A careful analysis of the possible policy options for improving the equality and status of women in research. Presented by Dorothy Ngila at the Global Forum on Women in Scientific Research (GoFoWiSeR), Dakar, Senegal 2019

1. The Global Research Council:
Promoting the Equality and Status
of Women in Research
Dorothy Ngila (South Africa) and Soukeye Dia Tine (Senegal)
Africa Representatives, GRC Gender Working Group

2. About the Global Research Council
• Virtual organization, over 65 heads of national public funding
agencies from around the world.
• GRC purposes:
• improve communication and cooperation
• sharing of data and best practices
• forum for regular meetings of HORCs
• address issues of common concern
• resource source for institutions to build world-class research landscapes
• explore mechanisms that support the global science enterprise

3. 2016 Statement of Principles and Actions: Promoting the
Equality and Status of Women in Research
• 2014: GRC Statement of
Principles and Actions for
Shaping the Future:
Attracting and retaining
best talents in all their
diversity
• 2016: GRC endorsed
Statement of Principles
and 10 Actions: Promoting
the Equality and Status of
Women in Research

4. Implementing Statement of Principles and Actions Promoting
the Equality and Status of Women in Research
Africa
• NRF, SA
• MESR,
Senegal
Americas
• NSERC,
Canada
• FAPESP,
Brazil (c0-
chair)
Asia
Pacific
• NSF, Sri
Lanka
• MBIE, New
Zealand
Europe
• UKRI
• DFG,
Germany
• Science
Europe
MENA
• TRC, Oman
• KACST,
Saudi Arabia
2017 Gender Working Group

5. A Focus on Best-Practice Case Studies
• Launched in May 2019
• “This case study
booklet is a significant
contribution in
furthering mutual
learning amongst GRC
members and across
the sector”

6. A Focus on Best-Practice Case Studies
Purpose
• Provide an overview of possible policy
options for improving the equality and
status of women in research
• Provide a baseline from which we can
determine progress in future years
• Promote the implementation of similar
practices elsewhere
• Give funders ideas and inspiration for
their own work

7. A Focus on Best-Practice Case Studies
What we got
 53 case studies
 28 countries
 All 5 GRC regions

8. 1. On Policy: Engage in national discussions of policy frameworks
regarding equality, diversity and the status of women to ensure
recognition of these issues
• Sexual harassment and
bullying measures: National
Science Foundation, USA
• Gender Equality in Research &
Academia toolbox: German
Research Foundation

9. 2. On Data: Collect and make available data for comparative
analysis
• 2017 National STI mapping exercise
= few women researchers= adapting
research and grants management
manual: National Science and
Technology Council, Zambia
• 2018 national gender in STEM
survey: National Science
Foundation, Sri Lanka
• Annual reporting on gender profile
of individual applicants to ARC
grants: Australian Research Council

10. • 2013 Ministerial guidelines for
improving equity in the
distribution of bursaries and
fellowships: National research
Foundation, South Africa
• Made-in-Canada Athena SWAN:
NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR,
Canada
 Adapting Athena SWAN to
the realities and context of
Canada
 Wide public consultation on
implementation
 Will cover all
underrepresented groups
3. On MEL: Incorporate the evaluation of progress towards
gender-based goals

11. • Changes in application upper age limits for women: Natural
Science Foundation of China
• Explorer grant applications that are short and assessed blind to
increase fairness and transparency: Health Research Council,
New Zealand
 Reviewers don’t know who’s behind the idea and are not
influenced by the track record of the team
 Reduces the potential for prejudice based on an applicant’s
gender or other perceived personal characteristics
 16% increase in number of female applicants since inception
in 2016
 2018, 50% of all applicants females
4. On Career Development and Progression: Shift the
focus from the researcher “track record” to “research
opportunity”

12. United Kingdom Research and
Innovation, National Research Funding
Agency: France
 Review and observation of review
panels
 Raising awareness of unconscious
bias amongst staff and committee
members
 UKRI undertakes equality impact
assessments linked to evaluation
process
5. On Training: Provide training on equality and diversity
policies, including the recognition of unconscious bias and
how it can be addressed

13. 6. On Career Pathways: Explore pathways for women to
succeed in research and to rise in leadership in policy and
decision making bodies
• Programme to improve qualifications and expertise of women
employees and preparing them for advanced scientific research:
King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
• Institutional endorsements to scientific events if they have
adequate gender representation: National Council of Scientific
and Technical Research, Argentina

14. • PAPES: Ministry of Higher Education Research
and Innovation, Senegal
• Thuthuka programme: National Research
Foundation, South Africa
• ADVANCE programme: National Science
Foundation, USA
• Starting Investigator Research Grants gender
initiative: Science Foundation Ireland
• Targeted calls, gender-specific funding schemes
and fellowships for women: Australian Research
Council
7. On Targeted Approaches: Consider dedicated or
strategic programmes, where appropriate, with the specific
purpose of encouraging gender equality

15. • 2016 study on work-life balance of women in education and research
institutions: The Research Council of Oman
• Maternity leave/ childcare/ family-friendly policies for grant holders:
China, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand, India, Switzerland,
Australia, Japan
• Sao Paulo Research Foundation, Brazil
 2013: 120 days of paid maternity leave for women holding any
FAPESP scholarship
 2014: 5 day paid paternity leave for men holding FAPESP
scholarships
 2015: additional benefits to cater for diversity and inclusivity
8. On Work-Life: Promote family friendly policies and
practices in relation to caregiving obligations

16. 9. On Gender Dimension in Research: Recognise the advantages of
considering the gender dimension in research and encourage the
development of this
 Focus in 2019 Annual Meeting
10. Periodically review the statement of principles and actions i.e. reflecting
on equality, diversity and inclusion
Implementing Statement of Principles and Actions Promoting
the Equality and Status of Women in Research

17. Going Forward
• On-going work to add to the inventory of actions and practices by funding
agencies
• Focus on gender disaggregated data: survey on trends
• Interest in harnessing partnerships with like-minded initiatives
Implementing Statement of Principles and Actions Promoting
the Equality and Status of Women in Research
Commitment by the Funding Agencies
• GRC members as custodians and advocates of statement of
principles and action plan
• Gender as a cross cutting theme in regional meetings going forward
• Champion in each GRC member organisation

18. Contact: Africa Region
Dorothy Ngila
NRF, South Africa
Dorothy.Ngila@nrf.ac.za
Soukeye Dia Tine
MESRI, Senegal
soukeye.diatine@gmail.com