Gender Equality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (GDEI) Policy

1st edition, approved by the Board of Directors – 10 January 2025

Introduction

GENDRO is an international non-profit association established in the State of Geneva, Switzerland, in 2018. Our work is dedicated to identifying and addressing the gender gaps and biases across the entire research ecosystem, including real world applications and impact. Working across multiple sectors and through our partnerships, GENDRO is commited to the highest standards of human rights and ethical behaviours. This GDEI Policy is crucial to our ethos and is firmly embedded in our vision and mission as an organization. Part of our ethics framework, this policy applies to how our board of directors, staff, consultants, interns, volunteers, and partners engage with one another, and to the very nature of our work.

Our Values

We uphold and live our values and this policy is one of the many ways we ensure this. Our values are about who we are and how we work. We stand for gender equality, diversity, inclusion, evidence-based, collaborativeness, integrity, accountability, independence, and human rights. This policy is a veritable manifesto for GENDRO.

Our Commitment to DEI and Gender Equality

GENDRO is rooted in an intersectional feminist commitment to advancing gender equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a focus on dismantling systemic barriers and power imbalances that perpetuate gender and other inequities in research.

We strive to create a transformative and enabling environment where individuals of all sexes and genders, particularly those historically marginalized, can thrive in, contribute to, influence, or lead any research endeavour.

Importantly, our approach emphasizes intersectionality, recognizing that sex and gender intersect with race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, ability, neurodiversity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and other identities to shape lived experiences, and also shape the decision making within the research ecosystem. For key definitions, see Annex.

By challenging patriarchal and colonial norms and advocating for equity, we aim to foster a culture of mutual respect, shared power, and justice, within our organization, throughout our network, and across the research ecosystem globally. We firmly believe that GDEI in our organization and workforce are fundamental to quality and credible research and data analysis, essential to the health equity and prosperity of everyone, everywhere.

These commitments are deeply grounded in the principles of human rights, affirming that GDEI are not only ethical imperatives but fundamental rights that must be upheld to ensure dignity, freedom, and justice for all individuals.

The ways we bring DEI and Gender Equality to our work

Our work hinges on open and respectful interactions. We aim to apply transformative intersectional feminist approaches and:

champion and work towards applying the values and principles of gender equality and diversity, equity and inclusion in all of our interactions internally, i.e. among and between member of our board of directors, staff, consultants, interns, and volunteers
foster knowledge sharing and building a network to share ideas and good practices to further learning and development
ensure that in our interactions with our partners, that we are mindful of and reflect on power and privilege and make constructive use of privilege and any efforts to address power imbalances
continue to pursue our vision and mission by bringing sex, gender, and intersectionality into all research endeavours
centre the voices of women, girls and gender diverse people and championing their meaningful engagement in research and policy
encourage projects that aim at greater understanding and improved data and analysis of the impacts of sex, gender, and other diversity characteristics both in the research itself, but also in the teams conducting the research
constantly challenge our own thinking and respectfully challenge others’ thinking
tranform power dynamics where we can, for example including global north and global south dynamics
strive for diversity among our board, team, and partners
remain humble about, respect, acknowledge, recognise, and appreciate the lived experiences of those with whom we interact.

Zero tolerance for discrimination

GENDRO has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination. In respect of Swiss Law, which forbids discrimination on the basis of origin; race or ethnicity; gender; age; language; social position; way of life; religious, ideological, or political convictions; physical, mental, or psychological disabilities; and sexual orientation, we additionally commit to zero tolerance of any additional forms of discrimination.

We encourage prevention and reporting

GENDRO conducts reference checks on our board members, staff, volunteers, and interns.

Any issues relating to this policy can and should be reported safely to: ethics(at)humanimpact5.ch

At the time of this policy writing, the above email is solely managed by board member Gabrielle Landry Chappuis, who is a certified person of trust and DEI expert. Should this not be an option for any reason, the board secretary Bernard Kadasia may be contacted: b.kadasia(at)gendro.org.

Behaviours that contravene this policy and constitute discrimination are considered serious misconduct and if/once verified will lead to sanctions, including contract termination, or when necessary will be referred to the relevant authorities.

ANNEX

Key Definitions

Sex	A set of biological attributes in humans and animals, primarily associated with physical and physiological features including chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels and function, and reproductive or sexual anatomy. Although usually categorized as female or male, there is variation in the biological attributes that comprise sex and how those attributes are expressed.[1]
Gender	Socially constructed norms, roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, and men. Gender influences how people perceive themselves and each other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources in society. Often considered a binary concept, non-binary genders are recognized in many countries and cultures. Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt, internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond to the person’s physiology or designated sex at birth.[2]
Sexual Orientation	A person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional, and sexual attraction to, intimate and/or sexual relations with a person of a different gender, the same gender, or more than one gender.
Diversity	The span of different demographics and identities held by individuals and groups. It includes, but is not be limited to legally protected characteristics such as sex, gender, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, nationality, age, health status, disability status, cultural background, political affiliation, religious affiliation, education type or level, socio-economic status, as well as other factors such as neurodiversity, lifestyle choices, personality types, and life experience.
Equity	The experience of fairness and justice achieved by the removal of barriers to opportunities and removal of discrimination. Achieving equity requires taking into account different needs and resources to achieve equal results. It also seeks to address historical and systemic inequalities to create conditions for everyone to have an equal chance to succeed. It is a means to equality.
Equality	The notion that all human beings have the same value, implying that we all have the same fundamental human rights, should all receive the same level of respect and treatment with dignity, as well as all enjoying the same access to opportunities. It is the ultimate goal of equity.
Inclusion	An environment that is trusted by all to be respectful of differences and one that reduces inequities. Often referred to as belonging, inclusion refers to the attitudes, behaviours and practices that create that sense of belonging. It refers to a structured and intentional set of good practices.
Discrimination	Any direct or indirect unjust or prejudicial treatment of anyone due to an aspect of their identity. Discrimination can be individual, intersectional or structural.
Intersectionality	The intersection and overlap of different aspects of a person’s identity (e.g. those mentioned in the definition of diversity), creating compounded, unique and contextual experiences of privilege, discrimination, or oppression. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing these overlapping and compounding effects.

[1] Gender

[2] Ibid.