From June 24 to 25, 2024, in Istanbul, Working Group 6, “Monitoring and Evaluation,” and Working Group 4, “Sexual Harassment, Gender-Based Violence, and Institutional Culture,” organized an international dissemination event, “Bridging Gender Voices Across the Contents.” The event aimed to provide participants practical insight into gender equality policies and programs and monitoring and evaluation techniques. It was also essential to encourage a transformative dialogue that transcended academic boundaries—bringing together different perspectives and experiences to promote progress towards a more inclusive and equitable society. Promoting a gender-equal environment and combating gender-based violence is an imperative that requires collective action and innovative solutions. At the event, the leader of VOICES Cost Action, Associate Professor Anne-Sophie Godfroy, and the leaders of the Action’s working groups provided information about VOICES Cost Action, as well as Dr. Rakibe Kulcur, the leader of working group 6, provided information about monitoring and evaluation in Academia, outlining the goals and achievable results of the VOICES Action.
In the continuation of the event, the leaders of VOICES Action working groups and other invited participants gave the following presentations: Associate Professor Victoria Showunmi’s “Using Intersectionality as an Approach in Research,” Associate Professor Philippe Liotard’s “Intersections in Higher Education (InterHED project): how to address inequalities in university teaching from the perspectives of intersectionality?”, Dr. Jennifer Dahmen-Adkins “Gender Equality Plans and on engaging people in change” and other presentations.
The event culminated in a panel discussion on “Women in Science and leadership” and working group sessions on related issues. The successful achievement of the main set goals, providing participants with a practical insight into gender equality policy and current affairs, as well as promoting dialogue between society and the academic environment, left everyone involved with a sense of satisfaction and reassurance.