The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is strengthening its commitment to Equality and, to coincide with the commemoration of March 8th, International Women’s Day, is presenting its IV Plan for Equality. This document covers the active work within the IAC to support Equality and Fairness in the working and institutional environment, and proposes specific measures to ensure that both of these aims are achieved.
The IAC has pioneered the introduction of policies of Equality in the field of science in Spain. Even before the approval of the Organic Law 3/2007 for the effective equality of women and men, the IAC had already taken steps to create its first Commission of Equality, which was finally legally formed in 2008. The objective of this commission was to promote parity between women and men in all the departments of the Institute.
From the current year, 2025, with the presentation of the IV Plan for Equality, the Commission for Equality will extend its scope, adding specific policies to avoid discrimination for reasons of sex, identity, or sexual orientation.
Since the beginning of this commission the number of women employed by the IAC has grown. So that in January 2025 a total of 34.37% of the employees were women, and the challenge to reach a minimum of 40% of contracts via specific actions was accepted.
Diagnostics
The IAC is putting into practice its IV Plan for Equality (2024-2028) to guarantee a space of secure and equitative work. This plan, the result of an exhaustive analysis of equanimity, identifies the areas which can be improved, and sets up specific strategies to tackle the differences which were detected. The main aim is to ensure parity and equality at all levels within the institution.
The plan is based on a previous diagnostic report which permitted a deeper analysis from an equalitarian perspective. As a part of its commitment to equality the IAC is carrying out different internal studies to evaluate the processes of the selection of personnel, with a focus on gender, and will carry out a variety of activities and events to encourage the participation of women in scientific and technological careers from an early age. These activities are aimed at ensuring and environment of secure work based on parity.
New actions
“Starting with the diagnostic report, we have identified the general and specific objectives, and the ways to reach them during the period of validity of the IV Plan for Equality. As well as those actions centred on advancing the equality between women and men, for the first time we include initiatives to guarantee equality fo opportunity for LGBTIQ+ people”, explains Monique Gómez, the President of the Commission for Equality and Diversity.
In addition, the IAC has set up measures to protect its pregnant workers, allowing them to adjust their workloads when their state makes their tasks difficult. In those cases, they are assigned another equivalent task, to ensure work continuity, to protect their safety and welfare without affecting their working conditions or their professional rights.
With the objective of optimizing the implementation of the IV Plan for Equality, the Instituto is determined to male visible its commitment to gender equanimity. To do this the use of inclusive language has been incorporated, which contributes to a secure environment for women and LGBTIQ+ personnel.
Because of the changes in the regulations which have taken place during the preparation of the new plan, the former protocol for prevention of sexual attack for motives of sex, identity, expression of gender or orientation has been revised. In this way it has been adapted to incorporate the Law 14/2011 of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Law 14/2023 for genuine and effective equality of trans personnel, and to guarantee the rights of LGBTI personnel.
