He’s been building networks for ten years. Which facilitates meetings and contacts, which supports initiatives and events, in short, which helps women of science, young and old, to come out and claim that professional space to which they are fully entitled. AND’ Marina Rizzoneuroscientist, acting head physician of the Neurology department of the Villa Sofia Hospital in Palermo, and head of the “Women in Neuroscience” movement, a non-profit association founded on May 9, 2012. And which today, on the occasion of its tenth anniversary, finds itself in Rome, at the ENPAM headquarters, to tell stories of researchers, doctors, scientists, biologists, psychologists, but also entrepreneurs and managers of Health
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Goal for equality in careers
“The main objective of this movement – explains Rizzo – is to build a dialogue between the professionals of the sector, through activities aimed at listening and supporting, with the aim of strengthening and enhancing the working conditions of women”. By breaking down barriers and obstacles in the path towards gender equality in careers, continues Rizzo, in a system that often imposes, even today, male choices with equal merit.
The Roman encounter
The meeting in Rome therefore moves along four lines: women in Neuroscience, Medicine of Sex and Gender (since 2016 the Movement has been supported by the “Italian Society of Gender Medicine in Neuroscience” (SIMe.Ge.N.) to the scientific aspects), Women in Science and Health, gender violence in the family and at work. To open the day will be the interventions of Elena Bonetti, Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family, Alberto OlivetiPresident of ENPAM, Luca Valvassoripresident of the hospital neuroscience society e Bruno Zanottielected president of the Hospital Neuroscience Society.
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complete autonomy
But it is above all at the local level that the Women in Neuroscience movement has built its strength and given the most useful tools to female researchers to make their way in a world dominated by men. “One of the things I am most proud of – continues the president of the movement – is that of having created a” format “that allows Female Doctors of all Italian cities to organize events – congresses, conferences, workshops, study days – in complete autonomy in its own territory “. In fact, every professional who requests it is provided with complete assistance for organizing the event. For example, an organizational secretarial support to manage all the procedures necessary for the realization of Continuing Medical Training Courses (ECM), as well as logistic consultancy for all phases of the event.
The multidisciplinary approach
We ask women, continues Rizzo, to think of a program and the title of the event, to imagine the speakers, to choose a venue, to identify the “local scientific organizing committee” with which to collaborate. Provided that – underlines Rizzo – some characteristics are respected: guaranteeing the female presence of at least 2/3 of the teachers, attention to the differences of sex, age and gender, and a multidisciplinary approach for each pathology, with the involvement of more professional figures in the field of neuroscience. The “format” works, and there are already several dozen meetings organized since the birth of the movement. The goal of bringing out the professionalism of women in their work context is not so unattainable.