portfolio. This omission prompted GENDERACTIONplus to take action to ensure that the progress made in recent years on promoting gender equality in research and innovation (R&I) at the Commission level would continue. To this end, GENDERACTIONplus organized an open letter urging Commissioner Zaharieva to prioritize inclusive gender equality in R&I, particularly in the upcoming Framework Programme 10. We emphasized the critical importance of maintaining Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) as an eligibility criterion. Evidence consistently shows that GEPs have had a profound impact, particularly in countries with less advanced gender equality policies in research and higher education. This policy serves as vital backing for gender equality...

Introducing the online course on Gender Dimension in Research and Innovation for National Contact Points

We are delighted to announce that the Gender Dimension in Research and Innovation online course, tailored specifically for National Contact Points of Horizon Europe, is now available on the NCP Virtual Campus. The aim of this online course is to enhance the capacity of National Contact Points (NCP) as key actors in the Framework Programme by fostering a deeper understanding and application of gender analysis in R&I proposals. Integrating the gender dimension is crucial for promoting inclusivity and advancing the quality of research and innovation across Europe. The course is introductory and contains eight learning units that combine video lessons, downloadable materials, quizzes, a repository of additional resources, and an evaluation questionnaire to track progress and gather feedback. Examples of topics covered: This comprehensive approach will support NCPs in offering tailored guidance to researchers and helping them meet the “Excellence” award criterion in Horizon Europe proposals. We kindly ask you...

Learn more about GENDERACTIONplus activities and new developments and highlights about gender equality policies in R&I in the EU. The newsletter is published twice a year.