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Gender Equality Plan

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The Egmont Institute is committed to promoting gender equality and transforming its organisational processes and professional culture to a more gender equal work environment. The willingness to ensure gender equality is shared by all the Institute’s departments.

Gender inequality and discrimination, as well as other forms of inequality and discrimination, are affecting all spheres of society. Abundant scientific research shows that in our society women, LGBTQIA+ persons or racial minorities are being discriminated against during their education and/or their professional career[1]. Research covering the period of the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that women spend more time than men in care-giving roles in the private sphere to the detriment of their career. Gender equality is a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation for a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. As such, achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is the 5th UN Sustainable Development Goal.[2]

The aim of the Egmont Institute’s gender equality plan (GEP) is to set several commitments and actions promoting gender equality through structural change within the organisation[3].

The Egmont Institute draws on the expertise of its own researchers, as well of external specialists, both Belgian and foreign, to provide operational analysis and policy options. The Institute also organises training courses for foreign diplomats and civil servants, mostly from partner countries of Belgium’s development cooperation[4]. With 76.0 points out of 100, Belgium ranks 5th in the EU on the Gender Equality Index. Its score is 5.8 points above the score for the EU as a whole[5]. However, gender inequalities persist, including in research, international relations, and academia.

This GEP is based on a survey conducted within the permanent staff of the Egmont Institute in November-December 2023. The responses contributed to drafting future commitments and orientations to improve gender balance, gender sensitivity and gender equality in the Institute.

In total, the survey included five different sections:

  1. Gender equality and gender-based violence
  2. Leadership
  3. Selection and recruitment process
  4. Private – Professional life balance
  5. Organisation of work and integration of the gender perspective in the daily tasks of the Institute.

Five pools of strategic objectives to improve gender equality have been formulated covering the period 2024-2030 reflecting the answers collected in the survey.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL PLAN.

 

[1] Even if other forms of discrimination have to be tackled as well, the present gender equality plan is limited to gender inequality and discrimination.

[2] Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) | United Nations Western Europe (unric.org)

[3] https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/toolkits/gear/what-gender-equality-plan-gep?language_content_entity=en#:~:text=Consequently%2C%20a%20GEP%20is%20a,the%20field%20of%20R%20%26%20I.

[4] Pays | SPF Affaires étrangères – Commerce extérieur et Coopération au Développement (belgium.be)

[5] Belgium | 2023 | Gender Equality Index | European Institute for Gender Equality (europa.eu)

 

 

(Photo credit: Tung Lam, Pixabay)