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For the tenth consecutive year, February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Although science is meant to be based on talent and ability, women and girls still face barriers to accessing equal opportunities. Promoting gender equality in science is crucial not only for fairness but also for fostering a higher-quality and more diverse research environment, leading to more innovative solutions.

The Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) recently conducted a survey on gender equality, in which 437 respondents participated. The questionnaire was filled out primarily by young female and male researchers, indicating that gender equality is an important and relevant issue for the new generation.

The survey revealed that 71% of respondents are aware that SAV has adopted and is implementing a Gender Equality Plan. However, it also highlighted gaps in awareness of specific measures. More than half (53%) are unfamiliar with the return-to-work project scheme for parents after maternity and parental leave. As part of its gender equality efforts, SAV has also updated its mechanism for reporting and addressing sexual harassment. Yet, similar to the previous case, nearly one-third of respondents were unaware of this mechanism. "Almost 70% of both men and women believe they are fairly compensated for their work compared to their colleagues. However, at the same time, half of the participants do not consider the remuneration system to be transparent," stated Gabriel Bianchi from the Institute for Research in Social Communication (IRSC) SAS, the national coordinator of the ATHENA project under Horizon 2020 scheme.

"All these findings point to the need for better communication and awareness within organizational units, as well as vertically across SAV. The survey examples illustrate just some of the obstacles and challenges that need to be addressed," emphasized Miroslava Šudila Žilinská from IRSC SAS. "Gender equality in science is not just about the number of women in laboratories but also about supporting their career growth, ensuring safety, and providing fair remuneration. In the future, it is essential to move beyond a binary framework of femininity and masculinity and consider how gender equality intersects with other factors."  As an example, she mentions areas such as disability, ethnic background, social status, and job roles—scientific creativity vs. support infrastructure.

The SAV Gender Equality Plan was developed and implemented with the support of the ATHENA project. This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 101006416.

Source: Gabriel Bianchi, Miroslava Šudila Žilinská, IRSC SAS

Graphic Design: Natália Feriančeková