The Commission has released the latest edition of its flagship publication series, She Figures, which presents the most up-to-date and Europe-wide statistics on gender equality in Research and Innovation (R&I).
Europe’s innovation potential is at risk. While women outnumber men in university education, they remain strikingly underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers and leadership. The report reveals a widening gender gap in critical sectors like ICT, where only 22% of doctoral graduates are women. This not only deepens the EU’s existing skills shortages but also threatens long-term competitiveness. Gender disparities persist at the highest levels of research and innovation, with just 9% of inventors being women and 98% of EU research failing to integrate a gender dimension.
These findings echo concerns raised by the Draghi report on EU Competitiveness, which emphasised the need to harness the power of a diverse and inclusive workforce, to boost Europe's competitiveness and economic growth.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, the Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation said:
“Talent has no gender, but opportunity too often does. The She Figures report is a wake-up call, women are driving progress in education, but still face too many barriers in research, innovation, and leadership. We need to change that—not just because it’s fair, but because Europe’s future depends on it. A truly competitive and innovative Europe is one where every mind, regardless of gender, gets the chance to thrive.”
Advancing gender equality in the European Research Area
The European Union has made significant strides in promoting gender equality in R&I, including introducing a Gender Equality Plan eligibility criterion for Horizon Europe. Moreover, the integration of a gender dimension into R&I content is a requirement for most projects, as its absence would reduce the relevance and excellence of the research. Increasing gender balance throughout the programme is another objective, with a target of 50% women in Horizon Europe related boards, expert groups and evaluation committees.
As a result, 81% of Calls for R&I proposals now address the gender dimension, and women now make up more than 51% of participants in Horizon Europe boards and expert groups. Furthermore, 38% of the researchers in Horizon Europe projects are women and the share of women-led consortia in this funding programme has also risen from 23% to 31%.
These progresses build on the European Research Area (ERA) policy agenda, which has prioritised gender equality and the integration of the gender dimension in R&I content since 2012. New initiatives for promoting women in R&I will include actions to counter gender-based violence in academia, and strengthening of the Women TechEU initiative to support deep-tech start-ups led by women.
Background
Since 2003, the She Figures publication has been instrumental in tracking progress towards gender equality in R&I, offering a unique and reliable source of gender-disaggregated data and analysis. Drawing on comprehensive datasets from the EU, countries associated with Horizon Europe, and the G20, it is an indispensable resource to advance gender equality and promote inclusive innovation.
This edition introduces an important novelty: the pilot She Figures Index. This index provides a holistic measure of Member States’ progress towards gender equality in R&I. The main report is accompanied by four policy articles on emerging and ongoing policy priorities, and 27 country fiche offering valuable context to the data.
More information
The She Figures publication is the European Commission’s flagship report monitoring gender equality in R&I across Europe and beyond. In line with previous editions, She Figures 2024 follows the chronological journey of researchers from higher education into the labour market and on to decision-making and leadership positions.
She Figures 2024 - Interactive report
She Figures 2024 - Policy Report
She Figures 2024 - Infographic
Gender equality in research and innovation
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Details
- Publication date
- 11 February 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Research and Innovation