International Women's Day is a great opportunity for the Institut Pasteur to reaffirm its commitment to strengthening its gender equality policy. It is vital that every individual, regardless of gender, is able to fully express their talent while working at the Institut Pasteur, especially in science. Improving career possibilities for women is one of the objectives of the Institut Pasteur 2019-2023 strategic plan.
The Institut Pasteur recently published its Gender Equality Index on its website, as required by French law since March 1. While the score of 93 out of 100 is very good and reflects the ongoing commitment of the Institut Pasteur to gender parity in the areas of pay rises, promotions and salary increases after maternity leave, it is necessary to remain vigilant.
Looking beyond this index, the institute is particularly affected by the issue of under-representation of women in senior scientific positions. As at many other national and international research organizations, female scientists at the Institut Pasteur experience much slower career development on average than their male counterparts.
A dedicated working group will be set up at the Institut Pasteur and will work in close collaboration with the Human Resources Department and the Scientific Careers Department to recommend specific measures for inclusion to be incorporated into the Institut Pasteur's general human resources and scientific policies.
These measures will primarily focus on strengthening existing initiatives to promote women to leadership roles, such as the support offered to young female scientists from the PhD level onwards and throughout their career, and training and mentoring programs.
Drawing on the strong legacy of the many women who have shaped the Institut Pasteur's history as well as the work of those women who continue to embody scientific excellence today, the Institut Pasteur is explicitly reaffirming its role as an active and committed player in reducing gender inequality.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we invite you to discover portraits of some of our female researchers
Face to Face videos
Portraits Researchers