Report: Women’s participation in science academies

Worldwide, women are poorly represented at decision-making and management levels in the Science, Innovation, Technology and Energy (SITE) sector. AEnsuring that scientific systems reflect the perspectives, expertise and leadership of both women and men is essential to producing stronger research outcomes and more inclusive policies. Applying a gender lens to science and innovation helps institutions better address complex global challenges and create long-term, equitable solutions.

The Elsevier Foundation has partnered with GenderInSITE, an international initiative which applies a gender lens to science, innovation, technology and engineering for development, in an advisory capacity and contributed funds to a series of education and innovation focused workshops. These have enabled policy makers to meet with scientists, researchers and other stakeholders to explore how best to apply a gender and science lens to specific SDGs in a local and regional context and to develop and disseminate the workshop recommendations to target key stakeholders.

A key focus of this partnership has been supporting a global study on women’s participation in science academies. Conducted in collaboration with the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the International Science Council (ISC), the study surveyed more than 120 scientific organizations. The findings provide an important evidence base for understanding gender disparities in scientific leadership and offer insights that can guide institutions seeking to create more inclusive governance structures and policies.

What we do

The collaboration also helps promote the sharing of knowledge and recommendations emerging from global studies and workshops. By engaging scientific organizations, policymakers and research leaders, these efforts aim to encourage institutional reflection and inspire the development of strategies that support greater gender balance in membership, leadership and decision-making roles across the global scientific community.

How we deliver

The partnership supports collaborative research and knowledge-sharing activities led by GenderInSITE and its international partners. Central to this work is the development and dissemination of evidence on gender representation in science academies and international disciplinary organizations, helping institutions better understand existing gaps and opportunities for progress.

Through engagement with global scientific networks such as the IAP and ISC, the initiative fosters dialogue across regions and disciplines on how to advance gender equality within research governance structures. Workshops, policy discussions and collaborative publications help ensure that the findings inform institutional practices and support the broader movement toward more inclusive and representative science systems.

Together, these efforts contribute to building a stronger evidence base and a growing coalition of organizations committed to advancing gender equity in science leadership worldwide.