no. 021-01-661/2024-02 date: 18.3.2024.
SERBIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND ARTS
Zoran Knežević, President
11000 BELGRADE
Kneza Mihaila 35
Dear Mr. Knežević,
Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, following the prescribed competences [1], monitors the implementation of laws and other regulations and sends recommendations of measures to public authorities and other persons for the realization of equality. In this regard, in 2022, we sent the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) a recommendation for measures no. 021-01-735/2021-02[2], related to improving the representation of women in the ranks of an institution of great importance in our society. The immediate reason for the recommendation was the regular elections for SASA members, which were held in November 2021, when no woman was elected (except for one foreign member).
Without going into the criteria for selecting members of SASA, as well as the guaranteed autonomy of this institution, the Commissioner recommended that, when holding the next elections for membership, SASA take appropriate measures to achieve the principle of gender equality, as well as to invest additional efforts in the promotion of women’s scientific and artistic contribution. Bearing in mind the above, we take the opportunity to send you support given your position on this matter, which you have expressed in public, saying that this inequality should, if possible, be corrected in the next elections.
As you know, despite the applicable relevant international and national standards, gender differences in science are still pronounced, just like in many other professions and segments of society. Many cultural barriers still stand in the way of women entering science, from girls being steered towards certain occupations, stereotypes and prejudices about “male” and “female” professions, sexual harassment in the workplace, and barriers to advancement related to pregnancy and childbirth. The contribution of women to science has, in many cases, remained unrecorded, especially since women scientists, with significant exceptions, often did not receive credit for their work.
The Republic Institute of Statistics report on progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030 in the Republic of Serbia shows that the difference in women’s earnings compared to men’s in Serbia is increasing yearly. Thus, in September 2020, women’s earnings were 10% lower than men’s, while in September 2022, the difference was 15%. Concerning the qualifications, the most significant differences are among highly educated women, who have a quarter lower earnings than men with the same qualifications.
We add to that the information that the respondents in the Commissioner’s research, The attitude of men and women about discrimination in Serbia, perceived women (50%) as the second most discriminated group after the Roma. In research related to choosing a professional direction, Girls have a say[3], almost half of high school girls (48.3%) think that jobs are divided into men’s and women’s, and for about 86% of girls, the role models for choosing the professions they want to pursue are women.
That the achievement of gender equality is of global importance is also shown by the fact that half of the world’s population still believes that men are better political leaders than women, more than 40% believe that men are better managers, and 25% that it is justified for a man to beat his wife, as stated in a report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) reflecting the latest data from the World Values Survey[4]. The fact that in 59 countries where women are more educated than men, the average gender gap in income remains 39% in favor of men is also worrying. Almost nine out of ten people have a “fundamental prejudice” against women, the report said and condemned a “decade of stagnation” that has led to the abolition of women’s rights in many parts of the world. Biased gender social norms are the main obstacle to achieving gender equality, the report warns and adds that the underestimation of women’s abilities and rights in society limits the choices and potential of women, and such stereotypical beliefs have appeared in different regions, incomes, levels of development, and cultures. In the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report[5] of the World Economic Forum, the overall gender gap in economics, politics, health, and education has narrowed by just 0,3% compared to last year, and lukewarm progress towards men and declines in areas such as economics require urgent action. Progress is visible in educational attainment and growth in health and political empowerment categories. It is estimated that it will take 169 years to achieve global economic parity and 162 years to achieve political parity. In this report, Serbia is ranked 38 out of 146 countries globally, a drop compared to the previous year, in 2022, when it ranked 23rd globally.
According to the results of the Census of population, households, and apartments[6] observed by gender, of the 6,647,003 inhabitants of the Republic of Serbia, 51,4% are women and 48,6% are men, while the share of women who have obtained higher or academic education in the total number of women aged 15 and over is higher than the share of men with higher and academic education in the total number of men of the same age (proportion of persons with completed college/faculty/academy – 24,03% women, 20,73% men). There are more girls (60%) than boys (40%) among the students who complete secondary four-year general education. The percentage of girls and boys who graduate from four-year secondary vocational schools is almost equal (50.2% of girls compared to 49.8% of boys). Women enroll and graduate in higher schools, academies, and faculties more than men. Among enrolled students, 59% are women, and among graduates the share of women is 61% (data for 2022). Among the graduates in 2022, women make up more than half of the population in many fields of education, while men dominate in information and communication technology (66%) and engineering, manufacturing, and construction (55%). In 2022, more women (59%) than men (41%) received PhDs. Women make up the majority in the following fields of education: education (89%), social sciences, journalism and information (68%), natural sciences, mathematics and statistics (67%), etc. Men who have a PhD are more numerous in business, administration, and law (62%), services (54%), and agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and veterinary medicine (51%). We will add to this data that in 2022, women will dominate with a 52,7% share among employees in research and development. Almost the exact percentage is among scientific researchers, 52,5% are women. During 2023, scholarships were awarded to 469 doctoral students and young researchers, of which 67% are female.
This year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization published the Science Report, which, among other things, pointed out the gender imbalance in national academies of sciences worldwide. As stated in the report, the members of the academies of sciences are selected based on agreed academic criteria of scientific excellence. However, the number of women among a national academy of sciences members can also serve as a test of the perception and status of women scientists in a particular country. In October 2015, the global network InterАcademy Partnership[7] published the results of the first comprehensive survey among its members, aiming to determine the degree of involvement and participation of women scientists in the work of academies of sciences. Of the 69 national academies of sciences for which data were available, in almost half of the countries (30), women constituted up to 10% of members. The research stated that the marked underrepresentation of women in national academies of sciences is a big challenge, given that these academies often form the backbone of efforts to develop national innovation systems. In the year following the report’s publication, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences took the revolutionary step of deciding that only women could apply for membership to reduce the gender gap that had always existed in the academy. At the time, men made up 87% of 556 members of the academy.[8]
According to the Law on the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the role of SASA is to develop and encourage science, organize and improve basic and applied scientific research, encourage and improve artistic activity, and thereby contribute to the general good of the people of the Republic of Serbia and the country.[9]
The Commissioner points out that the insufficient representation of women in SASA is recognized in the Strategy for Gender Equality for 2021-2030. As indicated in the strategy, men dominate among SASA members.
SASA is an institution of particular national importance for science, art, and the development of society. It is the highest scientific and artistic institution in the Republic of Serbia, whose role is to develop and encourage science, improve artistic activity, and contribute to the common good.
The SASA Statute prescribes the criteria for determining exceptional contributions to science and art as a condition for selecting members (Article 11 of the SASA Statute). The same article stipulates that the Presidency, on the proposal of the Statute Commission in the year preceding the elections, issues special instructions with criteria for each election cycle. Part of the instructions is a list and definition of mandatory qualitative and quantitative criteria that must comply with valid standards in the world, adapted to the conditions in Serbia and the corresponding scientific and artistic fields.[10]. Considering the above, i.e., that SASA regulates the criteria for each election cycle with its acts, it is necessary that SASA, when regulating these criteria, pay special attention, among other things, to promoting gender equality following the law.
By analyzing the last two elections for SASA members (2018 and 2021), it can be concluded that the regular members’ election reflects the previous elections of corresponding members. In the 2021 elections, among the five candidates for corresponding members of the Department of Historical Sciences, four were women and a man, and he was the only one accepted as a corresponding member and none of the remaining four female candidates. This department was the only one with a more significant number of female candidates for membership, while in the other departments (except the Department of Medical Sciences), the majority of candidates were men. This indicates a significant disproportion in evaluating male and female scientific and artistic creativity. The difference became even more evident at the last step, the voting of the SASA assembly members, where none of the 12 women candidates received support for the status of a corresponding member. At the same time, out of a total of 24 (male) candidates, 13 were elected as corresponding members.
In addition, as indicated in the earlier recommendation of measures, the official SASA website [11], when listing prominent members in its 180-year history, lists male scientists and artists only, not a single woman being mentioned. Unfortunately, women like the first Doctor of Science Ksenija Atanasijević, architect Jelisaveta Načić, painter Nadežda Petrović, Professor Mirjana Nešković, Jelena Jelka Bojkić, who graduated in veterinary Medicine (most likely the first in the Balkans, and certainly in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) did not have the opportunity to appear on this list. They never became members of SANSA.
Bearing in mind the importance of undertaking specific measures and activities, we would also like to point out the legal framework of the Republic of Serbia.
Article 15 of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia[12] prescribed that the state guarantees the equality of women and men and develops a policy of equal opportunities and that gender equality implies equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities, equal participation, and balanced representation of women and men in all areas of social life, equal opportunities for exercising rights and freedoms, using personal knowledge and abilities for personal development and the development of society, equal opportunities and rights in access to goods and services, as well as achieving equal benefits from the results of work, while respecting biological, social and culturally formed differences between men and women and different interests, needs, and priorities of women and men, when adopting public and other policies and deciding on rights, obligations and provisions based on law, as well as constitutional provisions.[13] Also, Article 21 of the Constitution prohibits any discrimination, direct or indirect, on any basis, especially based on race, gender, nationality, social origin, birth, religion, political or other belief, property status, culture, language, age, and mental or physical disability. Paragraph 4 of the same article stipulates that the Republic of Serbia may introduce special measures to achieve full equality for persons or groups in an unequal position with other citizens, which shall not be considered discrimination.
The provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was ratified by the Republic of Serbia, stipulate that the member states undertake in all areas, especially political, social, economic, and cultural, all appropriate measures, including legislative ones, to ensure the full development and progress of women, so that they are guaranteed the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and basic freedoms, on an equal basis with men[14], as well as undertake all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in other areas of economic and social life to provide them with equal rights based on the equality of women and men, and especially, among other things, the right to participate in all forms of cultural life[15]. In addition, by ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, the Republic of Serbia undertook to ensure the equal right of men and women to enjoy all the economic, social, and cultural rights enumerated in this covenant.[16].
According to the provisions of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, discrimination exists if one acts against the principle of gender equality, that is, the principle of respect for equal rights and freedoms of women and men in political, economic, cultural, and other aspects of public, professional, private and family life.[17] The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination and our Constitution prescribe special or affirmative measures as instruments introduced to achieve full equality, protection, and advancement of persons or groups in a fundamentally unequal position.
Also, the Law on Gender Equality stipulates that gender representation is balanced when the representation of one of the genders is between 40-50% in comparison to the other gender, while any other percentage ratio of gender representation represents unbalanced representation.[18]. In this regard, in public authorities that have management and supervision bodies, the authority responsible for the appointment, i.e., giving consent to the appointment, is obliged to take care of the balanced representation of the genders and, when it does not exist, to intervene by taking special measures, following the law[19].
According to the provisions of the Law on Science and Research[20], gender equality is one of the principles on which science and research are based, as well as the governing bodies of scientific and research institutions.
Finally, we would like to point out that the Commissioner reviewed the available information on the SASA website and determined that SASA has 89 regular members, of which 8 are women, 31 corresponding members, of which 4 are women, 76 foreign members, and nine non-working members (information from March 2024). The weak representation of women is also evident in the governing bodies of SASA. According to the available data, in the Presidency, which currently has 13 members (out of 14), only one member is a woman, while the five-member Executive Board (out of 6 members) consists exclusively of men.
Considering these statistical data, it can be concluded that SASA, with its structure at all levels, does not reflect the actual contribution of women in science and art to our society, which is undoubtedly of immeasurable importance.
Based on Article 33, Paragraph 1, Item 9 of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, and bearing in mind the above, we present this recommendation of measures to improve gender equality in SASA with the aim of greater representation of women in this scientific and artistic institution of exceptional importance for the Republic of Serbia.
Given your views on this issue, we believe that you will make additional efforts to promote women’s scientific and artistic contributions.
Sincerely,
[1] Article 33, paragraph 1, items 7 and 9 of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination (“Official Gazette of RS”, no. 22/09 and 52/21)
[2] Available at: https://ravnopravnost.gov.rs/preporuka-mera-srpskoj-akademiji-nauke-i-umetnosti/
[3] Girls have a say, Women’s Leadership Academy, available at: https://autonomija.info/istrazivanje-devojcice-devojke-i-zene-u-srbiji-smatraju-da-su-diskriminisane/
[4] Available at: https://hdr.undp.org/content/2023-gender-social-norms-index-gsni#/indicies/GSNI
[5] Available at: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2023.pdf
[6]Census of population, households, and apartments 2022, Republic Institute of Statistics, available on the website: https://popis2022.stat.gov.rs/sr-Latn
[7] Interacademy Partnership is a global network consisting of over 140 national and regional academies of science, engineering, and medicine, including SASA.
[8] United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (2021), Science Report, p. 127. Available at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377433
[9] Law on the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (“Official Gazette of RS”, No. 18/10), Article 2, paragraph 1.
[10] Article 11, paragraph 4 of the SASA Statute, no. 367/9 -019 of October 5, 2020, available at https://www.sanu.ac.rs/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/statut-SANU-2020.pdf
[11] https://www.sanu.ac.rs/o-akademiji/clanstvo/
[12] “Official Gazette of RS”, number 98/06 and 115/21
[13] Law on Gender Equality (“Official Gazette of RS”, No. 52/21), Article 3.
[14] Law on the Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (“Official Gazette of the SFRY – International Treaties”, No. 11/81), Article 3.
[15] Law on the Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (“Official Gazette of the SFRY – International Treaties”, No. 11/81), Article 13.
[16] Law on the Ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (“Official Gazette of the SFRY – International Treaties”, No. 7/71), Article 3.
[17] Law on Prohibition of Discrimination (“Official Gazette of the RS”, nos. 22/09 and 52/21), Article 20, paragraph 1.
[18] Article 6 of the Law on Gender Equality.
[19] Articles 26 and 46 of the Law on Gender Equality.
[20] Law on Science and Research (“Official Gazette of RS”, No. 49/19), Article 4, paragraph 1, item 8.
COMMISSIONER FOR THE PROTECTION OF EQUALITY
Brankica Janković
