Researchers call for expansion of Athena SWAN’s remit

A planned review of the Athena SWAN gender-equality charter should ensure that its remit is broadened to include more diverse groups of women, academics have said.

The comments follow an online consultation about the charter, set to close on 28 January. A formal consultation will open in the spring, and recommendations for a revised charter are expected in the autumn.

Rachel Oliver, a materials scientist at the University of Cambridge who started the Twitter hashtag #AllyPledge to encourage diversity in the sector, said that the charter sometimes failed to address specific problems faced by some groups, such as black or minority ethnic, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer, or questioning, and others) and disabled women. “I would like to see its approach become more intersectional in future,” she said.