KI signs European declaration on gender equality – Karolinska Institutet

Karolinska Institutet’s Strategic Commitment to Gender Equality and Sustainable Development Goals

Challenges to Advancing SDG 5: Gender Equality

A report from Karolinska Institutet (KI) indicates a growing need to reaffirm the importance of gender equality work. Alice Wahl, gender equality coordinator at the HR office, highlights several challenges to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality):

• The fundamental purpose of gender equality initiatives is being questioned.
• There is increased opposition, with arguments suggesting that gender equality is self-evident and does not require dedicated resources or prioritization.
• A prevalent belief is that gender inequality is a generational issue that will resolve itself over time without active intervention.

Affirming Gender Equality as a Core Component of Sustainable Development

In response, KI and ten other signatories have issued a declaration to underscore the critical role of gender equality. The initiative aims to:

1. Reinforce Core Values: Visibly clarify and endorse the institutional culture and values that support gender equality, directly contributing to SDG 5.
2. Support Quality Education and Innovation (SDG 4 & SDG 9): Position gender equality not as a special-interest issue, but as an essential component for the quality of education, research, and innovation.
3. Promote Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): Send a strong signal to all staff and students that the institution is committed to an equitable environment, thereby preventing the loss of talent.

The declaration serves as a significant symbolic statement intended to leverage practical implementation of gender equality action plans and demonstrate how institutional values align with global sustainability targets.

Strategic Initiatives and Action Plans for SDG Integration

KI is actively promoting gender equality at multiple levels as part of its equality-integration mandate. This work aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals through specific, targeted actions.

Operational Framework for Equality

• Strategic and Practical Integration: KI employs a dual approach, combining strategic planning with practical measures such as courses, information campaigns, and direct support for staff to integrate a gender-equality perspective into all operations, including education and recruitment. This directly supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5.
• Data-Driven Analysis: The institution is developing new datasets and surveys to better understand the work and study environment experiences of different groups, ensuring evidence-based policies for an inclusive workplace as outlined in SDG 8.

Key Projects Supporting Gender-Equal Career Development

Several key projects are underway to foster an equitable academic environment:

• WISE (Women in Science and Education): This project is designed to promote a more gender-equal career ladder within academia.
• FIELD (Fellows in Gender Equal Career Development): This initiative aims to raise awareness of gender equality challenges among academic staff and the wider KI community.
• Equal Opportunities at KI: This overarching project clarifies roles and responsibilities for equal opportunities work and will culminate in a new, comprehensive action plan for gender equality, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to SDG 5 and SDG 8.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the central theme of the article. The entire text discusses the importance of gender equality within an academic institution (Karolinska Institutet – KI), the opposition it faces, and the specific actions being taken to promote it. Phrases like “gender equality work,” “integrate a gender-equality perspective,” and projects aiming for a “gender-equal career ladder” directly address this goal.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article explicitly links gender equality to the quality of education. It states that “gender equality is essential to the quality of education, research and innovation.” KI’s efforts to “integrate a gender-equality perspective into education” and ensure a positive “study environment” for all students connect directly to the principles of inclusive and equitable quality education.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article discusses the work environment and career progression at KI. Initiatives aimed at promoting a “gender-equal career ladder,” understanding how staff “experience their work… environment,” and retaining talent (“We don’t want to lose talent to others”) are all related to ensuring decent work, equal opportunities for promotion, and an inclusive workplace.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

   The article’s focus on projects like WISE and FIELD, which “aim to promote a more gender-equal career ladder,” directly aligns with this target. The goal is to ensure equal opportunities for career advancement and leadership roles within the academic institution, which represents a sphere of public and economic life.

2. Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels.

   KI’s work is an example of an institution adopting and strengthening policies for gender equality. The article mentions the development of “action plans and projects,” the “Equal opportunities at KI project” which “clarifies roles and responsibilities,” and the creation of a “new gender equality and equal opportunities action plan for KI.” These are all institutional policies and frameworks aimed at promoting gender equality.

3. Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality…

   The article highlights KI’s strategic work to “integrate a gender-equality perspective into education.” This effort ensures that students are educated in an environment that values and teaches the principles of gender equality, contributing directly to this target.

4. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.

   The initiatives to create a “gender-equal career ladder” and improve the “work… environment” are efforts to provide decent work and equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of gender. The article’s concern about not wanting to “lose talent” implies a commitment to creating an equitable and productive workplace for everyone.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Development of new datasets and surveys: The article explicitly states, “We’re also developing new datasets and surveys to better understand how different groups experience their work and study environment.” This is a direct indicator used to measure the inclusiveness and equality of the environment at KI, which helps track progress towards targets related to education (SDG 4) and decent work (SDG 8).
• Implementation of action plans and projects: The existence and progress of specific initiatives are implied indicators. The article mentions the “WISE” and “FIELD” projects and the development of a “new gender equality and equal opportunities action plan.” The successful implementation and outcomes of these plans serve as a measure of the institution’s commitment and progress towards Target 5.c.
• Integration of gender perspective in curriculum: The effort to “integrate a gender-equality perspective into education” implies that progress can be measured by tracking the number of courses or programs that have successfully incorporated this perspective. This would be a practical indicator for Target 4.7.
• Career progression data: The goal to “promote a more gender-equal career ladder” implies the use of an indicator that tracks the representation of different genders at various levels of the academic and administrative hierarchy. This would be a key performance indicator for measuring progress towards Target 5.5 within the institution.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.ki.se