3 Initiatives That Make a Difference in the Fight for Gender Equality

Les sans pagEs is an initiative that began in 2016 in response to a disheartening finding: that year, the online encyclopedia Wikipedia had only 16.6% of its biographical pages dedicated to women. To narrow the gap in knowledge available on the platform between women and men, the organization regularly partners with male and female researchers who are experts in their fields. These researchers produce reliable content on the lives and work of women artists, scientists, researchers, athletes, chefs, and politicians who have historically been overlooked. The organization was notably honored during the 2026 edition of the ENS’s “Women and Girls in Science” month, during which it organized a one-day edit-a-thon. The result: dozens of articles created or edited. A simple yet effective initiative to rewrite women’s place in history. Today, thanks in large part to the association’s efforts, 20% of biographical pages are dedicated to women.

At a time when companies are struggling to recruit candidates with scientific and technical backgrounds, increasing the number of women in engineering programs has become a strategic priority. However, this shortage of female applicants does not reflect a lack of skills: throughout their schooling, girls achieve solid results—often better than those of boys—with higher exam pass rates and greater representation in higher education.

The drop-off occurs during the college counseling phase. Despite their academic performance, fewer girls choose mathematics and science tracks: only 42% take the “mathematics” track in their senior year, and they account for only about a quarter of the student body in engineering and digital technology programs. This underrepresentation is largely due to persistent biases, gender stereotypes, a lack of role models, and self-censorship, compounded by strong social pressure: more than 40% of female students report having been discouraged from pursuing these paths.

To address these barriers, a collective effort is being organized, starting in high school. The “Girls and Math” initiative, launched in 2025, is a prime example: it aims to directly address the causes of inequality by training teachers on gender bias, setting progress goals to increase the number of high school girls taking advanced math courses, and developing concrete actions to build students’ confidence. This approach is based on a key idea: differences in academic choices are not a matter of ability, but rather of perceptions and environment.

The top engineering schools are fully embracing this trend by launching their own initiatives. Ahead of the admissions process, they are expanding the range of immersion programs designed for young women—such as targeted open houses, introductory workshops, and meetings with female students and professionals—to make these career paths more tangible and accessible. The goal is clear: to enable middle and high school girls to envision themselves in environments where they are still in the minority.

The Cannes Lions creativity festival, which honors creative professionals in the worlds of advertising and content creation, launched the “See it Be it” program in 2014. Its goal? To create a space for women and non-binary people in thecreative industry. The program was born out of the observation that, even today, creative leadership positions are predominantly held by men. Each year, it invites about 20 international participants to four days of conferences, training sessions, and masterclasses designed to accelerate their careers and equip them with the tools to assert themselves professionally and build a network of mutual support and inspiration. Since its inception, the program has empowered 150 women from 44 countries, and 63% of these alumnae now hold at least one creative director position. In June, Cannes Lions will welcome the Class of 2026, which will include participants from Serbia and South Korea for the first time.

So we see that amid all the fear-mongering rhetoric about extreme polarization and backlash, there is a whole hive of citizen-led initiatives that are fighting for gender parity and raising awareness of these issues in society. And it really is heartening to see.