Open Call: Apply to join the GenderSAFE CoP’s Intersectionality Circle!

GenderSAFE has established a Community of Practice (CoP) designed to promote exchange and mutual learning among participants from different universities and research organisations on institutional policy frameworks addressing gender-based violence.

The ultimate goal is to promote policy coordination at the EU level by contributing to the development of a model policy framework, including a code of conduct to foster a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence in higher education and research. The CoP will also foster empowerment by inspiring and supporting participants to introduce or improve gender-based violence policies in their institutions through facilitated peer learning, training and testing of tools produced by the project.

The CoP’s Intersectionality Circle

Results from the UniSAFE project have shed light on the inequalities faced by different groups in relation to both the prevalence and consequences of gender-based violence in the context of R&I, but also on the effectiveness of institutional responses. There are different, interrelated grounds for increased exposure to gender-based violence, such as structural inequalities (e.g., disability, age, migrant background, gender identity) and circumstances where gender-based violence has proven more likely to occur (e.g., precarious employment, mobility, field trips, remote research sites or small, monodisciplinary research sites). The UniSAFE survey has shown that gender-based violence disproportionately affects minoritised groups, while Interviews conducted with participants who were potentially more at risk confirmed that several factors, including the precarious nature of contracts, contribute to power imbalance and exacerbate the problem. Few countries and institutions have policies in place to address gender-based violence, with even fewer taking an intersectional perspective.

The Intersectionality CoP circle aims to identify how existing policies fail to serve the needs of minoritised groups, to develop better practices and test solutions, bearing in mind the intersecting power imbalances which are at the heart of the problem.

Intersectionality Circle applicants

We especially welcome participants from underrepresented backgrounds and communities, whose unique perspectives are vital to enriching our discussions. Your voice can help ensure that our approach to gender-based violence truly addresses the diverse experiences across our institutions.

How to apply

Please complete the application form below. The deadline for applying is 31 December 2024.

Please note that – to foster optimal engagement within the CoP – it may not be possible to accept a large number of applications. Priority will be given to applicants who meet the profile criteria defined in the Circle description.