The European Commission wants to hear about us!

The Brussels Binder was invited by the European Commission to write an article for the DG CONNECT blog page in order to explain why now, more than ever, we need to increase female/male ratio at event panels.

“Focusing solely on Brussels, in two-thirds of debates the majority of speakers are men; one third are entirely devoid of a single female voice. This share is even lower for events and conferences within the fields of energy, economics and tech (source: EUPanelWatch). While certain events organisers claim that it is difficult to find women speakers, many are often unaware of their gender bias.

Under-representation impedes women from advancing in their careers and reinforces the stereotype that only men have expertise. Every panel that fails to include female experts not only represents a lost opportunity to enhance and benefit from intellectual diversity, but also serves to amplify the pre-existing gender gap.

Speaking engagements help an expert boost their credibility and gain more visibility among their peers. In turn, this can often lead to additional speaking and job opportunities, career advancement and higher salaries."

To read the article go to the European Commission website.