Forging a path to gender equality in the workplace
On 23 May 2024, researchers Dr Devran Gülel and Prof. Karen Johnston from the EU-funded RE-WIRING project presented their work on gender equality at the House of Lords, the United Kingdom’s upper house of Parliament. This was part of a special event focused on advancing women’s representation in the workplace, which is a vital step in the project’s efforts to empower women and girls and promote gender equality. RE-WIRING’s goal is to identify the structural root causes of gendered power hierarchies in Europe and beyond and to ‘rewire’ institutions so as to prevent and reverse gender inequalities. A collaborative effort between RE-WIRING and Professional Women’s Network (PWN London), the event gave participants the opportunity to network and take part in a dynamic workshop. Discussions revolved around women’s representation in leadership roles, persistent gender gaps in leadership positions, innovative and practical solutions to close these gaps, and strategies to rewire institutions instead of attempting to ‘fix women’, as well as personal experiences of participants navigating workplace biases. “It was a privilege to speak at such a prestigious venue and to share insights and engage in very interesting discussions with women from diverse business backgrounds, who are committed to driving meaningful change,” stated Dr Gülel in a news item posted on the website of RE-WIRING project partner University of Portsmouth. “Events like these are crucial for raising awareness, fostering dialogue, and developing actionable strategies to advance gender equality in leadership. I look forward to continuing my research and advocacy efforts to dismantle systemic barriers, and create more inclusive workplaces where women can thrive and reach their full potential,” added Dr Gülel, who is a research fellow at the university. “Thank you to everyone who attended, to Professor Karen Johnston and to PWN London for their partnership. Let’s continue working together to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces for all.”
Providing the tools for equality
To address gender inequality in the workplace and the persistent gaps in gender representation and pay existing in management and leadership positions, RE-WIRING has published a toolkit with better practices that could be adopted and implemented by organisations. It offers valuable insight into gender inequality, pointing out that the reason why efforts to date have not worked is because of the failure to address the root causes of gender inequality. Avoiding obvious, well-trodden paths, it highlights key structural and tactical issues to consider and lists better practices to engage in across different areas. These include recruitment, retention and promotion, mentoring and coaching, role modelling, family support and flexible work, training and networking. RE-WIRING (Realising Girls’ and Women’s Inclusion, Representation and Empowerment) brings together six European partners (in Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland) and one South African partner. The project ends in February 2026. For more information, please see: RE-WIRING project website
Keywords
RE-WIRING, gender, woman, gender equality, gender inequality, workplace