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Gender Equality Plan

Since December 2021, the Institute of Biophysics (IBP) has been the holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award, which it received from the European Commission. The IBP creates a working, educational and cultural environment in which the equal rights and dignity of all employees are respected. Ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in the workplace is important to achieve this goal. To oversee the implementation of this plan, the HR Award will be given to the Steering Committee.

The Gender Equality Plan focuses on the following areas:

  1. Reconciling employees' work and private lives
  2. Gender balance in leadership and decision-making
  3. Gender balance in recruitment and career advancement
  4. Measures against gender-based behaviour incompatible with social standards.

Implementation of the Gender Equality Plan

Action 1
Title: Gender balance in leadership and decision-making
Detailed information: After an introductory circle of a lecturer and participants, were introduced concepts such
as gender, gender stereotypes, socialization, and the possibility of avoiding stereotypes. Later the attention was paid to case studies: Advertising, Remuneration, Reconciliation of work and private life, Goods and services, (Sexual) harassment. An assessment of case studies of non-equal treatment took place in groups. Then the individual cases were discussed with members of other groups, as a tool for solving the cases was used a concept of a shared burden of proof. Following topics were introduced through a discussion of the specific circumstances of the individual cases: (1) Areas and grounds of discrimination protected by the Anti-Discrimination Act, (2) Direct discrimination, indirect discriminationIndirect discrimination, (3) (Sexual) harassment, (4) Persecution, instruction, incitement to discrimination, (5) Shared burden of proof. In the end, as a summary, the lecturer briefly focused on 2 general questions: (1) Why promote equality between women and men? (international and national legal obligations, existence of inequalities, public opinion, 5 arguments for gender equality) (2) How to promote equality between women and men. Participants were cooperative, informed, active. An interest was visible from the detailed discussion. The discussion was constructive and aimed at finding solutions to the often
complex problems that equal treatment brings. Discussed situations are repeatedly on the borderline between the law and ideas of each person about rules of human coexistence, on the borderline between work and private life. Through interaction and through the search for their own solutions to the case studies submitted, participants had the opportunity to experience the complexity of the agenda themselves. They were informed about possible solutions to non-equal treatment not only through sanction mechanisms, so-called ex post solutions, but also about the need for prevention and education 
Lecturer: Mgr. et Mgr. Pavla Špondrová
Timing: June 22, 2022
Indicator(s)/Targets:  Action had high priority for GEP.
Number of participants: 20

Action 2
Title: Annual meetings on gender issues at the institute
Detailed information: Every year, the director of the institute organizes meetings of BFÚ employees on gender issues, where issues related to possible discrimination, the possible existence of inequalities, the need to promote equality, and the rules of human coexistence are discussed. The participants expressed that they do not feel discrimination against women or men within the BFÚ.
Timing: end of each year
Number of participants: 30
Indicators/Targets: The number of participants corresponds to the number of workers who are interested in gender issues. The aim is to ensure a quick response of the institute's management in case of need.

Action 3
Title: Summer schools for children up to 10 years old
Detailed information: The events took place in two weeks, detailed information is given in HR Award Implementation, events 14.1 and 14.2. The aim of the events was, among other things, to contribute to gender balance in childcare.
Timing: first summer school 18.7.-22.7.2022, second summer school 8.8.-12.8.2022
Number of participants: 12 children, 15-20 mentors form IBP

Action 4
Title: Improved gender balance in leaderschip positions
Detailed information: Owing to the fact that there is ony 1 woman from 10 departments leaders, the management of the Institute recommended appointing a women as deputy heads of the departments. Thus, 8 women were appointed to this position. The current situation is that the ratio of women/men in the position of head of department/deputy head of department is 9/11, which is quite balanced. It should be noted that women prefer the position of deputy of the department leader due to less responsibility and workload.
Timing: 2022
Indicators/Targets: balances representation of women and men in leading positions

Action 5
Title: Equality between men and women
Detailed information: (1) the course was intended for everyone, (2) the course would focus on the topic of "gender stereotypes", how these stereotypes are harmful and in which areas they have a negative effect on both women and men; (3) some other potentially discriminatory cases were discussed; (4) space was set aside for explaining the principles of equal treatment as it follows from the anti-discrimination law.
Timing: April 5, 2023
Indicators/Targets: balances representation of women and men in leading positions