Abstract:

Over the last decade, the EU has made slow progress towards gender equality. EIGE’s 2021 Index shows it will take nearly three generations to achieve gender equality at the current pace. COVID-19 could slow down progress even further.

The gender equality varies considerably by Member State. For example, Finnish labor market is among the most gender segregated in the EU. Women head for professions in education and care whereas men are directed to technology and logistics. Within different fields, the segregation continues and shows as differences in jobs, wages and career paths.

Higher education (HE) play an important role in promoting gender equality and non-harassment because they train workers of the future. That is why every HE organisation should have a detailed, efficient and well-structured gender equality and non-harassment plan. However, only about ten per cent of the HE’s staff members In Finland know that an educational institution must have an equality plan.

Moreover, EU´s Gender Equality Strategy sets out an ambitious framework for the next 5 years, formally endorsed by the Commission, on how to advance gender equality in Europe and beyond. For Horizon Europe calls for proposals applying public bodies, research organisations and higher education institutions, from EU Member States and associated countries, must have a GEP or equivalent strategy in place to be eligible for funding. To promote gender equality each, HE should have a gender equality plan.

In this paper, we will describe how to ideate, plan and how to integrate a plan into HE´s everyday educational work in co-operation with the management, staff members and students.

Keywords:

Gender equality, non-harassment, diversity.