Gender balance

Abstract

Gender balance is defined as equal participation of women and men. Aiming for gender balance can be one pathway towards more equal, diverse, and inclusive societies. Gender balance can be achieved both vertically and horizontally within an organisation. Vertical gender balance is defined as an equal proportion of women and men in ranked positions of power. Horizontal gender balance is defined as an equal proportion of women and men across different fields of practices. A major limitation of the concept is that it builds on a binary understanding of gender which leads to statistical data handling that does not take gender diversity into account. Gender balance in academia needs to be seen in a broader context of transformational processes towards a more gender equal society. Innovative measures to map and monitor gender balance in research leadership have been recently developed in Norway. Those who work with the concept need to keep in mind that balanced representation does not necessarily lead to a redistribution of power.