Gender equality: a work in progress

As in 2022, I was invited to author the BIP editorial in March, the month in which we celebrate the International Women’s Day – acknowledging their efforts and achievements in terms of equal treatment and opportunities. At the time, we were discussing the Gender Equality Plan, proposed by the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Commission – approved by the Board of Directors on May 10 that same year. About two years later, it is important to analyse the progress made towards gender equality at INESC TEC. ?

Although Gender equality is an unavoidable theme, it is far from being consensual, even more so from being assumed in the Institute’s day-to-day practices and processes. Certain decisions adopted to promote greater participation of women have stirred up some discomfort, with the argument that they can be embarrassing for the women themselves – who feel they’re invited just because they are women, and not because of their merit. In addition, there is a recurring argument that there are few women in these areas; as such, they also stand out less among the teams, as if it were an inevitability.?

The issue of greater or lesser merit depends on the methodology and objectivity of the assessment carried out. This is something that has been questioned a lot – namely within the scope of CoARAi, of which INESC TEC is part – because we suspect that the way researchers, projects and research institutions have been evaluated is, perhaps, not the fairer, most comprehensive, or most adequate to assess the quality of research. Hence, FCT itself, in line with the principles of CoARA, requested the submission of narrative CVs to support a more comprehensive assessment.?

But the discomfort is understandable, as it occurs whenever there are transformations in the status quo, and what was usual and understood as natural – that men were always leading and taking centre stage – is questioned. ?

The truth is that this situation was not natural and led to continuous prejudices, biases, and inequalities, inducing the constitution of less diverse teams – and, therefore, less rich in terms of different outlooks and alternative approaches, as well as less able to understand and address challenges adequately.??

On this subject, I invite you to explore recent testimonies of several relevant women of Academia (and Science) – both in Portugal: “Access to leaderships. There is a privileged treatment of men in science”, an article published in the newspaper Público (March 5, 2024); and in Europe: Breaking the glass ceiling: conversations with women leaders in academia .?

Aware of this evidence, which has been exhaustively studied and testified, INESC TEC has already appointed women with recognised merit to the statutory advisory bodies (Scientific Council, Scientific Advisory Board, and Business Advisory Board). The “glass ceiling” of the Board of Directors has also been broken, by including a woman (myself) in this body, in the term about to end. Obviously, a setback in this matter is not expected since it is one of the performance indicators of the 2023-2030 Strategic Plan.???

However, as we all should know, nothing is definitively certain and secured. On the contrary: we have witnessed several setbacks in the achievements and rights of women everywhere, something that would have been unimaginable a few years ago. The tendency towards greater conservatism among the younger generations is worrying for those who believe in continuous progress towards the dignity and full realisation of people: men and women.?

Concerning INESC TEC, and despite the Plan for Gender Equality in place, and the fantastic work carried out by the D&I Commission – together with the Communication Service -, one must recognise that INESC TEC still has much to improve in terms of female researchers’ attraction and retention, development and valorisation of their careers, capacity-building for scientific leadership and decision-making positions, namely regarding R&D Centres’ coordination. We must also acknowledge insufficient investment made to raise the community’s awareness, to review policies and processes, to disseminate good practices, and to improve everyone’s consciousness – men and women – regarding the need to collaborate in this collective effort.??

Gender Equality is not against anyone; it is rather a collective endeavour, but also a permanently unfinished work of each and every person.?

Maria da Gra?a Barbosa, member of the Board of Directors