Ministry of National Education Joins Forces with #JamaisSansElles

Paris, 8 December 2020

Symposium #JamaisSansElles: ‘For A Shared Governance’, French National Assembly, 17 June 2019

Ministry of National Education joins forces with #JamaisSansElles

On 8 December 2020 Jean-Michel Blanquer (Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports) signed with Tatiana F. Salomon and Xavier Alberti (co-Presidents of #JamaisSansElles) the convention/charter of #JamaisSansElles and the Ministry of National Education.

#JamaisSansElles is aware of the pre-eminent role education has in shaping of minds and preparing students to play their full part in society—in accordance with the principles and values of our Republic: Liberty, Egality, Fraternity and Secularism (“la laïcité”). Consequently, the association #JamaisSansElles commits itself to collaborating in the long term with the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports (MENJS) through the signing of the convention/charter, which we have drawn up together. It aims to promote gender equality; to combat gender bias and the stereotypes that still, far too often, impede the full developement potential of all students; especially in barring the way of young women to certain sectors and careers in which they could flourish, and contribute significantly to the transformation of society, in making  it more just, more inclusive and more respectful.

Under this convention and partnership #JamaisSansElles and the MENJS commit to taking concrete steps in five main areas: training personnel; organizing and participating in events on gender equality and diversity; developing tutoring and mentoring; combating gender stereotypes and promoting role models.

It is critically important to raise awareness among female students of the many different training programs and careers they can choose from. To accomplish this, #JamaisSansElles has the steadfast commitment of companies that are already partners and signatories of ambitious corporate charters – a commitment reaffirmed within the framework of this convention, and confirmed during the signing ceremony, with the noteworthy contributions and presence of Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, CEO BNP-Paribas, Carlo Purassanta, CEO Microsoft France, and Gérard Karsenti, CEO SAP France.

As for the commitment to respect gender equality in all the actions and interventions of the Ministry, it is asserted through the adoption of article 1 of the Convention #JamaisSansElles of the Ministry of Education National, Youth and Sports that:

“The Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports (MENJS) undertakes to ensure that all its principal representatives, including the minister, will no longer participate in any public events, or media events, where among the many speakers there are no women present — face-to-face or remote, in which topics of general interest or issues pertaining to society, politics, economics, science or strategy are discussed, commented on or judged.

This presuposes that speeches at events by representatives of the MENJS with at least three participants must include the presence of at least one woman; in all activities whatever form they take (round tables, discussions, panels open to the public or broadcast – tv, radio or internet – participation in seminars, and panels, etc.).

This commitment extends to both internal and external webinars at the MENJS.

The Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports seeks to enhance women’s access to senior level posts within the ministry. The objectives and results communicated annually support this. The success of the policy is also the fruit of the commitment of all the collaborators and networks that promote gender equality, gender diversity and mentoring.

The MENJS undertakes, furthermore, to bring these commitments to the attention of the various school districts and to implement them in all relevant school districts.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.