4:45 PM - 5:00 PM
[U10-12] History of the Promotion of Diversity, Equality, Equity, and Inclusion in JpGU
Keywords:Diversity, Equality, Equity, and Inclusion
The realization of gender equality is positioned as the most important issue for Japanese society in the 21st century: in June 1999, the Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society was promulgated and enforced, and in December 2000, the Basic Plan for Gender Equality was approved by the Cabinet. At the 132nd Science Council of Japan meeting held on 8 June 2000, the Science Council of Japan also adopted a written request entitled Specific measures for the improvement of the environment surrounding female scientists and a statement entitled Promotion of gender equality in the Science Council of Japan. Because of this situation, several science and engineering (STEM) societies took the lead in calling for the establishment of a Gender Equality Liaison Committee. First, a preparatory meeting was held on 19 July 2002 with the participation of 29 members from 14 societies, which was officially established as the liaison group, the Japan Inter-Society Liaison Association Committee for Promoting Equal Participation of Men and Women in Science and Engineering (EPMEWSE).
In response, JpGU called on its then collective members, academic societies in various fields of earth and planetary sciences, to elect people who could cooperate in the promotion of gender equality to the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Gender Equality Committee. Based on that preparatory meeting, the JpGU Gender Equality Committee was officially established. Meanwhile, because of the serious post-doctoral (fixed-term researcher) problem since the late 1990s, the JpGU Career Support Committee was also established at about the same time. This discussion is still ongoing, especially as female researchers often suffer the disadvantages of fixed-term research positions. In this way, the two committees began to jointly promote the activities of JpGU, also in collaboration with the Liaison Committee of Gender Equality Academic Societies in STEM in Japan.
Then, in 2015, the two committees merged to form the new committee, "the Committee for Diversity Promotion and Talent Pool, JpGU". Cooperation with the Gender Equality Academic Association Liaison Committee includes a survey of the current status of female researchers through a large-scale questionnaire once every five years. As JpGU's own activities, include the JpGU Congress career support consultations and the creation of a logo to represent the diversity of session conveners. Recently, JpGU has also deepened its cooperation with overseas academic associations such as AGU and EGU. Such organizational international collaboration is rarely found in other STEM disciplines. This presentation will introduce the footprints to promote diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in JpGU.
In response, JpGU called on its then collective members, academic societies in various fields of earth and planetary sciences, to elect people who could cooperate in the promotion of gender equality to the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Gender Equality Committee. Based on that preparatory meeting, the JpGU Gender Equality Committee was officially established. Meanwhile, because of the serious post-doctoral (fixed-term researcher) problem since the late 1990s, the JpGU Career Support Committee was also established at about the same time. This discussion is still ongoing, especially as female researchers often suffer the disadvantages of fixed-term research positions. In this way, the two committees began to jointly promote the activities of JpGU, also in collaboration with the Liaison Committee of Gender Equality Academic Societies in STEM in Japan.
Then, in 2015, the two committees merged to form the new committee, "the Committee for Diversity Promotion and Talent Pool, JpGU". Cooperation with the Gender Equality Academic Association Liaison Committee includes a survey of the current status of female researchers through a large-scale questionnaire once every five years. As JpGU's own activities, include the JpGU Congress career support consultations and the creation of a logo to represent the diversity of session conveners. Recently, JpGU has also deepened its cooperation with overseas academic associations such as AGU and EGU. Such organizational international collaboration is rarely found in other STEM disciplines. This presentation will introduce the footprints to promote diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in JpGU.