ESCMID Parity Commission was established to revolutionise the landscape of Clinical Microbiology (CM) and Infectious Diseases (ID) by fostering greater inclusivity among minorities, genders, and across geographical regions. With an unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers, ESCMID aims to cultivate a more vibrant and interconnected scientific community.
ESCMID is committed to ensuring fair opportunities for all, championing inclusivity and diversity every step of the way. Within the ESCMID Parity Commission, minorities are defined as individuals facing discrimination in their professional pursuits or underrepresentation in scientific circles due to factors such as gender, age, sexual orientation, race, region or religion—regardless of their accomplishments. Work is needed to break down these barriers and build a brighter, more equitable future. The Parity Commission serves three critical objectives:
ESCMID actively promotes equity across all its core educational, professional, and scientific activities, including leadership roles. The society is dedicated to fostering diversity among committee members, speakers, and chairpersons at its events, ensuring fair inclusion of individuals from all genders* and world regions.
ESCMID is committed to ensuring parity, equity and non-discrimination in its events and decisions, creating an inclusive environment where all members and participants are treated fairly. Every individual – regardless of gender*, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, or background – has the right to participate equally in society activities, including leadership roles and event participation as faculty or attendees.
To further promote inclusion, ESCMID encourages women, minorities, and underrepresented groups and countries to actively participate in and contribute to all Society activities. For example, grants are offered to help reduce financial barriers and increase representation at its events.
* Genders (including woman, man and non-binary) are recognised according to each individual's self-identification.
The CAREer Grant supports members to balance scientific careers with family responsibilities (childcare) or unexpected situations (illness, caring for elderly parents, etc.). It provides financial assistance, equivalent to 20% of the recipient’s gross salary to hire qualified support personnel, for members who need to reduce their workload by 20% or are already working part-time (≤ 80%).