Every three years since 2003, the report She Figures The European Commission challenges me with a question: Can Europe aspire to lead global innovation if it doesn't tap into all of its talent? The 2024 edition, published a few weeks ago, confirms that gender equality in research and innovation (R&I) is advancing in fits and starts: there is progress, yes, but the gaps are as wide as they are urgent. And the title of the report is already, in itself, a declaration of intent.She" is actually an acronym that originally stood for Statistics in Higher Education (higher education statistics) that has evolved to encompass the entire R&I ecosystem, whether academic, business, or government. And there's the play on words: She Figures It's not only translated as "her figures," but also as "she figures." That is, women participate, they contribute... or they should. But the reality remains harsher than the poetic meaning of the report's title.
The numbers speak for themselves: women outnumber men in university degrees, but they only account for 22% of doctorates in information and communications technologies, a strategic sector where the lack of diversity exacerbates the talent shortage and hinders innovation. Even more serious, only 9% of registered inventors in the EU are women, and 98% of research ignores the gender perspective in its designs. This is not just a matter of fairness; it's a strategic error. As the Draghi report on competitiveness points out, Europe cannot afford to exclude half of its talent in a globalized and hyper-technological context.
The European Commissioner for R&I, Ekaterina Zaharieva, summed it up in a single sentence: "Talent has no gender, but opportunities, all too often, do." Despite the policies promoted by the European Commission, invisible barriers remain and perpetuate. Certainly, progress has been made: for example, women now represent 51% of participants in evaluation committees. However, this progress is insufficient because only 31% of European research projects are led by women. Figures that, although improving (they were 23% in the She Figures of 2021), show a persistent glass ceiling.
Women not only face obstacles in accessing leadership positions or in technological sectors, but also in the way knowledge is constructed. The fact that 98% of research ignores the gender perspective is a symptom of scientific myopia. Women are not a demographic niche; we make up half of the population, and innovative solutions must take our needs and experiences into account. Ignoring this undermines the quality and relevance of the results.
If we don't fully integrate women into Europe's R&I ecosystem, we will lose out in the global race against economies that do embrace diversity. Equality is not just an ethical imperative; it's the key to more creative research, more inclusive technology, and a more robust economy.
