#MoreWomenInEcon campaign resources

  Did you know less than 26% of the students studying economics are women? We’re pleased to support Rethinking Economics in their #MoreWomenInEcon campaign which asks governments and universities to do more to address the lack of women in economics. What do we want? We want the governments and universities to start doing more to get more women and BAME students into economics. This might be through changing the economics curricula so that it considers women, by working more with schools so that the amount of women who study economics at a-level (college) go on to study economics at university, or by supporting the few female economists to gain more recognition for their fantastic work, in journals and the media. Why do we want this? Women are underrepresented in economics, in the student body and in academia, and this becomes worse as education progresses. (Check out some of the stats in the facts and figures document here: IWD facts and stats) Where are all the women in economics? Whilst there are many reasons for the lack of diversity within economics, such as culture, we have outlined the following as potential causes:

• The curricula does not represent women so women do not feel the subject relates to them (in many curricular Homo Economicus is a man, and is the supposed ideal form of behaviour. Therefore economic analysis is based on the belief that a male pattern of behaviour is the norm)
• There are few women role models in economics, and the ones who are in economics are much less likely to achieve a promotion. (A 2014 study ‘Women in Economics’ found that across Academica, gender representation is becoming much more equal, apart from economics, where women continue to miss out on promotions.)
• Gender Dynamics are not addressed in the classroom
• Essential topics such as health and education are undervalued
• Household labour and care are not counted as valuable activities

What does this mean for Universities? Currently only 26% of economics students are women and there is a significantly less women in academia, compared with other disciplines. What does this mean for Society? The lack of women represented in economics as a profession and the curricula means that economic models and policy have an unintentional gender bias. This has led to such issues as care and household work not being considered in GDP, and new models/ metrics not being created that might be better measures for economic activity, such as alternative measures for societal progress. Would you like to take action? Show your support on social media

• Sign up for the twitter thunderclap* (link: http://bit.ly/2sUKsVS)*A thunderclap is a completely-secure new tool that allows people to pledge a tweet or Facebook post that will be posted at the same time as other supporters. Think of it as a massive online flashmob.
• Add our facebook frame to your profile picture to show your support https://actionsprout.io/4A0E3Aand download our social media content from our Facebook page http://bit.ly/2FzrHKu
• Tweet at famous economists and politicians to raise awareness of the international campaign.
• Download our posters and share them on your social media

The campaign hashtag is #MoreWomenInEcon Download a campaign pack now! There are three different campaign packs you can download, so click on the one that applies to you: campaign pack for students: student campaign pack IWD2018 campaign pack for academics/ economists/ organisations: academic_economist campaign pack IWD2018!.docx campaign pack for concerned citizens: individual campaign pack IWD2018!