Department of Political Science receives Athena Swan Bronze Award

We are very happy to be kick starting our journey with the Athena Swan Charter by recieving the Bronze Award. We join a group of over 40 UCL Departments that have signed up to the charter, with the university as a whole holding the Institute Silver Award.

Equality Charters enable organisations to take a strategic approach to making cultural and systemic changes that make a real impact on the lives of staff and students. By being part of Athena Swan we commit to their Charter and to adopting key principles within our policies, practice, action plans and culture.

We commit to: 

1. adopting robust, transparent and accountable processes for gender equality work, including:
   
a. embedding diversity, equity and inclusion in our culture, decision-making and partnerships, and holding ourselves and others in our institution/institute/department/directorate accountable.
   
b. undertaking evidence-based, transparent self-assessment processes to direct our priorities and interventions for gender equality, and evaluating our progress to inform our continuous development.
   
c. ensuring that gender equality work is distributed appropriately, is recognised and properly rewarded. 
2. addressing structural inequalities and social injustices that manifest as differential experiences and outcomes for staff and students. 
3. tackling behaviours and cultures that detract from the safety and collegiality of our work and study environments for people of all genders, including not tolerating gender-based violence, discrimination, bullying, harassment or exploitation. 
4. understanding and addressing intersectional inequalities. 
5. fostering collective understanding that individuals have the right to determine their own gender identity, and tackling the specific issues faced by trans and non-binary people because of their identity. 
6. examining gendered occupational segregation, and elevating the status, voice and career opportunities of any identified under-valued and at-risk groups. 
7. mitigating the gendered impact of caring responsibilities and career breaks, and supporting flexibility and the maintenance of a healthy ‘whole life balance’. 
8. mitigating the gendered impact of short-term and casual contracts for staff seeking sustainable careers.

You can find out more about the Athena Swan Principles on their website.

This is just the begining of our journey with Athena Swan and is part of our journey towards greater equality, diversity and inclusivity within the department.

View our EDI pages