Second Stakeholder Roundtable to Address Gender Bias in Education Highlights Continued Challenges and Strategic Insights

On October 21, 2024, the second Stakeholder Roundtable to Address Gender Bias in Education took place, building on the discussions initiated during the first roundtable held earlier this month. Alexandra Lux (KU Leuven) led the meeting, with support from Ruth van Veelen (TNO) and Julia Stekla (University of Gdańsk). The roundtable gathered key stakeholders from Germany, including Maike Stemmler (Detox Identity), Pia Wagner (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training – BIBB), and Christina Haaf (Kompetenzz), to discuss persistent gender biases in education and the workplace.

One of the main takeaways from the roundtable was that gender bias does not stop at educational choices but extends into professional fields and work environments. It was emphasized that individuals who pursue careers that challenge traditional gender roles often face significant difficulties in the workplace, such as gendered task distribution. Participants agreed on the need to reform the broader systems at play, rather than focusing solely on changing women or girls.

Another key insight was that choosing a gender-stereotypical career can sometimes be a strategic move, even among individuals fully aware of the gender biases they are perpetuating. In Germany, for example, students aiming for competitive university programs must earn high grades, and some may opt for gender-stereotypical classes to avoid the risk of being disadvantaged by teachers’ gendered expectations, which can affect grading.

The discussions also highlighted the critical importance of intersectionality, as gender stereotypes are often entangled with racial biases. The participants stressed the need to recognize and address the complexities of identity to achieve meaningful progress in combating gender bias in education and beyond.

This second roundtable reinforced the commitment of stakeholders to continue addressing these challenges and pushing for systemic change.

Additional stakeholder roundtables are scheduled with partners in Belgium (October 25), and an international session involving Project Empower (South Africa) and Good Governance Africa on November 7, 2024.