Women in Central and Eastern Europe face double marginalisation

As women they face social and institutional barriers to getting to the top of science and as a result they don’t have  equal chance to contribute to shaping research priorities. These barriers stem from the traditional roles and stereotypically perceived qualities of men and women. Despite, or even because of, state socialist equal treatment policy, the traditional division of roles and labour, both outside and inside the family, did not change. In the post-socialist context many women (as well as men) scientists are faced with the consequences of isolation and exclusion from western R&D developments, resulting in a lack of networking, required skills and self-confidence necessary for participation in international research projects. This is not to say that all women scientists have the same experience or that that no women have succeeded, but as long as there are some facing marginalisation or even discrimination, there is work to be done.

 Young scientists in CEE between a rock and a hard place

Young scientists face the consequences of the communist legacy and new demands of the present in the R&D sector. The low investment in R&D results in low salaries and limited technological horizons, encouraging people to brain drain, especially to the commercial sphere. This may apply particularly to young male researchers because of the traditional breadwinning expectations. For those who stay, being mobile has become a condition for research development and a measure of scientific excellence. Scientists who refrain from or are unable to be mobile due to family commitments are not valued as highly as scientists free from family responsibilities; and because women are still expected to take the main burden of family care, this hits women hardest. For returners, reintegration is often hindered by institutional inbreeding, lack of meritocracy and hostility to young scientists with newer research, methodological, technological and language skills. As a result, an unhealthy generation gap appears, reducing the openness to collaboration and mutual respect.

Objective: The objective of CEC-WYS is to empower women and young scientists in Central Europe and to contribute to achieving gender equality in R&D.

Working within this broad objectives framework, CEC-WYS aims to achieve the following:

• by making actions to mobilise and network women scientists, we aim to increase their visibility and participation in national, European and international research and their invitation to advisory boards and scientific committees
• to increase the participation of women in decision-making and evaluation procedures of Framework Programme funding 
• to foster reflective practices by raising awareness of the implications of gender dimension of scientific research
• to develop scientists’ skills in incorporating this practice into their research ideas and methodologies
• to encourage policy developments at national level concerning the issue of women in science
• to prepare young researchers to take ownership of their research projects, and develop their skills in communication and responsible conduct of research, and provide them with the skills and reflection to develop into effective supervisors and mentors
• to make actions to mobilise and network young scientists in order to advocate their interests in a policy debate particularly from a regional and gender perspective
   
  More about this project at CEC-WYS central site.