Promoting new competencies through gender mainstreaming: the example of life sciences and health research

Ineke Klinge

Genderstudies in health and health care

University of Maastricht

Introduction

Life sciences; health sciences To boost gender equality in research Formula: GE = WP and GD

Previous research

Gender Impact Assessment of FP5 research programme for the life sciences (QoL)

Gendered biological, biomedical knowledge Gaps, dubious treatment, inadequate care Challenge of theoretical framework of

discipline

Gender Impact Assessment of QoL Evaluation of the gender dimension For life sciences research: both sex

(referring to the biological) and gender (referring to the socio-cultural) are relevant

Methodology Gender Impact Study Literature resource to evaluate

programme Assessment protocol to evaluate

projects Main findings on participation of women Main findings on gender dimension of

research

Results

Klinge, I., & Bosch, M. (2001). Gender in Research. Gender Impact Assessment of the specific programmes of the Fifth Framework Programme. Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources (EUR 20017). Brussels: European Commission. 

Klinge, I. (2002). Women, gender and the life sciences: research for and about women (pp 74-78). In : Gender & Research, Conference Proceedings. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. ISBN: 92-894-3743

available at rtd-sciencesociety@cec.eu.int  

Implementation of recommendations in FP6 Adoption sex/gender concepts and

terminology Elaboration of our assessment protocol,

translation to Guide for Proposers, inclusion of examples

Address of sex /gender aspects included as quality criterion

Training for evaluators

Engendering Research I

GE= WP and GD GD: 1) address needs of men and

women and 2) enhanced understanding of gender issues (i.e. gender studies)

Elaboration in Priority 1: two important footnotes

Priority 1 footnotes

1- Causes, clinical manifestation, consequences and treatment of diseases and disorders often differ between women, men and children. Therefore all activities (funded within this priority) must take the possibility of such differences into account in their research protocols, methodology and analysis of results

2- Because of the inconsistent and often confusing use of the terms sex and gender , their use should be clarified: sex refers to differences attributed to biological origins, gender refers to social influences that lead to differences. Males and females differ not only in their basic biology but also in ways the interact with and are treated by society.

Priority 1& 5 topics

Priority1) Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health

sex and gender differences are relevant in health research for combating diseases, in fundamental research on genomics and in its applications for health

Priority 5): Food quality and safety sex and gender differences are relevant in the impact on health

of food products such as those containing genetically modified organisms

sex and gender differences are relevant in the epidemiology of food-related diseases and allergies.

Engendering Research II

Gender/sex issues should be considered in: the formulation of research hypotheses, in the development of research protocols, choice of research methodologies and in the analysis of results

        biological, pre-clinical and epidemiological, behavioural research/studies on both human and animal subjects

        the use of cells, tissues and other specimen, where appropriate

        the choice for a particular study population that should be thoroughly justified and the sex of the participants described in full.

Examples of gender mainstreaming in FP6 projects Partner in IP on depression Invited as expert in NoE’s and IP’s

designed by others (Nutrigenomics, Safefoods, Genepinet)

Commission Network

Fostering gender competencies I

Higher education University of Maastricht

Trajectory genderstudies health sciences

BAMA curriculum Masters (Utrecht University) PhD training (Dutch research school of

women’s studies NOV)

Fostering gender competencies II

Support for gender studies as important gender mainstreaming tool

Needed: European Master Gender Studies for life sciences and health research

AIOFFE, WISE