One of the most important issues that the European Union is trying to address through actions taken every single year, is the issue of gender equality and the gender gap that exists in a lot of sectors such as the working environment.
Women have a lot of creativity and innovation to offer and unfortunately, all this goes to waste. There are several under-exploited sources and of economic growth that can create jobs. All those sources are can come from women across Europe.
Some important statistics
According to statistics While women constitute 52% of the total European population and 59% of first-level university graduates, they only represent 40% of employed scientists and engineers and 30% of start-up entrepreneurs. Women hold less than 10% of patent applications.
One of the key roles that can solve this particular problem is innovation. Innovation can always help solve important societal challenges. And now, it is finally time to start breaking the gender stereotype in Europe. A stereotype that has been keeping women back for decades, not allowing them to become the innovators and entrepreneurs we know they can be.
Under the “Science with and for Society” call of the Horizon 2020 financial framework proposals must support initiatives such as hands-on activities, seminars, mentoring sessions, gender-inclusive innovative tools, etc. to develop entrepreneurial competencies and inspire the next generation of innovators. These will be implemented with the support of role models (e.g. former winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators).
Important activities filling the gender gap!
The activities will involve inter alia grassroots organizations, schools, foundations, science and technology museums, incubators, start-ups, innovative industries, etc. Activities will build on the work carried out by other European initiatives or funded projects, such as Scientix, Hypatia and EUCYS (European Union Contest for Young Scientists). Activities should create sustainable collaborative networks and cover at least 16 Member States and/or Associated Countries.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the order of EUR 1.50 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
In the short term, the action will raise awareness of the gender gap in innovation. It will encourage sustainable collaboration among schools, science, and technology museums, foundations, start-ups, etc while involving young people in the innovation ecosystem. In the long term, it will contribute to increasing the number of female innovators in Europe. It will also contribute to wider European Union objectives by better matching skills to jobs.
Gender equality is a societal challenge that means a lot to the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development. After having implemented a large number of different projects aiming at promoting gender equality and filling the gender gap, we are certain that we can be a great partner for this call.
If you want to learn more about our work you can visit our portfolio pages. We are open to a potential partnership. Contact us today and let’s be partners under this important call