![\"CGIAR](\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cgiar-promotes1.jpg\")
<\/a>\nSome early adopters of the panel pledge.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nAs part of the International Women\u2019s Day (IWD) celebration, WIRES launched the\u00a0CGIAR\u2019s Gender Diversity and Inclusion Panel Pledge<\/a>\u00a0on 8 March. The event, which featured a lively discussion with gender experts, was held to help women and men learn how to commit to the panel pledge and contribute to building a truly inclusive workplace.\n\nModerating the session, Fiona Bourdin-Farrel, Senior Advisor on Gender Diversity and Inclusion, CGIAR, assured participants of how the Panel Pledge enhances women\u2019s representation and ensures that diverse voices are heard. She also mentioned that the event would include a segment that highlights people who are already supporting the CGIAR Panel Pledge in honor of IWD.\n\nIn his opening speech,\u00a0Elwyn Grainger-Jones<\/a>, Managing Director, Institutional Strategy and Systems, CGIAR, stated that the panel pledge launch is one of many ways CGIAR is celebrating the IWD. Grainger-Jones described the IWD as a day to reflect on progress made, celebrate women\u2019s and girls\u2019 achievements, and raise awareness of the enormous work that is left to be done, particularly in science. \u201cIn CGIAR, women have been leaders in science for decades, but they are still underrepresented in our domain in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics globally. Women still account for less than 30% of world scientists in research; hence, we need to put in huge efforts both globally and within CGIAR to achieve global parity,\u201d he said.\n Fiona Bourdin-Farrel, giving an overview about the panel pledge.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nOfficiating the launch, Bourdin-Farrel gave an overview of the panel pledge focusing on the purpose and contribution to an inclusive workplace. \u00a0She explained that the panel pledge sends a signal that gender, diversity, and inclusion are part of CGIAR values. Hence, she encouraged all CGIAR staff, especially Senior Managers, to participate in the Pledge. \u201cGuidelines for implementing the pledge are available on the new panel pledge website,\u201d she stated. Five other colleagues from across CGIAR also shared their thoughts on the importance of the Pledge.\n\nKeynote speaker\u00a0Caitlin Kraft-Buchman<\/a>, CEO of Women at the Table and Co-founder of International Gender Champions, explained why the Pledge is important. She shared her experiences about events where the panelists were all men, emphasizing an event in 2015 and how these experiences made her put in more effort to promote gender equality, especially in pushing for gender-balanced panels at events.\n\nGrainger-Jones stressed that the interest of CGIAR is not to change the operational structure but to improve the working culture continually and that the panel pledge launch is one of the ways CGIAR is improving the culture. Bourdin-Farrel appreciated the speakers and participants for their contribution to making the event a success. \u201cWe are glad you were able to join us for another step on our GDI journey. We look forward to seeing you join us on other GDI events,\u201d she said.\n\nWIRES is a vibrant new voluntary ERG\u00a0 dedicated to championing and supporting women. The group is open to all employees who support WIRES\u2019 mission to increase the visibility of women research and science professionals by ensuring their voices are heard and contributions recognized. WIRES is supported by the Gender, Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) Function.\n\nVisit\u00a0https:\/\/www.cgiar.org\/how-we-work\/accountability\/gdi-panel-pledge\/<\/a>\u00a0to sign up for the CGIAR GDI Panel Pledge.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Women scientists represent 29% of CGIAR\u2019s workforce. These scientists, including women researchers from IITA, play an indispensable role at the forefront of CGIAR\u2019s mission to deliver science and innovation that advance the transformation of food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":15159,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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<\/a>\n