A research project on Gender Equality in

"We are seeing an unprecedented amount of international cooperation in science as researchers around the world partner together to find effective treatments and vaccines for covid-19. During these critical times, it is important to ensure that women are given opportunities to participate in this international research and identify the barriers that might prevent them from doing so".

"Although there shouldn’t been a difference between men and women when it comes to participation in STI projects, it is true that in our society women still have responsibilities related to family care that are not well addressed by governments and legislation. Given that, we think that with the covid-19 outbreak this situation gets worse due to the closure of daycare centres or the need to be available to take care of family members, including children. In any case, we think that society is changing on this matter, with greater inclusion of men in family care, but there is still more to do in terms of legislation."

"Covid-19 has demonstrated the divisions between humans inside countries and across regions, age cohorts and ethnic groups, among others, as well as between different countries. At the same time, it also has shown us how all of humanity is in the same situation, faced with an enemy that is not only deadly but that can cripple societies in just a few months. Cooperation has become necessary across all countries, and in fact across the whole world, if we want to successfully return to normality."

"The Gender STI project was launched during the covid-19 era. The pandemic has brought great challenges to the development of science culture. At the same time, it has also provided a new research background and research ideas for Gender STI. The epidemic not only caused harm to the human body, but also posed new challenges to the existing knowledge system, public health system, management capabilities and even cultural structure. Gender STI provides a particular and distinctive point of view, which could observe and solve the problems neglected by other research fields in the covid-19 era."

"It has been shown that female scientists posted fewer pre-prints and registered fewer new studies compared to their male colleagues during the pandemic… Since there is evidence that gender inequities have been exacerbated during the covid-19 pandemic, the pandemic may directly impact the participation of women in STI projects all over the world. It will be crucial for the Gender STI project to not only rigorously assess gender equality but also to put forward recommendations to enhance gender equality in the context of a pandemic and other public health crises."