Gender gaps in recruiting, promotion, budget-shares, representation at the top of the hierarchy of European Research and Innovation Organisations (RIOS) have significantly declined, and yet remain sizeable/wide overall (e.g. EIGE Gender Equality Index). 

Gender Equality and Intersecting Inequalities are critical concepts here. Gender inequalities are especially pronounced for intersecting gender groups (at the intersection of gender and other minority-group threads e.g., disabled women, foreign women, older women, non-binary people; a phenomenon defined as “intersectionality” by Crenshaw). 

According to various sources, intersecting gender groups are among the least integrated in R & I (e.g., American Economic Association and European Economic Association surveys). 

Lacking diversity and inclusion for all gender groups is not only harmful to gender equality but also to RIO’s attractivity, performance and productivity.