In June 2018 the Delegation for Women’s Rights of the French National Assembly published the report « Women and Science: the urgency for actions towards true equality ». This very detailed document is focused on women and girls in «hard » sciences, as stronger difficulties have been evidenced in this sector.
The report includes 23 recommendations
- Fight against gender stereotypes in teaching and education;
- Act first and foremost in schools and in higher education on equality between girls and boys, between women and men, and on studies and career orientation;
- Strengthen the regulations applicable to work, in particular through the corporate social responsibility, and develop mentoring;
- Promote equality and involve men.
The 32 persons interviewed by the Delegation ranged from the minister of National Education and a Nobel laureate to persons in charge of equal opportunities in French institutions and representatives of EPWS, its members associations femmes et mathématiques, Femmes & Sciences, Femmes Ingénieurs and EPWS supporting member Fondation L’Oréal.
Claudine Hermann, EPWS President, was asked to benchmark the women scientists’ situation in France with that in other European countries and to list European good practices. She insisted upon the major impetus given, since 2000, by the European Commission in the Member States on the Women in Science issue.
This report on Women and Science and a recent one by Cédric Villani, Fields medal awardee mathematician and member of the French Parliament, were publicly presented on June 28, 2018 in the framework of the French Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices. Six women scientists, among whom Claudine Hermann, commented the reports, gave their point of view on the Women and Science issue and suggested measures for improving the situation. She stressed the role that France, as EU Member State, should play in supporting a preserved place for Gender in Horizon Europe, the future Framework Programme currently under discussion.
This meeting video (in French) is available here.