07 Mar We interview Dr. Dr Consuelo Leon, director of the UIC Barcelona Equality Office
What is the UIC Barcelona Equality and Inclusion Office and what does it do?
It is a service born out of the commitment to work in the promotion and development of equal opportunities for the entire university community. Our job is to raise awareness, inform, attend consultations and collaborate in the networking of other equality offices in the Spanish and Catalan university system.. We are located in the Alfa Building, on floor -1, and you can also contact us through our website and our email: igualtat@uic.es.
What would you highlight from your recent work at the helm of this service?
In addition to our active presence in different university committees at national level (CRUE, RUIGEU) and regional level (Vives University Network, Women and Science Committee), this year it is worth highlighting the implementation of the III Plan for Equal Opportunities, which is the main objective of the project. We have also continued to monitor the Harassment Protocol and organised different webinars open to the entire university community and the general public. With the support of Communications Management, we highlighted the current situation of female talent at the university to mark 8 March and 11 February. We have also participated in different studies such as the 2023 Female Scientists in Figures from the Ministry of Science and Innovation, as well as the edition of a book and the development of workshops aimed at students within the framework of the 2022 State Pact against Gender Violence.
Why is it a good strategy nowadays for the university to work towards equal opportunities and inclusion?
Having equal opportunities is a common goal in our society and is supported by a strong international, state and regional legal framework. Added to this, equality and respect for every person is present in our ideology: in order for the University to be able to provide a proper service, it is essential for all those who make up the university community, and for those who are involved in the university work, to have the highest opinion of the dignity of humankind, and the utmost respect for human rights (art. 6 Ideology). The University has a universal spirit that is open to all kinds of people, without discrimination on the grounds of religion, nationality, social background, geographic origin, sex, race, ideology, or any other reason (art. 8 Ideology).
What goals does the Equality Office have in the short or medium term?
Right now, the Office wants to maintain and increase its presence in expert forums on the subject of equal opportunities and reconciliation. We also want to continue with our work on the III Plan for Equal Opportunities (2022-2026), in collaboration with the working group that developed the previous plan and is monitoring the present one. This work is done in coordination with the Department of People Management and the Vice-Rectorate for the University Community, which the Office is part of. It should also be noted that the Plan is closely linked to the promotion of positive actions for the prevention of violence and the promotion of healthy relationships throughout the institution, as reflected in the Harassment Protocol.
