University events for International Women's Day

For Iternational Women's Day, the University of Bologna has organized a round of seminars starting on 8th March to provide moments of discussion and reflection. These will last till May, the month marking the anniversary of Emma Pezemo's tragic death - a University of Bologna student who fell victim to femicide three years ago.

The seminar series titled "Interrogare il maschile, comprendere il presente” (Interrogating Masculinity, Understanding the Present) is designed to provide the University and local community with the opportunity to critically explore masculinity. Various experts engage in a dialogue with representatives from the University of Bologna, exploring the mechanisms of identity construction in relation to gender norms and performance. The series is curated by the Delegate for Equity and Inclusion, Cristina Demaria, and Cristina Gamberi, Research Fellow at the University of Bologna.

The first session is set for Tuesday, 12th March, at 5 pm in the Sala VIII Centenario in the Rectorate (Via Zamboni, 33): "Pensare al maschile. (Auto)Riflessioni critiche e analisi empiriche” (Thinking Masculine: (Self)Critical Reflections and Empirical Analysis).

Following the opening remarks by Professor Cristina Demaria, the University's Delegate for Equity and Inclusion, sociologist Vulca Fidolini from the Université de Lorraine will address the audience. The session will be moderated by Professor Rita Monticelli.

Among the university's initiatives, a discussion titled "Parità di genere: le leggi e le protagoniste” (Gender Equality: Laws and Protagonists) is scheduled for Friday, 8th March, at 9 am in Aula A (Via Beniamino Andreatta, 8 - Bologna). Organized by Professor Carlo Berti, this session aims for a conversation with Monica Cirinnà (Senator of the Republic in the XVII and XVIII Legislatures), Sofia Amoddio (Lawyer and Deputy in the XVII legislature), Carla Nassetti (Member of the Equal Opportunities Committee of the Bar Association of Bologna), and Antonella Bertocchi (Lawyer).
On 8th March at 2:30 PM, an event titled "Politiche purali: il Piano per l'Uguaglianza" (Plural Policies: The Equality Plan) will be held at Sala Giunta, the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Modern Cultures (Via Cartoleria, 5 - Bologna). Simona Lembi, who oversees the Equality Plan at the Metropolitan City of Bologna, will be leading the discussion. This event is organized by the Erasmus Mundus GEMMA Master and the EDGES Doctoral Curriculum.

Also on Friday, 8th March at 9:30 am, at the Rimini Campus in Aula Angherà 3 (Via Domenico Angherà, 22 - Rimini), an event titled "Empowerment e diritti delle donne: progettualità educative dell'ONG EducAid in Palestina" (Empowerment and Women's Rights: Educational Projects by the NGO EducAid in Palestine) will take place. The objective is to examine projects that focus on empowering women with disabilities through vocational training and support for micro-enterprises in Palestine and the Gaza Strip. 

On Saturday, 9th March at 10:30 AM, an organized guided tour titled "Figlie dell’Alma Mater. Dalla prima docente alle studentesse di oggi” (Daughters of the University of Bologna: From the First Female Faculty to Today's Students) is set to take place. The event aims to trace the significant female contribution within Unibo, spanning from the legendary first female faculty members to the contemporary women students.

At 3 pm on Monday, 11th March, an event titled "Lo sfruttamento lavorativo delle donne” (The Exploitation of Women in the Workplace) is set to take place in Aula Ruffilli (Strada Maggiore, 45 - Bologna). The Department of Sociology and Law of Economics at the University of Bologna, in collaboration with the MondoDonna Onlus Association, is organizing this session to contemplate issues such as the right to work for vulnerable women, disparities, clandestine female labour in agriculture, and the exploitation of migrant women.

A series dedicated to the Glossary of Terms on Gender Violence has been launched on the University Instagram page Uniboper. It came from a widespread need for discussion and the necessity to equip oneself with conceptual tools capable of unveiling the mechanisms of violence. It's a weekly appointment to delve into key terms, relying on some of the most authoritative voices within and outside the university who are addressing them.

The Breaking the Stereotype video campaign continues on social media, focusing on raising awareness and sharing the narratives of individuals who have uncovered their passions beyond societal stereotypes. Students have been involved, sharing their firsthand experiences of studying, to initiate a cultural transformation.

The Helpdesks against gender-based violence at the Bologna and Forlì Campuses are always active. It's a safe, anonymous, and free space where individuals can seek assistance for various forms of violence, whether within the university context or outside, perpetrated by partners, family members, acquaintances, or strangers.
The service is free and provides individual consultations, the initiation of emergency procedures for immediate victim protection, information on university services, key figures, and institutional bodies, the opportunity to engage with the local services and associations network, and basic insights into legal aspects.
All services are also available in English and guaranteed online for the entire Multicampus community.

Finally, for the International Women's Day, the Single Guarantee Committee for Guarantee Committee for Equal Opportunities, Employee Wellbeing and Non-Discrimination at Work - CUG of the University of Bologna has released an infographic of the 2022 Gender Equality Annual Report. This graphic helps identify the phenomenon known as the "leaky pipeline" and highlights the stages in the academic journey where there is a gradual reduction in the female component. The data reaffirm the University of Bologna's commitment to closing the gender gap.