Gender Perspective in Quality Infrastructure: A Pathway to Equality and Innovation (PART 2)

In a previous post, we discussed the importance and implications of incorporating a gender perspective into QI. We recommended using a framework tailored to the QI context to evaluate contribution levels and progress toward gender equality. This time, we will explore various entry points through which QI can integrate a gender perspective, including:

1. Fostering women’s talent and empowerment within QI organisations

In 2023, the Global Gender Gap Report published that women represent 49.3% of total employment in occupations outside science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), but only 29.2% of all STEM workers. This shows that women continue to be under-represented in this field of work, which is usually highly paid and has excellent growth potential.

The participation of female talent in quality organisations is a possible entry point, which can contribute to closing this gap in the representation of women in STEM occupations. Some actions in this sense are to analyse the situation within QI teams, assess where and how women could be incorporated, and whether organisational conditions favour or prevent equal participation.

Although women’s participation in STEM fields is low, the gender perspective should be understood as a strategy to improve this situation by ensuring equal treatment and opportunities for all people, avoiding all forms of discrimination, and promoting the inclusion of diversity.

The experience of MUSICA (Mujeres del Sistema de Infraestructura de la Calidad) is an example of promoting a gender perspective in QI organisations. In 2018, MUSICA was born as a self-managed working group of women from the QI in Mexico, intending to promote the gender perspective in QI services and women’s participation in the sector.

In 2023, MUSICA was consolidated as a civil society organisation comprising representatives of authorities, business chambers, associations, academia, research centres, laboratories, inspection units, and certification bodies. Its institutional agenda includes activities for tool creation to integrate the gender perspective in the development of technical regulations and standards, the generation of data and statistics on women’s participation in the CNS, establishing an educational link to promote QI as a career option and tasks related to visualising women’s contribution to QI advancement.

For example, last year, MUSICA produced a study on the landscape of women’s participation in QI organisations, concluding that men represent a majority (56%) compared to women, who make up 43.8% only, and this is mainly in operational positions (see figures). The figures indicate that there is still ample room to promote female talent in QI organisations.

Among the organisation’s gender mainstreaming strategies is the Mexican Standard NMX-R-025-SCFI-2015 on Labour Equality and Non-Discrimination, in which only 3% of the organisations participating in the study have been certified. 

2. Gender Mainstreaming in organisations and their action policies.

Institutionalising the gender perspective in day-to-day activities, not as an annexed or desirable component but as part of the working culture, implies setting a strategic agenda and raising awareness, training, and skills acquisition by the agencies’ teams.

In this regard, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), through its Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardisation Policies (WP.6), published 2019 the “Statement on Gender Mainstreaming in Technical Standards and Norms”, which seeks to strengthen the use of standards and technical regulations as powerful tools to integrate a gender perspective and achieve results in terms of equality and empowerment of women and girls. 

This milestone has marked a starting point for organisations such as ISO to publish tools, such as the “Guidance on Gender-Responsive Standards” for ISO and IEC technical committees (2022), which facilitate their implementation. It has also led to the endorsement of European standard-setting bodies, which are taking concrete steps to advance the implementation of SDG 5 on Gender Equality.

Likewise, the integration of gender equality objectives in QI support bodies, as in the case of the PTB through its “Self-declaration on Drawing Up a Gender Equality Plan” and the actions carried out through its International Cooperation projects, is another example of mainstreaming the perspective of QI institutions.

3. Gender-sensitive QI services 

The establishment of measurements, development of norms and standards, as well as their subsequent assessment and certification, is a natural entry point where QI can contribute to the reduction of gender gaps, assure the quality of products and services that meet the needs of diverse population profiles and stimulate innovation in national markets to strengthen their competitiveness. There are many international examples in this field, among them:

Standards that promote gender mainstreaming address QI services that explicitly aim to impact gender equality. For example, the recently published ISO 53800 provides guidelines for organisations to integrate and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

National standards such as NMX-R-025-SCFI-2015 (Mexico), IRAM 57001 (Argentina) and UNI/PdR 125: 2022 of the Gender Equality Management System (Italy) are voluntary and eligible for certification by accreditation bodies in their respective economies.

The QI as a catalyst for improving the gender situation in a national context, thus reducing gender parity gaps, is a major goal pursued by governments, civil organisations, companies and international development partners worldwide. QI services as guarantors of trust and promoters of the competitiveness of companies and organisations can play a relevant role in improving the status quo in domestic markets.

Creating standards and models that guide gender efforts can emerge from other spheres of action that do not necessarily use or become quality services. Examples such as the Quality Model with Gender Equity in Uruguay and the Gender Equality Management System (SGIG) in Colombia demonstrate how management guidelines can be established to promote equality. These models emerged as vehicles for applying national legislation in the labour context and collaboration with public and private organisations.

In addition, the proliferation of private sector- or organization-specific standards reflects a growing interest in providing companies and organisations with tools to implement and institutionalise gender mainstreaming. Examples are certification schemes, such as the Gender Equality Seal for the Private Sector (UNDP) and the Participatory Gender Audit (ILO). This raises the question of whether a QI-introduced gender lens can become visible in other sectors to expand its services, ensure a neutral assessment, avoid duplication of requirements, and foster improvements that even increase competitiveness.

In conclusion

Gender mainstreaming in Quality Infrastructure promotes equality and justice, drives innovation, and improves the quality of life for all people. It increases opportunities for entities providing QI services to expand their solutions in areas that directly impact the achievement of the SDGs. By considering the gender approach, it fosters a more inclusive and prosperous society, where all products and services are designed and evaluated to ensure their quality, safety and sustainability for all people, regardless of their gender.

Additional resources:

World Economic Forum (2024), Global Gender Gap Report

Riva, E. (2022) Accredited Certification Supporting Gender Equality in Italy, IAF Outlook

ISO (2022) Gender-responsive standards

ISO (2024) ISO 53800:2024 – Guidelines for the promotion and implementation of gender equality and women’s empowerment

ILO (2023) Gender equality seal for the private sector

USD-AID (2023) Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy

Special thanks to Monica Muñoz for researching and co-writing this text.