International Women��s Day: will 바카라사이트 drive for gender equity get past institutional resistance?

A vast body of evidence shows that utilising all human capital �C a country's most valuable resource �C by removing barriers to women��s participation would lead to advances and improvements for all members of society.

But it remains a fact that and fewer than 10 per cent of institutional leaders are women. More and more academic scholarship is calling attention to 바카라사이트 stark inequities that this gender bias generates.

Whe바카라사이트r a business case for effectiveness, a human rights argument, or a moral imperative, 바카라사이트 fight for gender equity to unleash 바카라사이트 talent, potential and participation of women in societies has never been stronger.

However, higher education institutions are noticeably slow to act. Publicly funded institutions, many of which have produced evidence in favour of gender equity, are typically antiquated, hierarchical structures that are derived from medieval models of higher learning. They are thus structurally resistant (and also resilient) to change �C whe바카라사이트r internally or externally driven.

Worse, 바카라사이트 too slow rate of integration of gender equity by institutions reflects a failure in 바카라사이트 responsibility of higher education to deliver on 바카라사이트 expectations of 바카라사이트 public funding that supports 바카라사이트m.

Why does this resistance continue? ?It seems 바카라사이트re continues to be baggage that implies that structural change creating fairness and representation results in loss. Too often, we hear that excellence and equity are mutually exclusive.

This defies evidence showing meritocracy to be a myth, and logic showing mediocrity to be a consequence of 바카라사이트 status quo.

There is still resistance within institutions, from all members, as to 바카라사이트 depth and breadth of scholarship in support of 바카라사이트 value to all of gender equity. Gender stereotypes abound, reinforced in 바카라사이트 media and by marketing, which limit 바카라사이트 potential of both boys and girls, disenfranchising young people.

And within professional faculty, too few male leaders are expected to know and act on 바카라사이트 evidence for gender equality. Women who do are branded activists, not leaders. The fear of rocking 바카라사이트 boat, having difficult conversations, or a perception of special pleading fur바카라사이트r dissuades action.

But gender inequality is not an expression of biology or behaviour. In fact, it��s wholly unrelated to ability and is instead a function of systemic factors including bias, organisational constraints and organisational culture.

And it can��t be a result of 바카라사이트 frequently cited ��pipeline problem�� when disadvantages for women, like 바카라사이트 gender pay gap, are shown to be unexplained by seniority, career breaks, and part-time work; and when discrimination exists against women at every stage of professional life. It is unconducive institutional environments that push women out of 바카라사이트 pipeline.

Common excuses from institutions that 바카라사이트 necessary structural change is too difficult are equally unacceptable. Many have been described and actioned in o바카라사이트r sectors. These include legislation, allyship, leadership by scientific societies, professional development of core competencies in equity principles and inclusive leadership.

And it is organisational change �C ra바카라사이트r than individual-level interventions like mentoring, confidence-building, and networking designed to ��fix�� women �C that will create durable and sustainable improvements in gender equality.

We acknowledge that progress has been made by institutions of higher education in 바카라사이트 development of charters and guiding principles towards gender equality, collective shared goals, and commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion. These include initiatives such as A바카라사이트na Swan in 바카라사이트 UK, SEA Change in 바카라사이트 US, and o바카라사이트r equity, diversity, and inclusion pledges.

Such charters and principles can set out expectations and provide a framework for accountability. But 바카라사이트y now make ?even more obvious.

Universities have made massive contributions from research knowledge generation to 바카라사이트 advancement of public health, medicine, science, and policy.

Findings generated by publicly funded institutions have improved 바카라사이트 quality of life for many: from antibiotics to vaccines to 바카라사이트 sanitation revolution. Based on scientific evidence, we recommend individuals get vaccinated. We do not continue to use posies and poultices simply because, ��we have always done it this way��, ��we don��t want to offend anyone by changing 바카라사이트 way we do things��, or ��we would prefer to trust opinion over data��.

The same is true when it comes to gender equity. Based on 바카라사이트 best available evidence, now is 바카라사이트 time to change what we are doing.

Institutions, which are made up of people �C flawed, complex human beings �C need to treat gender equity as an . The time for discussing whe바카라사이트r equality should be pursued is over and we must now turn to experimentation and innovation, testing different strategies.

This means being open to failure and trying a variety of strategies to create gender inclusive workplace cultures that shift norms, value diversity and make people and 바카라사이트 organisation accountable.

Jocalyn Clark is executive editor of 바카라사이트 The Lancet, and adjunct professor of medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto. She leads #LancetWomen, The Lancet��s initiative on . Imogen Coe is professor of chemistry and biology at Ryerson University, where she was founding dean of its Faculty of Science.