The Commission's gender equality strategy
The European Commission is committed to promoting gender equality in research and innovation.
It is part of the European Commission 2024-2029 priorities which set out the Commission's broader commitment to equality across all EU policies and particularly outline the building of a Union of Equality.
In addition, the EU has a well-established regulatory framework on gender equality, including binding directives, which apply widely across the labour market including the research sector.
Because of the peculiarities of the research and innovation sector, specific action is needed to overcome persisting gender gaps and inequalities. Many structural barriers to gender equality in research and innovation persist.
The European Commission addresses these barriers through:
- the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation: Horizon Europe (2021-2027) and previously Horizon 2020 (2014-2020)
- within the European Research Area in collaboration with Member States, associated countries and research stakeholders
The She Figures report provides Europe-wide statistics tracing the career trajectory of women and men in academia. It offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of gender equality in R&I.
Gender equality in the European Research Area (ERA)
Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research has been a priority of the European Research Area (ERA) since the ERA Communication 2012 framework, with the objectives to work with EU countries and foster institutional change through targeting :
- gender equality in careers at all levels
- gender balance in decision making and
- integration of the gender dimension into the content of research and innovation
The Commission’s 2020 Communication on the new European Research Area, which laid the groundwork for Horizon Europe, emphasized the need to address diversity by opening policy to intersections with other social categorisations (e.g. ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation). Other aspects of inclusion, such as geographical inclusiveness, and sectorial inclusiveness between research and the private sector (e.g. innovative businesses, start-ups), are also included.
To support these goals, the EU has allocated over €79 million to help over 350 organisations implement Gender Equality Plans. Despite progress, gender inequalities persist, and discrepancies remain between EU, national, and institutional policy adoption and implementation. Ongoing policies continue to build on this momentum, supporting the sector and promoting gender equality.
- Devise a monitoring and evaluation approach for the effective implementation of (inclusive) GEPs
- Develop guidelines for implementing intersectionality in research and innovation policy, including recommended indicators
- Devise a monitoring and evaluation approach for an increased uptake of the integration of the gender dimension in R&I content
- Enhanced gender mainstreaming mechanism for synergies with other ERA actions at EU and national levels
- Implement the Code of Conduct on gender-based violence in research and innovation developed under Action 5 of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024
- Develop principles for gender budgeting and expenditures tracking in research and innovation
The main means for implementation of these outcomes is Horizon Europe WIDERA Work Programme 2026-2027 and the cooperation of the European Commission and Member States, Associated Countries and stakeholders within the frame of the dedicated ERA Forum subgroup.
At the Competitiveness Council of November 2021, a package was adopted reaffirming gender equality and inclusiveness as core values and principles for European research and innovation.
This included the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, with a specific action to “Promote gender equality and foster inclusiveness, taking note of the Ljubljana declaration (Action 5), which entailed 4 interlinked outcome deliverables:
- Develop a policy coordination mechanism
- Strategy to counteract gender-based violence
- A policy approach to strengthen gender equality
- Develop principles for the integration and evaluation of the gender perspective
A subgroup of the ERA Forum dedicated to ERA Action has been established, gathering representatives of 22 Member States, 3 Associated Countries and 14 umbrella stakeholder organisations.
The outcomes include:
- Gender equality provisions in Horizon Europe adopted in 2022
- The EU Award for Gender Equality Champions
- Report on Approaches to inclusive gender equality in Research and Innovation
- Study Impact of Gender Equality Plans in the European Research Area
- The Czech Presidency (November 2022) and Spanish Presidency conferences on ending gender-based violence in Academia (October 2023).
- Guidance Zero-tolerance code of conduct. Counteracting gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, in the EU research and innovation system
- Framework for the integration and evaluation of an Inclusive Gender Analysis in Research and Innovation Content
- The funding, implementation and outcomes of projects funded under Horizon 2020 Science-with-and-for-Society work programme and Horizon Europe WIDERA work programme, esp. Unsafe, GenderSAFE, GENDERACTIONplus and INSPIRE.
See also ERA Monitoring 2023. 18-month review of the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda (‘EU-level Report’) and ERA Monitoring 2024 report.
Gender equality in Horizon Europe
With Horizon Europe, the Commission reaffirms its commitment to gender equality in research and innovation making it a cross-cutting priority and introducing strengthened provisions.
The goal is to improve the European research and innovation system by creating an equal work environment where everyone can thrive and making research more relevant to society by considering gender dimension in projects outputs.
There are 3 main levels at which gender equality is addressed in Horizon Europe:
- Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in place is now an eligibility criterion for certain categories of legal entities from EU countries and non-EU countries associated to Horizon Europe. More details available in the dedicated FAQ.
- The integration of a gender dimension into research and innovation content is a requirement by default, and evaluated under the excellence criterion, unless the topic description explicitly specifies otherwise. More details available here.
- 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, and gender balance among researchers. The gender balance among researchers with a leading role is used as a ranking criterion for proposals with the same score.
A strengthened commitment in Horizon Europe.
Furthermore, specific funding are dedicated to:
- gender and intersectional research in different parts of Horizon Europe funding programme. For instance, dedicated calls are funding research on gender specific health issues, gender biases in new technologies and AI, how to eliminate gender-based violence and domestic violence, how to promote and ensure a more gender-equal society.
- developing inclusive gender equality policies to support the implementation of the European Research Area, through the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area programme part.
- empowering women innovators, in particular through Pillar III of the programme, Innovative Europe, and the European Innovation Council (EIC) (see statement on gender and diversity of the EIC Pilot Board).
This monitoring report presents an overview of gender equality in EU R&I programmes, particularly in Horizon Europe. It focuses both on main indicators of equality within the programme and then on how concretely the programme addresses the issue of gender equality in R&I.
EU policies to support women’s participation in STEM
The EU is facing a shortage of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
While women outnumber men in completing bachelor’s studies across all fields, including STEM, their representation drops along the educational and professional career ladder. For instance, 48% of doctoral graduates are women, but their presence varies drastically by discipline in the EU: over 67% in Education, but a mere 22% in ICT, a field critical for driving productivity growth and already facing acute skill shortages.
According to the latest She Figures, the proportion of women in doctoral programmes has declined in six out of eight STEM fields since 2018, reflecting a concerning move away from gender equality.
For this reason, the European Commission's approach to gender equality also encompasses education and career development, with initiatives such as the European Strategy for Universities and the Union of Skills, which aim to promote gender equality and support researchers, particularly those in the early stages of their careers.
With the European Strategy for Universities, adopted in January 2022, the European Commission is committed to strengthening women’s and girls’ participation in STEM studies and careers through a roadmap of activities.
This roadmap entails the following:
- EU Prize for Women Innovators, managed by the European Innovation Council and the SME’s Executive Agency (EISMEA): three prizes of EUR 50 000 each in the Rising Innovator Category awarded to the most promising young innovators under 35
- a range of Horizon 2020 funded projects aimed at strengthening gender equality in STEM fields – see CORDIS leaflet: Bridging the gender gap in STEM
- Additional projects funded Horizon Europe to support the STE(A)M Educational approach:
- To develop a STE(A)M roadmap for Science Education in Horizon Europe;
- To support to the implementation of an EU Manifesto for STE(A)M education and research and innovation career paths to tackle gender inequalities in the ERA ;
- To establish a European coordination network and activities to embrace a sustainable and inclusive STEAM educational system
Next to this, the Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC), supports several other activities to advance gender equality in STEM:
- the Girls Go Circular project, a free online learning programme, which has trained over 26000 14-19 year old girls in 15 countries across Europe since 2020.
- the ESTEAM Fests offer hybrid workshops, where women and girls come together to improve their digital and entrepreneurial competences
- the MSCA and Citizens initiatives organises the European Researchers’ Night and Researchers at Schools, which foster the exchange between researchers and students and stimulate the interest of youngsters, particularly girls and women in research careers and STEM topics
- several projects, funded under the Erasmus+ Programme, to promote gender-inclusive STE(A)M education at schools and higher education institutions
The Commission adopted in 2025 the Union of Skills with a STEM education plan. It aims to tackle the EU's STEM challenges, including a persistent gender gap, difficulty attracting global talent and address these issues. The Commission will:
- Address gender stereotypes and make STEM more appealing to girls and women.
- Facilitate access to STEM education by targeting specific age groups and promoting mentorship programs with role models.
- Modernize STEM education by incorporating interdisciplinary programs, creative problem-solving, and entrepreneurial skills.
Stay in touch
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- Zero-tolerance code of conduct: Counteracting gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, in the EU research and innovation system
- Gender balance in the R&I field to improve the role of women in the energy transition
- EU support to strengthen gender equality in STEM
- Approaches to inclusive gender equality in research and innovation
- Towards inclusive gender equality in research and innovation
- Gender equality: A strengthened commitment in Horizon Europe
- Closing gender gaps in research and innovation
- Gender and Intersectional Bias in Artificial Intelligence
- Coronavirus pandemic impact on gender equality: Report / Factsheet
- Gendered Innovations 2 - How Inclusive Analysis Contributes to Research and Innovation: Report / Factsheet
- She Figures 2024: Full report / Interactive report
- She Figures 2021: Full report / Interactive report
Latest
Throughout South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025, the European Commission has played a central and active role in shaping the work of the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG).
Research and innovation news alert: The call for applications to the Gender Equality Champions opens today. Interested organisations can apply online via the Funding and Tenders Portal until 18 June 2025.
