National Documentation Centre’s Gender Equality Plan

National Documentation Centre (EKT), meeting the modern requirements and following the plans that have been prepared both nationally (National Action Plan for gender equality 2021-2025) and at European level (Gender Equality Strategy for 2020- 2025, Gender equality in the European Research Area), has developed and published its gender equality plan, which is a practical action plan to promote equal opportunities for women and men.

EKT’s activities support the principles of gender equality, and promotes respect for human rights, diversity, equality and inclusion. In this context, EKT’s main objectives are to promote equal opportunities for women and men, as well as to maintain a high-quality environment for research and development, innovation, science and employment for the production of statistics, the registration of young researchers and the promotion of their achievements.

The gender equality plan was built and developed on the basis of five thematic areas - priority axes, following the guidelines of the European Institute for Gender Equality, which reflects EKT’s practical commitment to the principles of gender equality and are as follows:
• Priority axis 1: Work-life balance and organizational culture
• Priority axis 2: Gender balance in leadership and decision-making
• Priority axis 3: Gender equality in recruitment and career progression
• Priority axis 4: Integration of the gender dimension into research and teaching content
• Priority axis 5: Measures against gender-based violence including sexual harassment.

EKT & Gender Equality

EKT’s activities started in 2007 and cover documentation, information, consulting and networking, in support of women's participation in research projects, the development of women's entrepreneurship and the promotion of innovation. More specifically, in the context of the PERIKTIONIS Network and the project "Mapping of the Scientific Area of the Greek Women Research Potential" (2007), EKT carried out for the first time an extensive census of Greek women researchers.

Since then, EKT has been involved in a number of European projects aimed at enhancing women's participation in research and development through appropriate policy-making at European and national level, as well as at the level of distinct research bodies.

EKT, as the National Authority of the Greek Statistical System, collects data to capture the Greek system of Research, Technology, Development, Innovation, and in this context has included the statistics for the women’s participation in research and development (R&D), in the list of national statistics it publishes.

EKT is the national representative to the ERAC Standing Working Group on Gender in Research and Innovation (ERAC SWGGRI). As the statistical representative of the country for the flagship publication of the European Commission "She Figures", EKT systematically records the participation of women in the fields of research, development and innovation, both at European and national level. At the same time, through its targeted publications, it highlights the interconnection of indicators and relevant policies, contributing to the improvement of the effectiveness of public policies for gender equality.

Gender Equality Plan, which is a practical commitment of EKT to the principles of gender equality, ensures that it (will) continue to work actively to integrate these principles into its activities, under the guidance of the Gender Equality Officer, whose main responsibility is the designing, monitoring and evaluating of the gender equality plan as well as the implementation of the necessary adjustments. In addition, information, awareness and training actions will be organized, in cooperation with EKT’s departments and units.

Thus, in the implementation of the Gender Equality Plan, for the period 2022-2024, which was approved by EKT’s Board, employees of the various departments and units participate, as defined in detail therein. It is noted that 47% of the employees in the organization are women, as well as 55% of the holders of a postgraduate degree and 43% of the Board.

Given that the Gender Equality Plan is an institutional statement by the EKT on gender equality in its day-to-day operations and outlines both the objectives and actions for maintaining or enhancing these gender equality policies, monitoring its implementation as well as its periodic review is an important dimension that ensures that the process of achieving gender equality is time consuming. The assessment of the need for revision - modification is carried out on a biennial basis.