Workshop: Gender & Standardization

Workshop „Gender and Standardization“ -  April 14th

Cars have been designed using car crash-test dummies based on the average male. The dummies were developed in the 1950s and it wasn’t until 2011 that in the US female crash-test dummy were used. But even later in that decade in EU regulatory crash-test requirements no anthropometrically correct female crash-test dummy were required.
Standards are generally presumed to be gender-neutral and are developed without recognizing the differences between male and female standard users. Besides there is a lack of explicit gender policies and implementation strategies in standard organisations.
In this workshop we want to discuss how to create and implement gender responsive standards. As we see, the integration of gender in the standardization processes in technology development is crucial and can save lives. Therefore, the aim of the workshop is to outline next steps and a concrete roadmap.

The workshop will start with short impulse lectures highlighting different aspects of the topic. Afterwards, we will use the discussion round to identify the next steps towards the integration of gender in standardisation processes:

• Short statement by all discussants: current opportunities and challenges in the field of gender and standardisation. (10 minutes each): 40 minutes
• Panel discussion: What needs to be done? What are the next steps to integrate gender more into standardisation processes? 40 minutes
• Time for impulses from the audience: 20 minutes
• Joint formulation and adoption of an action plan to further integrate gender in standardisation processes and institutions: 20 minutes

Mary Olson, Gender and Radiation Impact Project
Philip Heß , Research Assistant, Institute of Technology and Management, Technical University of Berlin
Astrid Linder, Research Director, Traffic Safety, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute
Michelle Parkouda, PhD,  Manager, Research, Strategy & Stakeholder Engagement, Standards Council of Canada
Moderator: Katharina Hochfeld, Deputy Head of Center for Responsible Research and Innovation at Fraunhofer IAO, Germany