GenderTime trilateral meeting during the ICT Proposers Day organized by the European Commission in Florence 8-10 October 2014

Submitted by valentina on Wed, 10/22/2014 - 14:14

   Two GenderTime girls (Sanja Vraneš, Institute 'Mihajlo Pupin' and Laura Drigo, University of Padova) with Prof. Claudia Manfredi, from University of Florence, who agreed to take over the GenderTime results and policy recommendations and try to implement them at the University of Florence. Below are her answers to our questions regarding the state of the art of gender issues at the University of Florence.

 

Questions:

·         How are the gender activities organized on University / Institute level ? Do you have an Officer for Gender Equality ? Is there a separate department or this is a part of the activities of the Human Resources department?

Within our University there is the so-called “Committee of Warranty for equal opportunities”, an organism of opposition to all forms of discrimination and abuse against people who work within the University that includes gender activities. http://www.unifi.it/vp-9265-comitato-unico-di-garanzia-per-le-pari-opportunita.html

 

·         From your experience, which activities are most effective for improving the gender balance e.g. improvement of gender balance on top-level positions first, and then make influence on other domains (recruitment, work-life balance) ?

In principle, there are no objective obstacles to this. In my opinion strong initiatives must be undertaken in primary and secondary schools to change the mindset of young people, first of all girls.

 

·         How are the women represented on top-level positions ?

In our university, as in all Italian universities, there is no discrimination of gender and may women have leading positions. As I said the problem is social, because women often give up leading positions because overburdened by domestic commitments (home, children, etc.)

 

·         How is the promotion of EU gender equality policies accepted by your colleagues ?

As far as I know, there is no discussion on this topic, European policies are accepted by everyone.

 

·         Are the young female researchers aware of gender policies ?

I do not know, I have no information about. I firmly believe in gender equality as a vested right and I think the younger generations are in agreement on this. I do not think that specific initiatives are required at the university level, but, as I said, I am convinced that much has to be done in primary schools and society.