[January 2023]

INTRODUCTION

IKED is an independent organisation promoting innovation, enterprise development, sustainability, participation, empowerment, the realisation of the fullest potential of all citizens, and respect for all living beings.

Equality between men and women is a major issue of social as well as economic importance. While it has become increasingly topical in recent years, inequalities persist in various ways, although taking diverse shapes in different countries and kinds of cultural context. Since its inception, through numerous projects, IKED has identified and recommended action to enabling improved conditions in this respect, and the organisation is committed to continue advancing such work.

At the same time, where possible, the organisation is committed to combating sexual and gender-based harassment and violence. The organisation wishes to go beyond what is required by law and highlight conditions and measures that indirectly have a bearing on gender and equality. This spans a number of aspects, including technology, social media, culture, violence, conflict, and so forth.

In order to organise for more effective action, IKED set out in 2022 to engage core staff and selected external consultants to advance a gender and equality plan. That work has been discussed internally and peer reviewed. It has resulted in this document, which underlies the organisation’s action plan, set up in January 2023.

Based on the work undertaken, related to the activities and features of its organisation, eight specific domains have been identified as of high relevance to the present plan:

1. Diagnosis and mapping.
2. Recruitment, career and compensation.
3. Improving work-life balance.
4. Promoting health and wellness.
5. Communication and social media.
6. Cross-cultural interface and migration.
7. Governance and co-creation.
8. Combating sexual and gender-based violence through awareness-raising, training

and active search of measures that indirectly can exert a favourable impact in combating such behaviour.

Structured across these domains, IKED is resolutely committed to supporting an internal culture and mode of organisation as well as external networks and partner relations as well as the rise of a society that is innovative and dynamic while also inclusive and egalitarian. IKED has set itself a roadmap for integrating the gender equality and anti- discrimination dimension spanning active measures adopted and implemented within each of the noted domains. Linked to this, the organisation aims to combat stereotypes, change attitudes, and bring about favourable adjustments in individual and collective behaviours.

Gender equality, countering of discrimination generally - along with respect for the fulfilment of the potential of all human beings as well as the respect for all life - belong firmly in the core of IKED’s value set.

In the following, we present detailed objectives, directions, and actions within each of the identified priority domains:

Specific action domains

Domain 1: Diagnosis and mapping

1. Produce an annual comparative situation report taking stock of developments in regard to gender issues in the core areas addressed by IKED, including reflections on the relevance of the ongoing and planned activities of the organisation.

2. Regularly monitor the status of women and men among the staff of the establishment and integrate it into a brief shared with the board as well as with staff.

3. Encourage research on the theme of gender equality: master in gender studies, Gender cluster, seminars.

4. Identify areas of indirect importance – such working on projects in specific cultures outside of EU.

5. Map lessons learned on themes related to gender equality and sexual and gender- based violence.

Domain 2: Recruitment, career and remuneration

6. Ensure equitable career development through fair representation of women and

men for advancement and promotion.

7. Strive for team diversity and systematize the publication of inclusive job descriptions.

8. Guarantee a non-discriminatory recruitment process (composition of the jury, candidates received, questions asked, etc.).

9. Ensure no improper influence on women vs. men in thematic conversions regarding work time arrangements, leave of absence, or maternity/paternity choices of employees.

10. Establish an incentive system for scientific innovations and publications for researchers.

1. Encourage and facilitate the assumption of responsibilities by women.
2. Promote women's careers through active mentoring.
3. Promote women's access to professional networks.

Domain 3: Work-life balance

14. Ensure information and access to parenting rights and initiate a reflection on the

facilitation of childcare arrangements for staff and student parents.

15. Welcome breastfeeding during the child's first year and a half, and allow for flexible work schedules to accommodate the same.

Domain 4: Promoting health and wellness

16. Inform staff, women as well as men, about pertinent gender related health issues

and countering measures.

17. Promote innovation and organisational and other solutions in support of equal opportunities.

Domain 5: Communication and social media

18.Set up an inclusive/epicene communication charter, in compliance with the

regulations in force.

19. Regularly implement internal and external monitoring ensuring gender equality or other kinds of discrimination is not compromised using social media by individuals or organisations partnering or in other ways interlinked with IKED.

20. Examine the role of the media landscape, and notably social media in regard to gender stereotypes, while also analysing the causes and present recommendations for remedial action. This strand of work, currently advanced in IKED’s regular work programme within the realm of the so-called EUMEPLAT project (see Annex 2, for an example of relevant output), should subsequently be subjected to adequate updates.

Domain 6: Cross-cultural interface and migration

1. In studies and research related to culture, where appropriate ensure to inquire the presence of gender and inequality issues, with consideration to causes and consequences, separating between descriptive, analytical and normative aspects.
2. In studies and research related to migration, where appropriate ensure to inquire the presence of gender and inequality issues, with consideration to causes and consequences, separating between descriptive, analytical and normative aspects.

23. Ensure that cross-cultural partnerships with professional and associative networks do not evoke issues in regard to equality between women and men or other kinds of discrimination.

Domain 7: Governance and co-creation

24. Ensure that all projects and events involving staff representatives and partner organisations, ensure sustainable governance on gender equality (steering committee, technical committee, working groups, etc.).

25.Wherever relevant, promote that all project activities addressing citizen participation, co-creation and governance pay special attention to the presence of issues and opportunities for improvement in the sphere of gender inequality and other kinds of discrimination.

26. Designate a senior board or staff representative with a special mandate to monitor and at any sign of gender inequality within the organisation or in external relations, call attention to the matter for senior management. Also, the status and progress of related matters will be reported on a regular basis to the Board of Directors.

27.Subject the gender and equality plan to a three-year evaluation and considerations of revisions by the Board of Directors.

Domain 8: Culture combating discrimination, violence, psychological or sexual harassment and sexist behaviour through awareness- raising and training

28.Deploy regular awareness-raising and training for staff to promote the development of a common culture which provides strong resistance to any derogatory behaviours in such respects. Important elements include gender equality and how to take practical action to counter violence, psychological or sexual harassment, sexist behaviour, or any kind of discrimination.

ANNEX 1:

Brief Commentary on gender balance in IKED’s organisation

The distribution of staff by gender in the organisation is well balanced. The board consists of 40% women and 60% of men (as of spring 2023). While the Chairperson is male, women dominate in the rank of senior researchers, as 60% are female and 40% men. Partner networks and expert networks are regularly monitored for any signs of imbalances, presently with no significant differences appearing between women and men.

As IKED is engaged in projects on a global level, the organisation puts high priority on identifying and responding to issues of gender inequality. Several of the organisation’s projects, stretching back its inception, have analysed trends and issues of special relevance to women. Among such projects, it is worth noting IKED ́s long-lasting engagement in Women-owned enterprises, start-ups by women and female entrepreneurship.

ANNEX 2:

National media gender report for Sweden Developed by IKED for EUMEPLAT, Spring 2023