Reviewing for gender equality: Leveraging scientific publishing for systemic change

Reviewing for gender equality Scientific publications are the cornerstone of academic validation, career advancement, and the shaping of research discourse. However, the conventional publishing process has often overlooked the importance of gender sensitivity. Embedding gender analysis into every stage of research and publication not only helps mitigate biases and discrimination but also enriches scientific inquiry by incorporating diverse perspectives. This brief presents a set of guidelines from MINDtheGEPs that have been developed to transform the approach to gender in academic publishing, ensuring that every stage of the research process is both inclusive and equitable. By prioritizing gender-sensitive research design, inclusive language, and diverse evaluative practices, academic institutions and publishers can drive systemic change that leads to more robust, equitable, and innovative scientific outcomes. These guidelines aim to help reframe the way gender is considered in academic publishing, moving beyond token acknowledgement toward a systematic approach that integrates gender considerations into research questions, methodologies, and the communication of findings. Who is this for? These recommendations are designed for a wide range of stakeholders in academia, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to gender equality in research practices: •Students & early-career researchers: to cultivate gender-awareness in research practices from the outset. •Senior researchers & educators: to integrate gender sensitivity into curricula and mentoring. •Editors & reviewers: to ensure fairness, diversity, and inclusivity in research evaluation. •Gender equality educators and trainers: to developcourses, resources, and institutional training programs. •Research institutions, funding bodies and policymakers: to drive systemic changes through education, policy, and support for gender equality in research. mindthegeps.eu Leveraging scientific publishing for systemic change In May 2023, the MINDtheGEPs consortium, alongside invited key stakeholders, conducted a workshop to assess existing gender-sensitive publishing guidelines. This brief is based on the results of that workshop. Discussions highlighted several areas for improvement, with a focus on making guidelines more practical, actionable, and applicable across different academic disciplines. Cite as: Santinhos M, Balzano A, Colaiacomo C, Kosakowska-Berezecka N, Rosetta F, Solera C & Żadkowska M (2025). Reviewing for gender equality: Leveraging scientific publishing for systemic change. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15129220 To ensure that gender sensitivity is deeply integrated into the scientific publishing process, the recommendations are grouped into four target areas. This grouping addresses the specific needs of each stakeholder involved in research and publication. Early exposure to gender-sensitive practices fosters awareness and builds the foundation for inclusive research. • Gender-sensitivity training. Integrate training into MA and PhD programmes to help students understand the influence of sex and gender in research. • Inclusive referencing. Promote citation practices that reflect gender diversity and avoid reinforcing stereotypes. • Accessible learning tools. Develop video tutorials, infographics, and interactive resources that clearly explain the principles and benefits of gendering scientific publications. Key recommendations for action: four targets Target 1: Students and early-career researchers Senior academics shape research culture and influence emerging researchers, making their engagement essential. • Mandatory courses and surveys. Implement courses and surveys to assess and enhance gender awareness among faculty members. • Peer support networks. Encourage collaboration and appoint gender ambassadors to lead initiatives. • Early integration. Introduce gender publishing guidelines at the onset of academic training to shape future research practices from the very beginning. Target 2: Senior researchers and educators Editors and reviewers are gatekeepers of scientific knowledge. Their practices influence fairness and inclusivity in publishing. • Accreditation for gender reviewers. Recognize and accredit gender reviewers to ensure diversity and inclusivity in the review process. • Reviewer diversity. Implement filtering systems in reviewer databases to include a range of backgrounds (for example: gender, geography, disability) and ensure a balanced evaluation. • Transparent review practices. Enable reviewers to access research team compositions to better assess and mitigate potential biases. Target 3: Editors and reviewers These educators promote systemic change by raising awareness and providing tools to challenge biases. • Credited courses on biases. Develop and offer courses that address implicit biases and gender issues in different scientific disciplines. • Public outreach and accessible communication. Utilise podcasts, blogs and other media to disseminate gendersensitive guidelines widely, making content accessible to a broad audience. • Visible role models. Invite keynote speakers, especially from STEM fields, to serve as role models and inspire systemic change in research practices. Target 4: Gender equality educators Guidelines for gendering the scientific publishing process These overarching guidelines complement the four target areas by providing actionable principles applicable across all stages of research and publication. They ensure gender sensitivity is embedded systematically, from design to dissemination. • Education and training. Embed accredited gender-sensitivity training into research and teaching frameworks. • Inclusive language and representation. Advocate for the use of unbiased terminology and equitable authorship practices. • Diversity in peer review. Encourage inclusive selection of reviewers and transparent evaluation practices that account for the research team’s composition. • Accessible communication. Use visual tools, such as infographics and QR codes campaigns, along with podcasts and blogs to increase engagement with guidelines. • Continuous monitoring. Establish mechanisms for ongoing assessment of the impact and effectiveness of gendersensitive practices in publishing. ”Encourage inclusive selection of reviewers and transparent evaluation practices that account for the research team’s composition.” mindthegeps.eu MINDtheGEPs (Modifying Institutions by Developing Gender Equality Plans) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no 101006543. The views and opinions expressed in this policy brief the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. Stakeholder engagement Collaborate with academic institutions, publishers, and funding bodies and policymakers to drive broad-based adoption of gendersensitive practices. Resource development Create comprehensive training modules, toolkits, and disciplinespecific guidelines that are both user-friendly and adaptable. Implementation strategies Embed gendering guidelines into university curricula and journal policies to institutionalize these practices. Monitoring and evaluation Develop clear progress indicators and establish regular evaluation mechanisms to measure the impact of implemented initiatives. Knowledge sharing Disseminate best practices and success stories via conferences, workshops and online platforms to foster a community committed to gender equity in research © MINDtheGEPs 2025. This brief was published under a Creative Commons 4.0 Attributions International license. Next steps: moving from awareness to action To translate awareness into concrete change, strategic actions are required at multiple levels. These next steps provide a clear path for implementing the guidelines, fostering collaboration and sustaining momentum for gender equality in scientific publishing. This policy brief builds on Santinhos, Miguel., Colaiacomo, Claudio., Rosetta, Federica., Żadkowska, Magdalena., Kosakowska-Berezecka, Natasza., Balzano, Angela., & Solera, Cristina. (2024). D6.4 – Gendering Scientific Publications Guidelines. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10591871