New Commission Expert Group report: COVID-19 impact on gender equality in R&I

May 9, 2023 | Blog

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown the negative impact that the crisis and the socio-economic lockdown have had on women researchers’ careers and productivity.

A new Commission Expert Group on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender equality in research and innovation was launched in March 2022 to investigate this phenomenon and develop recommendations to mitigate these negative consequences. The Expert Group is composed of 12 members, including RESISTIRÉ partner María López Belloso.

The new Expert Group just published its first report, which investigates the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis and the pandemic containment measures put in place at institutional, national and EU level on gender equality in the EU R&I system.

The report highlights in particular the pandemic’s gendered impact on academic productivity, early career researchers and work-life balance, and provides recommendations to address these gendered inequalities, with the aim to strengthen gender equality in R&I in the post-COVID recovery.