A pivotal event in Istanbul highlights the need for gender equality and combats gender-based violence among young researchers.
Last week, on June 24-25, Istanbul hosted the WG4 event, a significant gathering aimed at addressing gender-based violence and inequalities faced by young researchers across continents. Organized by the COST ACTION CA20137 “Making Young Researchers’ Voices Heard for Gender Equality” (VOICES), this event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to foster a sustainable dialogue on gender equality in academia.
The event was organized by the Working Group 6 “Monitoring and Evaluation” and Working Group 4 “Sexual Harassment, Gender-Based Violence and Institutional Culture” of the VOICES COST Action. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the inequalities faced by early career researchers (ECRs), emphasizing a gender perspective. The project promotes dialogue between young researchers and key stakeholders, including policymakers and academic managers, creating a community of gender equality practitioners across Europe. Key outcomes include training schools for researchers, scientific publications, international conferences, and comprehensive guidelines for academics and policymakers.
Despite progress in gender equality, significant disparities remain, particularly in higher education. While women make up nearly half of doctoral graduates in the EU-27, only 26% of professors are women, and women hold just 24% of decision-making positions in academia. These gender gaps extend across various scientific disciplines and EU Member States. Türkiye, positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, has made legislative efforts to enhance gender equality but still faces challenges in closing gender pay gaps and increasing women’s representation in decision-making roles. The event in Istanbul underscored the ongoing need for progress and reform to achieve true gender equality in academia and beyond.
