Gender Equality Plan
Overall Consideration
CRA-W is a public research organisation depending directly of the Walloon Government. As such, CRA-W has to fulfil with public administration rules.
Within the framework of its Regional Policy Declaration, the Walloon Government affirmed its commitment to fight against all forms of discrimination and to integrate the gender dimension into all regional policies so that existing inequalities are eliminated and that public policies do not create or reinforce inequalities between women and men. The 2020-2024 Walloon Gender Plan aims, through the concept of gender mainstreaming, to integrate gender into all public policies. The Gender Plan thus involves the whole of the Government and the administrations and relies on 44 measures, divided into 17 themes, including gender budgeting, heritage, the environment, housing, mobility, regional planning, the fight against poverty, employment and training or even health.
https://ediwall.wallonie.be/plan-genre-2020-2024-numerique-083464
Gender balance within CRA-W
Global situation
The total work force of 412 persons represents 55% of men and 45% of women. This is the sign of a rather good global gender balance.
Figure 1 : Gender balance of the total work force of CRA-W (status as of 30th of June 2022).
According to the position
In figure 2, the gender balance is examined according to the position level.
Figure 2 : Gender balance according to the position (status as of 30th of June 2022).
From figure 2, we can observe that men mainly occupy level A positions (junior or senior scientists). Regarding level B and C (laboratory or field technicians), the positions are also held by more men than women. However, the balance remains correct. We can also note that more women occupy level D positions (including cleaning and maintenance staff).
We notice that the trend is starting to balance out because during the commitments in 2022, we have seen more women than men in research activities.
Top and middle management
As a reminder of the past, 6 men are in the top management of the CRA-W (General manager, Deputy general Manager, Head of research department). As more and more women are reaching Middle management positions, we can expect that even at top level, gender equality will improve in the coming years. Anyway, there are no barriers or restrictions for a woman to hold a top-management position.
10 men and 6 women respectively hold middle management positions. Again, as the number of women scientists is rising, we can expect an improved gender balance within a very near future.
According to the age
In figure 3, the gender balance is also examined as a function of age.
From figure 3, no significant effect of the age on the gender balance could be noticed.
Figure 3 : Gender balance as a function of age (status as of 30th of June 2022).
Protection measures
Recruitment procedures
Whatever the position, the job offer provides for a total openness with regard to gender (M/F/X). The composition of the selection and recruitment jury is strictly gender balanced.
Career progression
A gender balanced promotion jury reviews career progression, which is exclusively competency-based.
Work-life balance
Work regulations define the working hours and conditions in consultation with the representative organizations of the workers.
Very recently (17th March 2022), a new legislation was adopted to define the modalities of teleworking. This will contribute to an improvement of work and private life balance.
Measures against violence or moral and sexual harassment
Provisions are made to prevent and manage psychosocial risks, particularly related to violence, moral or sexual harassment in the workplace. Any collaborator at CRA-W has the opportunity of contacting designated persons of trust, internal and external protection and prevention services.