1^st Workshop for Gender Equality Officers, 01-02.12.2005, Paris

The 1^st Workshop for Gender Equality Officers was organised by the CMA VIU Gender Mainstreaming on 1-2nd of December 2005 in the Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Matière et Rayonnement, Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris. The main organisers were Dr Esther Belin-Ferré (LCPMR-UMR), Prof. Aleksandra Czyrska-Filemonowicz (AGH-UST), Mrs Diana Szyf (CNRS-N).

The aim of this Workshop was to discuss the activities of gender mainstreaming in different institutions belonging to CMA Network of Excellence, the actions to be performed within the VIU GM Unit and to elaborate the Gender Equality Action Plan. Discussions were concerned the gender equality policy within the CMA Network of Excellence, based on promoting participation of female scientists in CMA’s activities. Many kinds of actions and activities for encouraging female scientists to take a more active part in the CMA Network’s activities were discussed, resulting in the elaboration of a draft of a Gender Equality Action Plan.

The CMA Gender Equality Action Plan includes actions to be undertaken and monitored in order to encourage female scientists to participate in all CMA’s activities, ensuring equal recruitment opportunities for promotion at all levels and encourage women to participate in management and scientific committees.


The following was taken into consideration:

• collecting gender-related statistics on CMA institutions in order to obtain better understanding of the role of women within the CMA network and monitoring of the progress made in terms of gender balance
• establishing a VIU GM Steering (development) Committee and nominate a representative from each CMA institution to VIU GM to encourage networking and mentoring amongst women involved in CMA
• organising Mentoring (Tutorial) programmes for female scientists at the beginning of their careers
• ensuring equal opportunities and promotion of female scientists in the field of research, e.g. special lectures given by female scientists during general CMA meetings and workshops, financial support for the promotion of young PhD female scientists for their lectures in top-level institutions,…
• organising external activities, e.g. “Girls’ Days” to provide better understanding of technically-oriented professions, advertising of materials science in schools (especially by young scientists), …
• organising incentives that really fit the needs of female scientists, e.g. short-term missions at the CMA partner in the home country and in different EU countries, various courses (e.g. on management), arranging children-care facilities for CMA meetings,…