This year marks the 10th anniversary of the ESMO Women for Oncology (W4O) Committee, a decade-long commitment to advancing gender equity in oncology. Since its establishment in 2015, ESMO W4O has been a driving force in supporting career development, fostering professional networks for female oncologists, and addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in oncology.
Coinciding with this milestone is the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS), observed today, 11 February. The theme of this year’s IDWGS, “Charting progress to shape the future: the best is yet to come,” highlights the ongoing journey toward greater inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Despite representing half of the global population, women and girls remain underrepresented in STEM fields, including oncology. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), women account for less than 30% of researchers worldwide [1]. Many still face challenges in accessing adequate funding, publishing opportunities, and leadership roles, limiting their full participation in the STEM fields.
Demonstrating a strong commitment to gender equity in oncology, ESMO took a proactive approach in 2013 by launching a task force to assess female representation in oncology leadership. This initiative later evolved into the ESMO W4O Committee in 2015. Since then, ESMO W4O has been conducting international authorship and monitoring studies investigating female representation in leadership positions in oncology. While these studies have documented some progress, they also highlight that change remains gradual and significant disparities persist, particularly in breaking the glass ceiling in oncology leadership [2].
The results of these studies were presented at the ESMO Congress 2024 and are further detailed in this article: Is gender equity still an issue in oncology?
As the journey toward gender equity in STEM and oncology continues, ESMO remains committed to promoting equal opportunities and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.