International Women's Rights Day at Institut Pasteur: a look back at the March 8 event

Every year, on March 8, International Women's Rights Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. Officialized by the United Nations since 1977, this day is a reminder not only of Institut Pasteur's commitment to gender equality, but also of how far we still have to go to achieve it. Celebrating this day renews our promise to create a world where gender equality is not an aspiration, but a lived reality.

Institut Pasteur, through its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department (DEI) and the entire community of resource employee groups (ERGs), decided to organize an entire day devoted to the issue of gender equality. The event was divided into two parts, each punctuated by a variety of events and testimonials.

 

Presentation of Institut Pasteur's commitment to gender equality in science

 

Opened by the combined speeches of Yasmine Belkaid, President, and Mariana Mesel-Lemoine, Director of DEI, the morning session provided an opportunity to reflect on how to strengthen the place and contribution of women in science, and to provide food for thought on the levers and actions to be implemented.

To enrich these discussions, Ana Persic, Programme Specialist for Science at UNESCO, and Ayumi Moore Aoki, CEO and founder of the global NGO Women in Tech, came to share their inspiring experiences before joining Yasmine Belkaid and Mariana Mesel-Lemoine for the "Advancing Equality and Empowering Women in Science" round table.

Watch or rewatch the presentation by the global NGO Women in Tech

After these rich and inspiring exchanges, a final committed guest, Isabelle Lonjon-Domanec, Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), took her turn to present the association she represents, as well as officially announcing the partnership set up with the Institut Pasteur.

View or replay the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) presentation

 

 

See or replay the morning's discussions

 

An afternoon dedicated to the lives of Pasteurian women

 

 

After a morning in line with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated every February 11, the event moved on to broader discussions.

Launched by a theatrical performance that highlighted and raised awareness, with a touch of humor, of the notion of gender equality within career paths in the world of research, the afternoon event then gave way to the testimonies of four Pasteur women, in science and in support of science:

•    Anna Kheres, in charge of the strategic project for the creation of the Center for Vector-Borne Diseases (CMTV),

•    Mariette Matondo, in charge of the Proteomics platform, in the Mass Spectrometry for Biology technology and service unit, within the Structural Biology and Chemistry department.

•    Mallory Perrin-Wolff, Head of Scientific Programming and Incentives,

•    Delphine Planas, post-doctoral researcher in the Virus and Immunity unit of the Virology department.

Following these inspiring personal testimonials, and to bring the day to a close, an illustration, created from the control room under the watchful eye of graphic facilitator Marine Barbaud, was projected. The images retraced the day's events and highlights.

 

See or replay the afternoon's exchanges

 

As the new Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, I'm delighted to have worked with all our teams to organize this event dedicated to International Women's Rights Day. This day was much more than a simple meeting; it reflected our commitment to crucial societal challenges.

We created a space where we could shine the spotlight on Pasteurian women, listen attentively to their stories and celebrate their successes.
The active participation of speakers from UNESCO, Women in Tech and the Healthcare Businesswomen Association underlined the vital importance of actions in favor of gender equality. Their varied perspectives enriched our exchanges, reinforcing our conviction of the need to persevere in our commitment to a more egalitarian society. The partnerships envisaged are of crucial importance for our institution, offering the opportunity to strengthen our impact and influence in this essential struggle.

This day has encouraged reflection, strengthened our collective commitment to advancing women's rights and creating a more egalitarian and inclusive working environment.

I'm proud to be part of an institution that fights for such essential values as diversity, equity and inclusion. Our commitment to these ideals will not waver, and we will continue to work tirelessly to build a fairer and more egalitarian world for all.

Thank you once again for your support and participation in this important event. Together, we can achieve significant and lasting change.

 

Mariana Mesel-Lemoine

 

Photos ©Sébastien Toubon