Science reaches out to women and youth
Attracting more women and young people to scientific fields and recognising their contributions has long been a priority for the EU. Many barriers exist however that hamper women and youth from embracing careers in the field. These barriers include lack of policies that guarantee equal opportunities, pay gaps, unclear career advancement and unequal gender contracts. The EU-funded project 'Central European Centre for Women and Youth in Science' (CEC-WYS) aimed to support successful implementation of gender equality in research and development (R&D). It established a regional centre and European platform for women scientists serving the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia. The centre investigated women's needs and gender issues, encouraging participation of women in research. It mobilised women in Central Europe through different mechanisms and facilitated networking opportunities. The centre formed strong ties with western research infrastructures and contributed to enhancing the European Research Area (ERA) through increased female participation in EU R&D. Along with a career resource website, CEC-WYS also built a database of women scientists in the region and developed a project sourcebook on EU research funding tools. It then published a manual on gender issues in research and conducted seminars for young researchers to embark on EU projects and science careers. In addition, the project mapped policy developments and, among other publications, produced national reports on women in science. The results were made publicly available, facilitating collaboration at national and regional levels. Thanks to such initiatives, more women and young people can embrace careers in science, research and development more easily.
