The European gender equality in research and innovation policy under Horizon Europe (2021-2027) builds strongly upon the strategy set out under Horizon 2020 (2014-2020). Under Horizon 2020 promoting gender equality in research and innovation was done through three objectives, in short:

• Fostering gender balance in research teams
• Ensuring gender balance in decision-making
• Integrating the gender dimension in research and innovation (R&I) content

On what this concretely entailed at proposal submission and evaluation stage, this is described in the gender equality part in the Horizon 2020 Online Manual.

Under Horizon Europe these objectives are being continued and strenghtened. There is a 50% target for gender balance in Horizon Europe boards, expert groups and evaluation committees. Gender balance among research teams is set as a 3^rd ranking criterion for proposals with the same score (Horizon Europe work programme 2023-2025 general annexes p. 28). The gender dimension in research and innovation content is a requirement by default, and evaluated under the evaluation criterion Excellence, unless specified otherwise in the call topic. Furthermore additional measures apply under the European Innovation Council (EIC) which are summarised at the bottom. (Horizon Europe Programme Guide section on 'gender equality and inclusiveness' and NCP Flanders slides 'Gender dimension in Horizon Europe proposals' (May 2022). 

Added under Horizon Europe is the obligation to have a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in all public bodies, higher education institutions and research organisations in Horizon Europe Associated Countries and EU member states applying to calls with deadline in 2022 and onwards. An explanation of the defined legal entities under Horizon Europe is given in the Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment (under chapter II.1). The GEP must be in place at grant agreement signature stage.

The mandatory requirements of a GEP are described in the Horizon Europe work programme 2023-2025 general annexes (p. 16-17). Four mandatory building blocks are described, in short: 1) The GEP must be a public document, 2) there needs to be dedicated resources, 3) data collection and monitoring and 4) training and capacity building. This is supplemented by five recommended thematic areas:

• work-life balance and organisational culture
• gender balance in leadership and decision-making
• gender equality in recruitment and career progression
• integration of the gender dimension into research and teaching content
• measures against gender-based violence including sexual harassment

More hands on information can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions on GEP (May 2021) and the presentation of the GEP info session (May 2021) organised by the Belgian Horizon Europe National Contact Points following up this topic. This Horizon Europe guidance on Gender Equality Plans (September 2021) provides information on the four mandatory and five recommended building blocks with examples for each. This webinar provides an overview of the GEP eligibility criterion complemented with GEP examples from two organisations (June 2022).

The European Commission DG Research and Innovation strategic plan for 2020-2024 and 2025-2027, furthermore states the 'activities will aim to eliminate gender inequality and intersecting social inequalities – including those based on age, disability, ethnic or racial origin, and LGBTIQ identity – throughout R&I systems, including by addressing unconscious biases, stereotypes, and systemic structural barriers.’, which is in line with the Gender equality strategy 2020-2025 of the European Commission, which sets out the Commission's broader commitment to equality across all EU policies. The factsheet 'Towards inclusive gender equality in research and innovation' presents tips and good practices for R&I stakeholders to support the inclusion and equal opportunity of students, researchers and staff from diverse and marginalised backgrounds in European R&I systems (report 'Approaches to inclusive gender equality in research and innovation'). 

This factsheet on “gender equality – a strengthened commitment in Horizon Europe” is a handy summary on the gender equality objectives under Horizon Europe, what needs to be included in a GEP and where to find more useful resources for establishing a GEP. Lastly, some examples:

• European Research Council Scientific Council Gender equality plan for the period 2021-2027. 

Gender equality plans of Flemish entities (Dutch/English, non-exhaustive):

• an overview of gender equality plans of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), five Flemish universities and several research institutions can be found here
• gender equality plan Vlaamse overheid Departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie (EWI)
• gender equality plan Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)
• gender equality plan Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO)

To find out more about the impact of gender equality plans across the European Research Area consult this factsheet and seven policy briefs (June 2024) which have been published ahead of the publication of the main report on the topic.

Dedicated gender equality calls for proposals in Horizon Europe two/three-yearly work programmes

Gender equality is a theme across all Horizon Europe programme parts. There are also dedicated (open) calls for proposals and awards with regards to the promotion of gender equality or gender studies. Under the Horizon Europe Work Programme part Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area, more specifically Destination 3 Reforming and Enhancing the EU Research and Innovation, there are several calls for proposals included with a specific focus on the promotion of inclusive gender equality plans. Furthermore there have been several calls in the Horizon Europe Pillar II clusters and Pillar III (EIC, EIT and EIE). A selection of (past) calls for proposals with links to the Funding and Tender portal call topic pages and awards are listed here below (for a full overview browse the F&T Portal):

• HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-01-11: Support to the implementation of inclusive gender equality plans
• HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-01-10: Policy coordination to support all aspects of inclusive Gender Equality Plans and policies in the ERA
• EU Award for Inclusive, Newcomer and Sustainable Gender Equality Champions (2024 edition)
• HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-01-05: Gender-roles in extremist movements and their impact on democracy
• HORIZON-CL3-2024-FCT-01-04: Radicalisation and gender
• HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-24: Tackling gender, race and other biases in AI
• HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-01-01: Boosting women-led innovation in farming and rural areas
• Women TechEU is a two-year funded project under the EIE part. The scheme offers coaching and mentoring to female founders, as well as targeted funding to help take their business to the next level with the aim to create a more gender-balanced entrepreneurship ecosystem Open Call #2 (2024).
• EU Prize for Women Innovators, with three categories: EIC Women Innovators and EIC Rising Innovators category (2024 edition) and EIT Women Leadership Award (2024 edition), a yearly call under the EIC&EIT (since 2023), celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe's most game-changing innovations.
• HORIZON-EIC-2022-GENDER-01-01: Pilot European innovation gender and diversity index under which the GENDEX project was funded.

The promotion of gender equality in the European Innovation Council (EIC)

Apart from the above mentioned measures, there are additional initiatives within EIC to promote gender equality.

• As part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services and with view to support the role of women in innovation and tech the EIC Women Leadership Programme was created.
• Accelerator instrument: target of 40% women-led companies invited to interviews
• Transition instrument: at least 30% of applications invited to the interview shall be submitted by women-led SMEs or consortia:
• Women-led consortia: a consortium where at least 50% of Work Package leaders including the consortium coordinator are women at the time of application, interview and award of the EU financial support.
• Women-led companies/SMEs: companies where the position of either the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer or Chief Scientific Officer is held by a woman at the time of application, interview and award of the EU financial support.

Other information sources

• DG R&I Gender equality in research and innovation webpage which covers a thorough overview of the European Commissions’ aim and measures to achieve gender equality in research, how it relates to the European Research Area, information on gender equality networks and news on the topic and relevant information sources e.g. She Figures report.
• DG R&I webpage EU Award for Gender Equality Champions (award established since 2022)
• EIC webpage on EU Prize for Women Innovators
• Horizon Europe NCP Portal Towards Gender Equality in the ERA
• Zero-tolerance code of conduct. Counteracting gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, in the EU research and innovation system (August 2024)
• Gendered innovations website with the work of two successive European Commission expert groups, funded under FP7 and H2020, including the case studies presented in the report Gendered Innovations 2: How inclusive analysis contributes to research and innovation (2020). Key findings of the report are summarized in this factsheet.
• Gender Equality in Academia and Research (GEAR) tool
• Gender in EU-funded research toolkit developed by Yellow Window under an FP7 project