Gender Gap
The first and primary goal of the European Network for Women Excellence is the creation of a network of contacts and collaboration in between female excellences in European countries in order to fight the women under-representation in media.
Web, television and print media are our first reference, because they can give substantial visibility and value to the women appearing there. A fairer representation of society in media is the first step toward a slow but consistential shift in culture.
As the Global Gender Gap Report 2020 shows, the gender gap is particularly strong in countries like Italy, which today is placed 76th out of 153 countries. We believe it is essential to offer a female point of view on the world because the only interpretation given by now has came from a male point of view.
We believe that women’s contribution will be determining in the building of a better society. “If what we see and read and hear are men’s voices, men’s perspectives, men’s news [then] women continue to be framed as passive observers rather than active citizens.” (Karen Ross, Cynthia Carter, Women And News: A Long And Winding Road, Media, Culture & Society33(8), Sage Publications, 2011, pp.1148-1165)
Impacts
There are a few but excellent economist women in Italy but nobody knows them. They are seldom asked for an interview or for an opinion about the economic situation of the country, as professor Paola Profeta, economist and lecturer at Bocconi University claims. But yet they certainly might say something interesting and different compared to what men think. We know that women are experts on the labor market, gender economy, family, education. If they were more considered they might influence political decision and change the guidelines of governments.
They often know how to communicate better than their male colleagues. Why are they invisible? Because the boy-network is too strong and the girl network inexistent? Because of too many stereotypes? Because women are always insecure ? Because they have no time to dedicate to their visibility? This is a question related to all experts in any field of knowledge, not only economists.
Therefore the promotion of experts is a dutiful action. Not a gift, but a metter of merit. Give visibility to these excellent professional means also to incentivize young women to make their voices heard. This will change the economy perspective and will offer a different and new look over the world.