Horizon Europe : gender equality : a strengthened commitment in Horizon Europe.
Date: 2021-02-11
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Subjects: EU programme, gender equality, innovation, organisation of research, research budget, research policy

#HorizonEU

February 2021

I am determined to step up our efforts on gender equality and support 
more talented women in research and innovation. I am committed to 
ensuring that the gender dimension is fully integrated into research 
and innovation supported by Horizon Europe, and that it is fully 
acknowledged in the European Research Area.

Mariya Gabriel Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

GENDER EQUALITY
A STRENGTHENED COMMITMENT  
IN HORIZON EUROPE

What is the challenge? 

Despite progress achieved on gender equality in research and innovation under the Horizon 2020 research 
and  innovation  programme,  we  still  need  better  implementation  of  EU  gender  equality  objectives  by 
research and innovation organisations across the EU, notably:

    More women participating in research and innovation programmes

   Better integration of the gender dimension in the content of research and innovation projects

   More  participation  of  EU  widening  countries  in  actions  dedicated  to  gender  equality  in  research  and 

innovation organisations 

   Broadening  gender  equality  policies  in  research  and  innovation  to  intersections  with  other  potential 

grounds for discrimination such as ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation

The Commission is taking concrete steps to address these challenges through Horizon Europe, in line with the 
Communication A New ERA for Research and Innovation and the new Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025.

How we will tackle it and for whom

  Horizon  Europe  sets  gender  equality  as  a  crosscutting  principle 
and aims to eliminate gender inequality and intersecting socio-
economic 
innovation 
inequalities  throughout  research  and 
systems,  including  by  addressing  unconscious  bias  and  systemic 
structural barriers.

  Main novelties include the following:

 – The  integration  of  the  gender  dimension  into 
research  and  innovation  content  (i.e.  sex  and 
gender analysis) becomes a requirement by default 
across the whole programme (for more information 
see the ‘Gendered Innovations’ policy report).

 – A  new  eligibility  criterion  to  get  access  to 
Horizon  Europe  funding:  public  bodies,  research 
organisations and higher education establishments 
will  be  required,  starting  in  2022,  to  have  a 
gender  equality  plan  (GEP)  in  place.  This  will 
ensure sustainable institutional change. 

part  of  the  Programme.  Specific  funding  will  be 
allocated  for  gender  studies  and  intersectional 
research,  in  particular  in  Pillar  II  Cluster  2  -  Culture, 
Creativity and Inclusive Society.

 – Flagship  measures  and  activities  promoting 
gender equality under the European Innovation 
Council (EIC), including a target of 40% women-
led  companies  invited  to  pitch  their  projects,  a 
target of 50% women among members of advisory 
structures,  a  prize  for  women  innovators  and  a 
dedicated initiative to support women-led start-ups. 

 – Specific  funding  will  be  made  available  for 
actions  supporting  the  development  of  inclusive 
gender equality plans in research and innovation 
organisations across Member States and associated 
countries under the “Widening Participation and 
Strengthening  the  European  Research  Area” 

 – Particular attention will be paid to ensuring gender 
balance in evaluation panels and in other relevant 
advisory bodies, such as boards and expert groups. 
Gender  balance  among  researchers  involved  in 
projects  will  be  strongly  encouraged  and  will  be 
taken into account for equally ranked proposals.

How will it work together? 

Provisions supporting gender equality through Horizon Europe are complementary to those from other 
Programmes,  such  as  ERASMUS+,  with  strong  synergies  with  the  transformative  agenda  for  higher 
education  institutions  and  the  European  Universities  alliances,  as  well  as  with  the  Cohesion  Policy 
Funds, and the Rights and Values Programme.

Expected impacts and results

All  provisions  for  gender  equality  in  research  and  innovation  under  Horizon  Europe  will  contribute 
directly to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on Gender Equality and Women’s 
Empowerment, and to all SDGs, as gender equality is a necessary foundation across SDGs.

Conclusion

Gender equality, and the opening to inclusiveness issues, are priorities in Horizon Europe, in line with the 
new ERA framework, and the Union of Equality sought for by the European Commission.

MORE INFORMATION 

Gender equality in research and innovation 
Gendered Innovations: How Inclusive Analysis Contributes to Research and Innovation 

#GenderEquality

#UnionOfEquality

#HorizonEU

#EUResearchArea

@EUScienceInnov

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2021

© European Union, 2021
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doi:10.2777/439683

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doi:10.2777/410001

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