11F: International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2022. Towards a Gender Equity plan at IFISC

In 2015 the United Nations General Assembly decided to proclaim 11 February as International Women's and Girls' Day in Science with the goal of achieving full and equal access to science for girls and women. 

At IFISC, a team of students, postdocs, permanent researchers, administration personnel and technicians, has started to work on an IFISC gender equity plan. To this end, a survey has been distributed to all IFISC members in order to gather opinions, experiences and suggestions that can help in the preparation of the plan. The infographic that accompanies this Newsarticle summarizes the main findings of the survey, where the anonymity of all answers has been guaranteed and no demographic information has been requested except for gender. A 92% of the inquired people support this initiative. 

The survey provides a good measure of the state of gender-related aspects at the present time and to identify pressing issues before the preparation of the IFISC gender equity plan. By comparing the responses to current and future surveys, one can monitor if the actions that will be included in the equity plan have any measurable consequences. The survey has been prepared inspired by the Gender Equality in Academia and Research (GEAR) tool, which provides universities and research organisations with practical advice and tools. 

The equity team at IFISC is committed to implement measures to improve the working conditions of all IFISC personnel, with special attention to underrepresented groups. The answers to the survey indicate that there is a clear need to raise awareness about equity issues across the institute. 

IFISC presents these results within the 11F 2022 program organized by the 11F Balears Platform, whose objective is to give a face and a voice to women who, from institutions, companies or individually, develop their professional and academic activity especially in the field of the STEM sectors.

The complete list of activities that will be organized in the framework of the 11F can be found in the web 11fbalears.org.