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Introduction
Science has been defined as a means to satisfy curiosity, to produce solutions
to everyday problems, to improve quality of life, to understand how things
work and to stimulate the economy.  The wealth and quality of life of the
citizens of the European Union (EU) are dependent, to a significant extent,
upon the successful development of excellence in science.   Europe has a
fine tradition of discovery and invention in its universities, its research
institutions, academies and companies: there has also been an abundance of
creativity in the application of science to the generation and sustenance of
enterprises that, in turn, create jobs and generate income.  However, this
picture is marred by the fact that a person’s gender plays a disproportionate
role in the likelihood of their being able to enter, remain in and succeed
within the scientific community.  While the presence of women in science
has been increasing, extraordinarily few have an equal opportunity to make
a contribution and enjoy the benefits of a scientific career.  This is both
unjust and inefficient.  This report shows both historically and currently,
women play a very minor role in decision-making about scientific policies
and priorities and relatively few pursue scientific careers.  This is
notwithstanding the facts that they constitute over half the population of
the EU, they make a substantial contribution to the taxes that pay for the
development of science and technology and they are on the receiving end
of outcomes derived from science policy.  Women should have an equal
right to enjoy the advantages that a scientific career can offer and to be
involved in decision making on research priorities.  Indeed, their
contribution is vital to the future development of science in Europe: in
order to develop science and its applications to the highest standards, we
need the best human resources at our disposal, both those of women and
men.
How can the role of women be enhanced in
science, engineering and technology policy and
practice in the EU?
This report seeks to answer that question.  More specifically, it presents data
that demonstrate that gender is still in some instances playing an
unwarranted and outdated role in the allocation of positions and resources
in science and technology.  It argues that the policies and practices that
operate in our scientific institutions discriminate against women (albeit at
times inadvertently) and by so doing, allow a person’s gender to be more
62% of scientific articles that
constituted key articles for the
advancement/cure of
cardiovascular and pulmonary
diseases were derived from
basic research.
Comroe and Dripps (1976) Science, no
192, pp 105-11.
73% of all industrial patents
were based on findings
generated within basic research
that was funded by government
agencies or other non-profit
organisations.
Narin, Hamilton and Olivastro (1997)
Research Policy, no 26, pp 317-30.
‘No matter what the level of
natural resources present
within a country, ultimately its
development depends on
knowledge, skills and capacity of
all its people.’
Shirley Malcolm of the American
Association for the Advancement of
Science, addressing the ICSU/
UNESCO World  Conference  on
Science, Budapest 1999  Cited in
Loder, N. (1999).
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Science policies in the European Union
significant than their excellence.  Even the highly respected peer review
system, which is the cornerstone of scientific evaluation, is found not always
to work in the way that it should (see Chapter 4).  Discrimination, direct or
indirect, has no place in science.  It is vital that these institutionalised forms
of exclusion are identified and ameliorated for the sake of good science and
technology and in the name of social justice.  This report seeks to help in
this endeavour by identifying in particular some of the more subtle barriers
to women’s participation and suggesting solutions to policy makers at all
levels.  Recommendations are made to a range of bodies at EU, Member
State and institutional level to address these issues.
The European Commission’s
mainstreaming policy
In recognition of the importance of using human resources wisely and
fostering equal opportunities, the Commission has introduced a policy of
‘mainstreaming’ or integrating gender equality into all institutions, policies,
programmes and practices.  This is a long term strategic approach to gender
equality designed to complement the legal right women have to equal
treatment with men, and positive action measures, designed to address some
of the disadvantages they face.  There are, then, three broad approaches to
promoting gender equality (Rees, 1998):
•
equal treatment _________ ensuring men and women are treated
the same;
•
positive action __________ special actions to redress disadvantage; and
•
mainstreaming equality ___ integrating gender equality into systems,
structures, institutions, programmes, policies
and practices.
This new policy is enshrined in the Treaty of Amsterdam and spelled out in
the Commission’s Mainstreaming Communication (CEC,1996).  The growing
attention being paid to gender equality is reflected in the fact that equal
opportunities is one of the four pillars of the Member States’ Employment
Action Plans, designed to enhance the economic competitiveness of the EU
and combat social exclusion.
Mainstreaming equality in science policy
Concerns about the under-representation of women in science and
technology research in general, and in decision-making in particular, was
expressed by the Commission as long ago as 1988.  For instance, the
European Parliament’s Resolution on Women and Research (16.9.88) stated that
‘the under-representation of women in academic life is a highly topical
problem and calls for practical incentives’.  It calls upon Member States to
‘promote positive measures to further the presence of women at the highest
levels in universities and research institutes.’  At an international workshop
on the topic held in 1993 (Logue, 1993), concerns were expressed about the
lack of women in science posing threats to:
•
equity ________________ gender discrimination is a violation of
human rights;
•
excellence _____________ the under-representation of women
threatens excellence;
What is mainstreaming?
‘Mainstreaming is the
systematic integration of equal
opportunities for women and
men into the organisation and
its culture and into all
programmes, policies and
practices; into ways of seeing
and doing.’
Rees, T.  (1998)  Mainstreaming Equality in
the European Union London: Routledge.
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